CV

Myrna Barakat Friedman

mbarakat@mb-cap.com    +1 917 213 6631

  • Independent commercial arbitrator, mediator and dispute prevention neutral.
  • Corporate and transactional lawyer and advisor.

Commercial Arbitrator, Mediator and Dispute Prevention Neutral

Presiding Fellow & Founder, ACT-ADR | Fellow, CIArb (FCIArb) | CEDR-Accredited & NYS Certified Mediator

DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE

INDEPENDENT COMMERCIAL NEUTRAL 2021–Present
New York, USA (Domestic & International Mandates)

  • Serve as Chair, Sole Arbitrator, Co-Arbitrator, Appellate Arbitrator, and Mediator in over 150 cases involving a broad range of complex commercial and financial matters, including matters under the rules of the AAA, ICDR, ICC, JAMS, CPR, and FINRA.
  • Design and deliver bespoke soft skills and negotiation programs for corporate teams at global organizations, focusing on matrix influence, cross-functional communication, and dispute prevention.

Panel Admissions & Rosters

Domestic Panels & Rosters

  • AAA Commercial Panels (Complex Commercial, Construction, Technology)
  • CPR Arbitrator and Mediator Panels
  • WIPO Arbitrator and Mediator Panels
  • FINRA Arbitrator Panel
  • Federal Court Mediator Panel (EDNY & SDNY)
  • NY State Commercial and Surrogate’s Courts Mediator Panel
  • Special Master, New York State Supreme Court (Second Dept.)
 International & Regional Rosters

  • International Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
  • International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – Listed as Arbitrator and Mediator
  • London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
  • Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
  • Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) Arbitrator Panel
  • Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) Arbitrator and Mediator Rosters
  • Qatar International Center for Conciliation & Arbitration (QICCA) Arbitrator and Mediator Rosters
  • KCAB International Panel of Arbitrators

Leadership in Dispute Resolution

  • Presiding Fellow and Founder, ACT-ADR (Association of Commercial and Transactional ADR Professionals)
  • Founder, Salon d’Arb. (Invitation-only forum for arbitrator roundtable discussions)
  • Chair, ICC/USCIB Mediation Subcommittee of the Arbitration Committee
  • Chair, New York City Bar Association AI in Arbitration Subcommittee
  • Member, AAA-ICDR Financial Industry Advisory Committee
  • Member, New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC) Program Committee
  • Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN)

AREAS OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERTISE

Corporate, M&A & Financial Transactions
M&A and post-M&A matters, joint ventures, private equity, family offices, investment vehicles, corporate finance, securities, financial services, bankruptcy, partnership disputes, and business divorces.		 Technology, IP & Digital Assets
Technology licensing, data breaches, software/hardware professional services and manufacturing, crypto/online exchange platforms, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, biotechnology, and related IP disputes.
Industrial, Construction & Infrastructure
Complex construction disputes (subcontractor, scope of work, payment, EOTs, and defects), domestic/international manufacturing and distribution, transportation, logistics, automotive industry, defense, security and satellite infrastructure.		 Commercial Operations & Professional Services
Commercial/residential real estate, commercial insurance and reinsurance (including specialty and D&O insurance), healthcare, film and entertainment, professional services disputes (investment banking, accounting, audit, IT, and legal), and food/beverage manufacturing and sales.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR • MB Corporate Advisory Partners S.A.R.L. (MBCAP) 2009–2022

Provided strategic growth advisory services (strategy formulation and execution) on acquisitions, partnerships, financing, and investments to corporations, financial institutions, high-growth companies, and investors. Industry focus: insurance/reinsurance, technology and infrastructure. Transitioned firm advisory practice in 2021 to focus exclusively on independent neutral and arbitration services.

  • Sourced acquisition targets, joint ventures, and other strategic business combination partners.
  • Structured and negotiated transactional deal terms, investment agreements, and financing structures.
  • Led capital raising and corporate fundraising initiatives across diverse industries.
  • Advised executive leadership on general corporate and governance matters related to strategic growth.

MANAGING DIRECTOR & SVP, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT • CIT Group Inc. 2005–2008

  • Formulated CIT Group’s global M&A strategy; sourced, evaluated, and initiated contact with strategic partners and acquisition targets across CIT’s five global business units.
  • Served as Chief Counsel-M&A, lead for structuring, reviewing, and completing all acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic corporate transactions.
  • Served as a member of the Legal Executive Committee responsible for management of the CIT Group Legal Department.

ASSOCIATE (Corporate Finance, M&A & Financial Institutions) • Sullivan & Cromwell LLP 1998–2005

  • Managed a broad array of strategic cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, IPOs, and spin-offs for leading US and international clients.
  • Advised domestic and foreign banks, asset managers, insurers, reinsurers, and other financial institutions on regulatory compliance and transactional matters.
  • Led legal teams advising on complex strategic transactions across Europe, Australia, Latin America, and Asia.
  • Led public and private securities offerings, including convertible, high-yield, and tax-structured debt and equity.
  • Interim In-House M&A Counsel (Allianz AG, Munich, Germany — 2000): Agreed a six-month leave of absence from S&C to oversee Allianz AG groupwide M&A and strategic transactions globally while recruiting and training global transactional counsel.

ASSOCIATE (Corporate) • Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP 1997–1998

  • Managed and completed strategic M&A transactions, leveraged lease structures, and commercial paper facilities.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

MCGILL UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF LAW Montreal, Canada • 1997

Juris Doctor (J.D.) & Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) (Dual Qualification) | Honors: Graduated with Distinction (Top 10% of class)

MCGILL UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT Montreal, Canada • 1993

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) in Economics and Finance | Honors: Graduated with Great Distinction (Dean’s Honor List)

Bar Admission: State of New York (Admitted 1998)
Languages: Fluent in English, French, and Arabic Proficient in Spanish

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES & MEMBERSHIPS

Professional Affiliations & Committees

  • Chair, Mediation Privilege Subcommittee, Arbitration Committee of
    the NY City Bar Association
  • Co-Chair, Dispute Prevention Committee, NYSBA Dispute Resolution
    Section (2023–2025)
  • Member:
    American Bar Association (ABA) – Section of Dispute Resolution
    NY State Bar Association – Dispute Resolution Section; Insurance
    Disputes Committee; Securities Disputes Committee; Cannabis Law Section
    NY City Bar Association – Arbitration, Mediation, International
    Commercial Disputes Committees
    California Arbitration (CalArb)
    International Bar Association (IBA) – Arbitration Committee
    International Arbitration Club of New York
    Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center
    Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA)
    International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
 Academic Appointments

Adjunct Professor
St. John’s University School of Law
“Negotiation” & “Contract Drafting” (Fall
2023)

Visiting Professor
Notre-Dame Univ. / Bordeaux EMBA
“Mergers, Acquisitions & Strategic Alliances” (Winter
terms 2010, 2011, 2012)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

*Please refer to BarakatADR.com for a complete list of publications and speaking history.*

Selected Publications

  • “Rethinking Arbitration in the Contemporary Commercial Landscape – Enhancing Efficiency, Adaptability, and Results,” NYSBA NY Dispute Resolution Lawyer (March 2026).
  • “The Mediator’s Role in Cross-Border Commercial Disputes: Navigating Three Dimensions of Culture,” NY Law Journal (October 2025).
  • “Artificial Wisdom or Automated Folly? Practical Considerations for Arbitration Practitioners to Address the AI Conundrum,” NY Law Journal (January 2025).
  • “Arbitration: The Solution to the Cannabis Industry Regulatory Morass,” NY Law Journal (March 2024).
  • “Dispute Resolution Through the Lens of the Tech and Finance Sectors,” NY Law Journal (October 2023).
  • “Arbitrating Crypto, NFTs and Other New Technologies: Demystifying the Landscape,” NY Law Journal (April 2023).
  • “The Pitfalls of Conflicting Judicial Outcomes in International Arbitration,” NY Law Journal (April 2022).
  • “Drafting an Arbitration Agreement in 2022,” NY Law Journal, four-part series: “2021 Considerations” (December 2021); “The Drafter’s
    Perspective” (January 2022); “The Litigator’s Perspective” (January 2022); “The Arbitrator’s Perspective” (January 2022).
  • “Testing the Scope of Article V(1)d of the New York Convention on Enforcement of Arbitration Awards Following the Dubai Arbitration Venue
    Combination,” NY Law Journal (October 2021).
  • “Dispute Prevention and Resolution Options That Can Save Start-Ups From Failure,” NY Law Journal (June 2021).
  • “The Covid-19 Case for ADR Provisions in M&A Agreements,” NY Law Journal (April 2021).
 Selected Speaking and Teaching Engagements

  • Moderator, “Arbitral Institution Roundtable,” GAR Live: Istanbul (June 2026).
  • Panelist, “AI in the Seat of Justice: Oversight, Transparency, Human Accountability,” ABA International Law Section (May 2026).
  • Facilitator/Trainer, “AAA AI Bootcamp,” American Arbitration Association (April & July 2026).
  • Panelist, “Friend or Foe? A Candid Conversation With In-House Counsel,” ACC Westchester–Southern CT (February 2026).
  • Chair, “Mapping the New Generation of Arbitration Laws: From China to the UK to France,” PLI (January 2026).
  • Panelist, “The International Mediation Lifecycle: Transactional and Disputes Counsel’s Role: From Drafting to Settlement,” ICC/USCIB Chicago (January 2026).
  • Panel Chair, “Rethinking Arbitration for the Contemporary Commercial Landscape: Enhancing Efficiency, Adaptability and Results,”
    New York Arbitration Week (November 2025).
  • Chair, “Drafting International Arbitration Agreements: Reflecting on Current Trends,” PLI (December 2024).
  • Panelist, “Contract Drafting and International Arbitration,” Oslo Center for Commercial Law/New York University (February 2024).
  • Chair, “Four-Part Series: Drafting an Arbitration Agreement in 2023: Beyond Basics, Reflecting Current Trends and Events,” PLI (August 2023).
  • Faculty, “ABA International Arbitration Masterclass, Panel Chair,” American Bar Association (June 2023).
  • Panelist, “The Interplay Between Mediation and Arbitration,” 2022 CPR Global Conference (December 2022).