Young MIAS Member Spotlight on Brian Vaca!
We’re thrilled to announce that our Young MIAS Member Spotlight profile for the month of October is now live!
This month, we’re excited to feature Brian Vaca, a senior attorney in the Miami office of Hughes Hubbard & Reed and a member of the firm’s International Arbitration practice group. Mostly raised in Miami by Ecuadorian parents, Brian is a proud Panther and Cane, holding an undergraduate degree from Florida International University and both a JD and an LLM from the University of Miami School of Law.
Brian has nearly a decade of experience practicing out of premier global law firms out of Washington DC, New York, and Miami, where he has focused on advising foreign sovereigns and corporate clients in complex investment and commercial disputes. These cases have spanned various substantive areas, including energy, mining, infrastructure, sovereign debt, telecommunications, banking, and trademark disputes, among others. Brian has advised successfully in high stakes disputes, including matters with landmark legal issues, and arbitrations involving complex negotiations, crisis management, and investment protections. Throughout his career, Brian has been called upon to spend significant time on the ground with clients. This has led him to work extensively in cities such as Mexico City, Panama City, Madrid, Lima, and Quito.
Brian has gained widespread recognition for his work in international arbitration and litigation. He has been featured on the “Ones to Watch” list by Best Lawyers since 2021, Lawyers of Distinction in International Law in 2022, a Future Leader in Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal since 2022 and was named a “Top Lawyer Under 40” by the Hispanic National Bar Association in 2024.
Brian is deeply committed to promoting diversity in the legal profession. He currently serves as the Deputy Regional President of Region 8 of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) and represents the Young Lawyers Division at the national level for the same region, where he advocates for the growth and representation of Hispanic legal professionals across the field.
Outside of work, Brian enjoys hitting balls on a tennis court, skiing when it’s in season, spending time cooking with his family, or trying new restaurants. Brian also enjoys playing acoustic guitar and singing.
Fun facts about Brian:
Favorite Artist:
It’s tough to choose just one. But right now, I can’t stop listening to Javi Medina. His mix of flamenco with a contemporary flavor does it for me.
Favorite Restaurant in Miami:
I’m going to take this opportunity to give a shoutout to a new restaurant that has been fantastic every time I’ve gone: La Pata Gorda in Coral Gables. As an Ecuadorian living in Miami, this is what I have been waiting for. Hopefully they see this and offer me a free drink.
Favorite Thing About Practicing International Dispute Resolution in Miami:
I have two favorite things about practicing international dispute resolution in Miami. First, like many of us in this field, there are several places I call home and where I have family, but Miami is where I feel closest to being everywhere at once. Second, given my focus on Latin American matters, living in Miami has allowed me to meet clients and contacts from the region in person far more often than I could in other cities, since so many people from Latin America have strong ties to Miami.
Favorite Book:
I’ve always been fascinated by how people interact with each other. That interest led me to study psychology in college, and I’ve continued to enjoy learning about why we behave the way we do in different settings. One book that really shaped the way I think is Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ by Daniel Goleman.
Brian is just one of the many stellar practitioners in the Miami market. To learn more about our amazing community, stay tuned for future Young MIAS Member Spotlight posts!
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