Covington & Burling has appointed an arbitration partner with roots in Chile to lead its Latin America initiative after the group’s former regional practice head decamped for Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Nicole Duclos will coordinate efforts related to the region alongside the co-chairs of Covington’s Latin America practice: Gabriel Mesa (corporate), Verónica Yepez and Don Ridings (white collar), Kimberly Breier (public policy) and Miguel López Forastier (arbitration).