Laura Vegalara

Professional Experience

Since September 2025, Laura has been working at Armesto Dispute Resolution, where she has participated in commercial and international investment arbitration proceedings, both ad hoc and institutional. She has worked as assistant to arbitral tribunals and counsel, conducting doctrinal and case law research; drafting submissions, awards and procedural orders; preparing hearings and deliberations; and participating in legal strategy discussions.
Previously, Laura worked as a judicial assistant at the Administrative Litigation Chamber of the Colombian Council of State (September 2022 – July 2024), where she was responsible for resolving 45 cases involving contractual and non-contractual liability against public entities before Colombia’s highest administrative court, evaluating complex legal arguments, analysing extensive evidence, discussing possible solutions with the magistrate she assisted and drafting final judgments. She analysed 77 judgments on contractual and non-contractual liability drafted by other magistrates of the court to determine whether to support or object to their decision. She drafted more than 30 dissenting opinions, supporting legal positions that diverged from those of the majority of the court.
As a nominated secretary (May 2021 – September 2022), she was responsible for resolving 122 tutela proceedings against public entities before Colombia’s highest administrative court, evaluating complex legal arguments, analysing extensive evidence, discussing possible solutions with the magistrate she supported and drafting final judgments. She analysed 198 tutela judgments drafted by other magistrates of the court to determine whether to support or object to their decision. She issued 144 procedural orders for the purpose of gathering evidence, resolving incidents, advancing hearings, summoning parties, etc.
Laura has been a teaching assistant at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, teaching Administrative Law (2023) and Legislation and Public Policy (2018-2019). During her LL.M at Harvard Law School, she was Events Coordinator of the Harvard Law School Women’s Law Association and Editorial Assistant of the Harvard Latin American Law Review.

Professional Associations

– Admitted to the Bar in Colombia.

Education

Laura obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA (May 2025), with a focus on public international law and international arbitration. Her thesis was entitled “The court is (not) in session: unveiling the myth of judicial deliberation in the Colombian Constitutional Court”.
She graduated in Law from Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia) in April 2021, ranking 7th out of 123. Her thesis, entitled “The quality of political deliberation in the Colombian Congress: a study in light of legislative procedure rules”, was awarded the Excellence in Justice Award for Best Academic Research of 2021 and Meritorious Thesis.
She also graduated in Political Science from Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia) in April 2021, ranking 5th out of 71. During her studies she was editor of the Political Science Department’s weekly newsletter.