Latin America is a high-growth investment market and is crucial for companies seeking to expand or consolidate worldwide.
We have developed a wide-ranging practice in Latin America over more than ten years; working on projects across Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Uruguay. These projects have involved transactional work, dispute resolution and regulatory matters.
Our offices in Madrid and London have spearheaded the firm’s activity in the region, making the most of Madrid's connection in culture and language as well as the extensive experience and expertise in the region of our individual lawyers. Our Latin America specialists have particularly strong expertise in energy and utilities, employment, intellectual property and information technology.
We have developed a strong network of relationships with some of the most renowned and prestigious local firms in Latin American countries.
For more information about our practice in Latin America, please contact Antonio Creus and Hermenegildo Altozano in Madrid and Peter Knight in London.
Recent highlights of work
We recently assisted:
>Trafigura Beheer on a joint venture to develop a zinc and lead open pit in Cuba
> Enagás and Vopak in its largest international deal yet: the acquisition and financing of the LNG terminal in Altamira, Mexico
> Colbun SA on losses to its Santa Maria power station due to the Chilean earthquake
> La Aurora Compañia por Acciones in relation to cigar distribution and leading Dominican Republic beer company Cervecería Nacional Dominicana on the envisaged distribution of Presidente beer in Europe
> major Spanish consultancy Everis in its Latin American settlement
> a major financial services organisation on data protection and privacy issues in Central America
> Chilean salmon producers on an anti-dumping procedure; able, together with the client, to obtain a margin 0 and no community interest in the case, leading it to be closed
> Petrobras of Brazil
> on rail infrastructure projects in Chile (Santiago Metro System), Brazil (iron ore mine project with Vale) and Argentina (potash mine project with Anglo American)
> a Singapore Aviation Consortium in negotiations with the Government of Ecuador in relation to the Manta Airport Development Project
> a number of banks in Brazil with the processing of their customer data (compliance policies, advice on banking and data protection/privacy requirements) and with data protection/privacy/labour law requirements concerning the implementation of their recruitment procedures.
Many of our lawyers also have professional ties to Latin American Governments and the community, some examples include:
> Head of IP in our Madrid office, Manuel Lobato, lectures at Judicial Schools in various Central American countries and is involved in several research projects, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. He was also an expert at the Antitrust Authority of Venezuela in relation to the protection of trade secrets
> EU and Competition Law Partner Antonio Creus, has been a trainer for the Colombian Competition Authority within an EU programme and also took part in an exchange of views with the Argentinean competition authority in relation to the leniency programme
> leading economic regulation and competition lawyer Manuel Conthe, is currently serving as claimant-appointed arbitrator in an investment arbitration case in Bolivia, administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, concerning the expropriation of a British-owned private electricity company.