About

Number of years practice:

39

Principal practice areas:

Banking and Finance, Corporate, Project Finance and Development, Energy, Oil, Gas and LNG, Latin America

Bar admissions:

Texas

Languages spoken:

Spanish

What differentiates your Mexico-facing practice from those of your US competitors and peers?

I have extensive experience working in the United States and in Latin America, with a specific emphasis on Mexico, where I have represented clients in all sectors. My domestic and international work includes secured and unsecured lending transactions of all types, project development and finance, acquisitions, dispositions, joint venture and similar arrangements as well as all types of contractual arrangements, such as cross-border gas transportation agreements, gas supply agreements, and distribution agreements.

I have worked for the most part in all of the Latin American countries and have established excellent working relationships with leading foreign counsel in the region. My work is multi-faceted and includes negotiations, document preparation and review, and working with foreign local counsel. A significant differentiator is the fact that I have come to understand the legal systems of the Latin American countries and how these laws compare with the common law system of the United States, which allows me to represent clients in both regions. I am also uniquely familiar with the cultural nuances of doing business in Mexico and working with Mexican clients, a factor that directly influences the strength of my relationships in the country.

As part of my practice, I regularly represent two major Mexican financial institutions with corporate, banking and lending transactions related to the United States. I have particular experience representing electric cooperatives in financings and corporate matters. In 2018, I closed syndicated financings totalling approximately US$17bn. Also, I served as lead counsel to a majority owner of a Mexican bank in the acquisition of all of the equity interests of a US financial institution, and I regularly represent the Mexican bank in its matters dealing with US law. I also recently served as US Counsel to Guatemalan and Mexican affiliated companies in respect of cross-border gas transportation arrangements for the US and Mexico and related matters in connection with the sale of one of two phases of a gas-fired electricity generation facility located in Mexico. Prior thereto, I represented the same company as owner/developer in the development of the facility, including the cross border gas transportation agreements, gas purchase agreements, matters relating to financing, and export permits and also in arrangements to assign gas transportation capacity and shipping rights from Texas into Mexico to a Mexican shipper. In 2011, I served as lead counsel to Sinopec in its acquisition of Occidental Petroleum Corporation’s oil and gas business in Argentina in a US$2.5bn stock transaction. This transaction was selected as “runner-up” for the Latin America 2011 Deal of the Year.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of advising Mexico-based clients from an office in the United States?

The current status of the legal profession and the way we conduct business obviates the existence of any real disadvantages in advising Mexico-based clients from an office in the United States. Technology allows me to provide the same level of legal service to my Mexico-based clients regardless of the fact that we may not be located in the same city or country. In addition, while Hunton’s Andrews Kurth has offices throughout the globe, my Houston location, and its close proximity to Mexico, allows me to hold in-person meetings with my clients with relative ease.

In my experience, Mexican clients have no concerns regarding being serviced by a law firm that may not have a physical presence in their country. As any other client, Mexican clients are looking for the best law firm, the best representation and the best attention to client and client service regardless of location. Moreover, personal relationships between attorney and client are still important with Mexican clients. In my practice, I strive to provide such quality legal representation and service and to establish and maintain strong attorney-client relationships.

What changes in the commercial and/or legal market do you anticipate in the 12 months ahead in Mexico?

Companies are generally being more cautious due to recent changes in Mexico’s government and in the case of energy companies particularly, the changes in the energy reform programs. Yet, companies actively continue to seek opportunities in the country. There is reason to believe that North American investors will continue to play an active role in Mexican transactions.

What influence will legal technology have on US/Mexico working practices in the future?

The legal technology tools available to our lawyers benefit our US/Mexico working practices given that they allow us to create efficiencies when handling matters while keeping the high standards of representation and service that our clients expect.

The firm uses a variety of technology solutions to offer innovative ways to handle legal matters, including improving efficiencies and quality of service for clients. One of the most notable products of these collaborations is our Client Workroom design, virtual workspaces that offer a high-level of security and allow for lawyer-client collaboration and cost-effective information exchange. In addition, the firm maintains robust document management systems, customized litigation support technologies, and other specialized applications. These capabilities enable us to reduce costs and improve efficiency, as expected by our clients and as we want for our clients. Hunton also has established Cognicion, LLC, a full-service eDiscovery and data management center. Cognicion has managed the collection and production of many millions of pages of documents for major corporate clients using advanced technology and automation to manage eDiscovery, extensive due diligence materials associated with M&A and lending transactions and litigation documents and depositions.

What is your perception of in-house counsel’s priorities in terms of client service when working with US-based law firms?

In-house counsel prioritize excellent legal work and timely and responsive personal, direct relationships with outside counsel. In-house counsel want to ensure they have a direct line of communication with the partner that is leading a specific engagement. They also want to ensure that the legal team presented at an initial meeting is the actual team that will be working with them to see a project to completion and meet their challenging timeframes.

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