Team size: 20

LATAM countries your role covers: Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile

What are the most significant cases and transactions in the LATAM region that you or your legal team have recently been involved in?

The team has been involved in legal claims, daily legal duties, and corporate matters. We have also been involved in M&A transactions, including the acquisition of Ten Four in Brazil, and reorganisations, including the liquidation of AstralPool Mexico and Cepex Mexico. The team has also been involved in various projects, including the Commercial Pool and Wellness initiative, which entails the installation of three pools at the Estadio Nacional Santiago de Chile for the XIX Juegos Panamericanos and VII Juegos Parapanamericanos scheduled for November 2023.

How do you adapt your legal counselling to align with the diverse business practices and customs of various LATAM countries?

We always strive to be resilient and flexible to meet business requirements and assist in acting as business partners. In many Latin American countries, there is a lengthy bureaucracy that lawyers need to understand and consider when setting up a step-by-step plan or schedule.

Another challenge we encounter is maintaining control over LATAM companies, as they have traditionally operated with more independence. Additionally, the different time zones make it challenging to implement the necessary measures for controlling and monitoring legal matters.

What are your organisations plans in the LATAM region over the next 12 months and how will your legal expertise help to achieve these plans?

Some of the planned actions to continue promoting the role of the legal counsel as a strategic business partner, tailoring the services provided to support the organisation and to have an impact on the business. To gain visibility and anticipate legal risks through a better understanding of the business and its operations. Furthermore, we look to implement legal processes with the assistance of the legal operations department, and to help the organisation achieve its objectives in a legal and ethical manner. Regular contact and interaction with the local teams, as well as eventual trips to the relevant countries, will help achieve these milestones. It is also very important to empathise with them because their priorities used to be different.