About

Number of years practice: 28 Law school attended: University of Notre Dame Law School (JD), Georgetown University Law Center (LLM in International and Comparative Law) Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: International Business Transactions, Infrastructure Development and Finance Admissions: District of Columbia

What have been three of your career highlights in Mexico to date? I represented El Paso Energy in its expansion into the Mexican market throughout the 1990s and 2000s, initially via its participation in the Samalayuca II Power project, the first major independent power project (IPP) in Mexico; and then worked with El Paso for approximately 15 years in its development of natural gas infrastructure projects throughout Mexico. I was centrally involved in the formation of Gasoductos de Chihuahua, the joint venture between Pemex Gas and El Paso, which served as the primary vehicle for the development of natural gas pipelines in Mexico from the mid-1990s until the recent restructuring of Pemex. Throughout this period, we represented El Paso, Gasoductos de Chihuahua, and other subsidiaries of these entities, on the development of natural gas pipeline and storage projects throughout Mexico. In 2013-2015, we represented another Pemex affiliate, TAG Pipelines, in connection with the development of two of the largest phases the Los Ramones natural gas pipeline project, which was then the priority energy project for Mexico. As a result of this, we have been involved in and witnessed the dramatic transformation of Mexico’s natural gas transportation system over the course of two decades, including its ability to import and move large quantities of US natural gas. What differentiates your practice from that of other private practice lawyers? Our clients have remained loyal to us in Mexico for decades due to our familiarity with the Mexican market and Mexican legal structures, our years of experience on Mexican deals, the longstanding relationships that we have established in Mexico, the ability of our entire team at all levels to function seamlessly in both English and Spanish, our familiarity with international and Mexican best practices, and our ability to identify and access high quality local legal and non-legal resources. What are your predictions for change in the US-Mexico relationship? Despite decades of positive relations between the US and Mexico, in the short term, I foresee significant turbulence in that relationship, at least until Trump Administration trade and immigration policies towards Mexico have been fully developed, disclosed and assessed. Mexico is already feeling the impact of this uncertainty as reflected in lower peso values, softer economic performance, and increasing internal political pressure. I am concerned that an aggressive US trade policy toward Mexico could weaken its economy, impair Mexico’s ability to purchase US goods and commodities, including vital resources like natural gas, and exacerbate the immigration issue. It would also create greater opportunities for US competitors from around the world to increase their presence and influence in Mexico. My hope is that the new US Administration will recognize that a prosperous and politically aligned Mexico is in the vital interest of the US, and will adopt policies that build on the past decades of positive relations. Are there any aspects of the Mexican legal market that you would like to see change? The legal market, particularly in the larger population centers like Mexico City and Monterrey, has evolved dramatically over the past two decades with the emergence of larger Mexican firms, the training of Mexican lawyers overseas, and increasing presence of international firms there. However, the level of service remains uneven in many of the smaller jurisdictions and I would like to see similar development in those markets. Is there a key economic factor or trend you regard as likely to impact the Mexican legal sector over the next 18 months? The expected restructuring of US-Mexico trade agreements would likely impact cross-border sales contracts, M&A deals (mergers and divestitures), and perhaps lead to corporate insolvencies and financial restructurings. I also believe that the demand for legal expertise in the infrastructure finance and development sectors will continue to grow as more private investment enters the market due to Mexican energy reform and recent changes to public-private partnership (PPP) laws.