About

Number of years practice:

34

Principal practice areas:

Banking and Finance, Project Finance and Development, Renewable Energy and Clean Power, Energy, Structured Finance and Securitization, Latin America

Bar admissions:

District of Columbia,
Maryland

Languages spoken:

English, Spanish, German, French

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

My practice concentrates on the development, financing, acquisition and disposition of energy, oil and gas, and infrastructure facilities and tax structuring for energy acquisitions and international project development. I have worked on energy, infrastructure and related projects in the United States and throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. I have also advised commercial and multilateral lenders on a variety of cross-border project finance transactions as well as structured and corporate finance transactions.

My work in the area of international energy transactions has included advising US energy companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions, cross-border acquisitions, joint venture tax-planning, equipment sale and leasing transactions, and the development and financing of energy projects and acquisitions. I have also assisted governments in a number of Latin American countries with the privatization of their energy industries and the restructuring of their energy regulatory frameworks.

I have also represented private developers, manufacturers and suppliers in a variety of international commercial transactions, including acting as counsel in connection with major hotel acquisitions and management agreements in the Caribbean, and representing suppliers in the establishment of distribution and licensing arrangements under foreign investment laws in various Latin American countries.

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

A key advantage to advising Mexico-based clients from a US office is that we do not compete with the firms in the Mexican legal market, which is quite large, and thus we are in a position to select the Mexican law firm and team that is in the best position to advise our clients on a particular transaction.

Of course, not having an office in Mexico also means that we do not have in-house expertise on Mexican law issues; but in our experience, this is outweighed by our ability to work with a broad network of local firms (subject always to clearing conflicts). We have through the years built up that network and it works well for us and for our clients.

In addition, 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. The absence of physical proximity has not hindered my ability to develop strong relationships with my clients that are based in Mexico.

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 typically rely on US counsel to coordinate legal advice delivered by local counsel given that cross-border transactions usually involve elements of law concerning both the US and the foreign jurisdiction. In-house counsel derive the greatest benefits from US counsel with experience in the particular country and industry that are able to identify and work through issues with local counsel in an efficient and streamlined manner.

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