Chantal Kordula
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & HamiltonCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has a major presence in energy and natural resources transactions. Leveraging the firm’s commitment to and reputation in Latin America, it has built up a prestigious list of blue-chip Latin American clients, along with major corporates and investors from outside the region. It remains active in renewable energy and infrastructure projects and transactions; recent mandates include advising Mexico Infrastructure Partners on the financing of its $6bn acquisition of 13 power plants from Ibedrola, and the practice continues to represent the Puerto Rican P3 Authority in connection with various public-private partnership projects relating to the transformation of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). Mexico is a primary market for the firm, which also has a much lauded presence across the region down to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Deeply experienced practitioner Chantal Kordula remains the key partner for renewable energy and infrastructure projects, including P3 matters. Jeff Lewis has an outstanding record in energy and natural resources M&A. Sao Paulo-based Juan Giráldez is pivotal to the firm’s project finance and M&A work in Brazil and the Southern Cone, and garners extensive praise from clients, including for his 'great responsiveness and creative problem solving'. All named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Juan Giráldez and his team are top-notch, super hands-on and very practical, and above all, at maximum speed. On the other hand, the documents are prepared with an impeccable level of detail and rigour.'
‘Juan Giráldez is a very versatile M&A lawyer, with enormous experience in US law, but at the same time, with the flexibility and imagination that is required to make deals in LatAm.'
‘The office has a team (from partners to lawyers) who are extremely well qualified, not only from a technical point of view, but as business solvers. The firm's senior partners are actually present. The entire team is always available and brings the necessary specialists. While in most offices we have to demand solutions or question different aspects or points of view, Cleary does this naturally, truly adding value.'
‘The quality of professionals is a constant. Cleary maintains quality regardless of areas or locations. It is interesting that professionals from different areas and locations actually know how to work together and in harmony to provide the best solution for the operation.'
‘Excellent focus on client service. Ability to digest and work within business needs and strategy direction.'
‘Juan Giráldez - great responsiveness and creative problem solving.’
Key clients
- Ad hoc group of bondholders of Inversiones Latin America Power (ILAP)
- América Móvil
- Colbún
- Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE)
- Companhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL)
- Fintech and certain of its affiliates
- Initial purchasers to CEMEX
- Initial purchasers to the Republic of Chile
- Initial purchasers, underwriters, and dealer managers to the Republic of Chile
- Lender to Grupo Bimbo
- Lenders to CEMEX
- Lenders to Grupo Bimbo
- Mexico Infrastructure Partners
- Republic of Uruguay
- Suzano
- The Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority (P3A)
- United Mexican States
Work highlights
- Representing the acquisition vehicle sponsored by the Mexican Government and managed by Mexico Infrastructure Partners (MIP) in a secured financing to fund the acquisition of 13 of Iberdrola’s power plants in Mexico.
- Represented the Puerto Rican P3 Authority in connection with various public-private partnership projects relating to the transformation of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
- Represented Companhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL) and the State of Paraná in the privatization of COPEL.
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