INDUSTRIES & PRACTICES

worldwise advantage

Latin America and the Caribbean
WE SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICA, THE CARIBBEAN, AND THE IBERIAN PENINSULA.

Overview

A dedicated team of skilled Dorsey lawyers from key practices throughout the firm has extensive experience representing clients throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula. Our experience involves almost every country in these regions and spans the breadth of M&A, capital markets, corporate finance, international arbitration and litigation, immigration into the U.S., trade, and intellectual property.

We serve a diverse client base, including Latin American and Caribbean-based financial institutions and industrial companies in cross border M&A and financing transactions, Latin American Governments involved in litigation and arbitrations, multinational corporations and private equity funds engaging in strategic acquisitions and divestitures in the region, international consortia financing multi-billion dollar infrastructure, energy and communications projects, and high net worth Latin American based individuals and family offices.

Dorsey has a leading international arbitration and litigation team. We defend clients having claims asserted against them in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as foreign sovereigns and other entities in suits in the United States. Our international arbitration team represents foreign sovereigns and private business entities in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration, having appeared before the ICC, LCIA, ICSID, AAA-ICDR, PAC and other arbitral tribunals. We also have the capability to handle international arbitrations entirely in Spanish.

Our lawyers’ collective experience is the result of years of assisting clients in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula, visiting these regions and establishing close relationships with local business people, government leaders and counsel.

Experience

Transactions Experience

  • Represented one of Mexico’s leading real estate developers in the bankruptcy and reorganization of Casas Geo, Mexico’s leading home developer.
  • Represented Jamaica’s leading commercial bank in the company’s Initial Public Offering of registered American Depository Receipts in the United States, for listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
  • Represented Inversiones Productivas of Guatemala, Guatemala’s leading Coca-Cola bottler for more than 60 years, in the sale of the company’s bottling business to The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Represented the First Citizens Bank - Bank of Butterfield (Barbados) Ltd. in the acquisition from The Bank of N.T. Butterfield (Bermuda) of Bank of Butterfield (Barbados) Ltd., including all of Butterfield’s operations in Barbados.
  • Represented First Citizens Bank of Trinidad and Tobago in the issuance of $175 million 4.9% Notes, due 2016.
  • Represented one of Mexico’s leading air and ground transportation companies, for multiple credit facilities with multinational and Mexican banks.
  • Represented Colonial Life Insurance Company (Trinidad) Ltd. in the restructuring of the construction loan facilities for the erection of the new W Hotel and Residences in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the subsequent sale of the hotel and condominiums to The Related Companies of New York.
  • Represented a leading Mexican oil and gas services supplier in multiple, Senior Secured High Yield Medium Term Note offerings under Rule 144A and Regulation S (Euroclear tradable, DTC registered).
  • Represented one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of phosphate and potash crop nutrients in its acquisition of a fertilizer distribution business in Brazil and Paraguay.
  • Represented a U.S.-based NYSE-listed company in the asset purchase of a leading global supplier of high-performance components for critical applications for commercial aerospace, defense and industrial customers, with Mexico, U.S. and U.K. manufacturing facilities.  
  • Advised a U.S.-based private packaging solutions company in its sale to an international provider of diversified consumer packaging, including facilities in Mexico.
  • Counsel to a Minnesota-based Fortune 500 food company in the formation of a joint venture with a Mexico-based manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and beverages in Mexico and the U.S.
  • Represented a Mexican company that is one of the largest IT services and systems integration providers in Latin America in the purchase of a technology products and services company, located in Mexico, from a private equity fund.
  • Negotiated an agreement with a Spanish mobile telephone company to enable our client to begin marketing its wireless value-added services in Spain.
  • Prepared a commercial agency agreement for appointment of a local agent to market computer-based learning products in Spain.
  • Represented a U.S. manufacturer of grain handling systems in connection with the organization of its Argentine sales effort.
  • Represented shareholders of a Mexican petrochemical group in connection with the redeployment of various non-Mexican holdings in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Latin America.
  • Acted as regional general counsel to a Spanish bank in connection with its correspondent relationships with commercial banks throughout Latin America.
  • Advised on a joint venture to market an automated refueling system in Mexico.
  • Advised on a bridge loan and long-term financing of the largest air cargo carrier in Colombia.
  • Representation in the U.S. of the two largest Argentine banks.
  • Representation in the U.S. of three major Portuguese banks.
  • Representation in the U.S. of major Spanish financial institutions.

Litigation Experience

  • Represented the Republic of Peru and the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines in an action, venued in federal court in Texas, relating to oil field services contracts with a Peruvian oil company and involving the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
  • Represented an American oil company in connection with environmental litigation venued in Ecuador, related to its construction of an oil pipeline in the Ecuadorean Amazon.
  • Represented the Republic of Honduras in an action, venued in federal court in Florida, related to a dispute over a military weapons and ammunitions consignment agreement.
  • Represented the Republic of Honduras before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes of the World Bank, Washington D.C., in two investor-state arbitrations, related to road reconstructions in Honduras.
  • Represented a United States engineering and consulting firm in connection with claims asserted by the Government of Chile's mining agency related to a partial collapse at a copper mine in Chile.
  • Represented the Republic of Peru in an action, venued in New York federal court, related to an arbitration based on a consulting agreement for construction of water infrastructure projects in Peru.

*Some matters were performed by Dorsey lawyers prior to joining the firm.

Accolades

American College of Trial Lawyers-3 Attorney Members 2019

Best Law Firms-25 Nationally Ranked Dorsey Practices 2021

Contacts

Juan Basombrio
Practice Group Co-Chair
Carlos Méndez-Peñate
Practice Group Co-Chair

Industries & Practices

  • Capital Markets
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • International Arbitration & Litigation
  • International Trade
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Patent Prosecution, Portfolio Strategy & Management
  • Private Equity
  • Telecommunications
  • Trademark & Copyright