As the gateway to Latin America, Miami has cultural, geographic and linguistic ties to the region that no other US city can match. The giant hispanic population in Miami means Spanish is the most widely spoken language, although with the influx of investment into the city from Latin America itself, there is a rapidly growing community of Brazilian Portuguese speakers. The climate and low tax environment has also made Miami appealing to the legal community, some of whom have followed private equity clients to the city. The growth of the legal market there has seen an inflow of law firms into Miami, including Winston & Strawn LLP, Morrison Foerster and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP in recent years. UK based firm Osborne Clarke also launched a new Miami office in 2023, while Dentons furthered its Latin America standing with the hire of Jackson Hwu and Christopher Tillson from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and K&L Gates, respectively.

Akerman LLP is primarily known for dispute resolution, particularly commercial arbitration and litigation involving Latin American entities. It is home to a number of civil law trained practitioners, including Luis Pérez, the chair of the Latin America practice and an established international arbitration specialist; Andrew Dominguez  is another key practitioner for Latin America-related disputes. Much of the growth in the Latin America practice is driven by capital flows from Latin America into South Florida, including growing investments from Chile; this applies to both transactional advice and disputes linked to investments. The firm is also at the forefront of Helms-Burton Act lawsuits and sanctions, thanks to the presence of Pedro Freyre, the chair of the international practice and an authority on the US Embargo on Cuba. Freyre and special counsel Daniel Andres Silva are also active in corporate immigration and investments from Latin America, while the broader firm is noted for its advice on foreign capital flows into South Florida real estate. Augusto Maxwell leads the Cuba practice, specialising in helping US companies develop and protect their interests in the jurisdiction; Matthew Aho is a senior policy consultant in the Cuba practice. Otavio Carneiro has left the firm.

Baker McKenzie LLP‘s Miami office is part of a fast growing Latin America department, given additional impetus by the arrival of a senior team in New York led by the widely acclaimed Michael Fitzgerald. In Miami, Federico Cuadra Del Carmen is a growing force in bulge-bracket and mid-market acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other transactions; he is further noted for venture capital investments and corporate reorganisations. The Miami office played a pivotal role in advising on the Latin America aspects of Johnson & Johnson’s separation and spin-off of Kenvue, its consumer products business; the transaction involved a majority of Latin American jurisdictions. Daniela Fonseca Puggina provides further expertise in regulatory enforcement, internal investigations and financial services litigation, in particular, cases involving Brazilian financial services companies. Paul Keenan specialises in restructuring and insolvency, including a large number of Latin America matters.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner's Miami office is a major force in investor-state and international commercial arbitration. It is also noted for cross-border litigation involving Latin American entities, including the enforcement of arbitral awards. Pedro Martinez-Fraga is global co-leader of the international arbitration practice and has represented multiple sovereign states in the region in large-scale disputes. He has also acted for a range of claimants against Latin American states and remains active in major cross-border commercial arbitrations. Ryan Reetz is managing partner of the Miami office and has an extensive background in ICSID and UNICTRAL cases involving Latin American states, representing both investors and sovereigns; Reetz is also noted for cross-border commercial litigation.

Carlton Fields maintains a Latin America group that has an established track record for both inbound and outbound investments. The firm has a longstanding focus on Brazil, although this remains part of a broader geographic engagement that includes Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Colombia. It represents a range of Latin American businesses and the Latin American subsidiaries of US multinationals in commercial agreements, acquisitions and disposals, FCPA due diligence and disputes, among other matters. Of counsel Andrew Markus specialises in international corporate matters, particularly those involving Latin America. Robert Macaulay also has an extensive record in Latin America, particularly Brazil, with a broad ranging practice in acquisitions and disposals, technology licensing, distribution agreements, and inbound and outbound investments. Senior counsel Daniel Badovinac provides international tax planning expertise to Latin American clients, particularly high net-worth individuals and families. Senior counsel Thomas Morante specialises in insurance transactions, commercial agreements and regulatory matters in Latin America, while Michael Pasano provides further expertise in white-collar crime and government investigations.

Diaz Reus International Law Firm is a major player in the Miami market and has a substantial focus on Latin America, its activity being primarily centred on commercial disputes and white-collar crime cases. The firm has an impressive recent record in Section 1782 of Title 28 of the United States Code and enforcement of arbitral awards, with Gary Davidson having a fine reputation in this area. Cases involving Venezuela are something of a mainstay, along with Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. The firm is also a giant in white-collar crime and sanctions matters thanks in large part to the presence of global managing partner Michael Diaz, who continues to represent a number of Venezuelans facing investigations and has also landed a series of major engagements from Central America; he continues to represent a number of government and ex-government officials and has additionally furthered the firm’s standing in Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)-related matters and acting for individuals on the Engel list. Robert Targ provides additional senior expertise in Latin America-related litigation and white-collar crime cases; Marta Colomar-Garcia is another key practitioner for cross-border disputes and white-collar crime, as is Javier Coronado, who splits his time between Miami and Bogota. The corporate team frequently works on inbound investments from Latin America into Florida, including real estate assets, and has further expertise in bank regulatory and licensing matters. Of counsel Julio Barbosa is licensed to practice in Florida and Brazil, and specialises in international tax matters.

DLA Piper LLP (US)'s ambitious build-out of its US-based Latin America practice has given the Miami office a considerable boost. The Miami team is now working closely with new colleagues in New York, particularly in corporate and finance matters, while continuing to collaborate with multiple offices across the Americas. Francisco Cerezo is chair of the US/Latin America practice and head of the Latin America corporate and finance group, which has expanded its client base of multinationals and private equity houses with interests and assets in the region. The group is best known for middle market transactions, though is gaining market share in large-cap deals. Robert da Silva Ashley, splits his time between New York and Miami, and has a focus on projects and project finance, particularly in Brazil and Mexico; he is a fluent Portuguese speaker and also speaks Spanish. The project finance team is best known for representing project sponsors in renewable energy and energy transition matters, with of counsel Diego Figueroa-Rodriguez providing further senior expertise in energy and infrastructure financings, while Joseline Rodríguez impresses at associate level.

Greenberg Traurig LLP has a vast Miami-based Latin America team with expertise across multiple disciplines. Its leading corporate team historically focused on outbound deals into Latin America, although has also experienced a significant uptick in inbound deals; it now works with a range of Latin America corporates, family groups and funds on their investments into the US. Antonio Peña , co-chair of the Latin America practice, and Yosbel Ibarra, the co-managing shareholder of the Miami office, have excellent reputations for Latin America transactions. Carol Barnhart, Arnaldo Rego, Henry Roque and Geiza Vargas-Vargas are also senior names in the Latin America-focused corporate team. Marina Olman-Pal co-chairs the firm’s financial regulatory and compliance practice, bringing extensive expertise in fintech, payment systems and cryptocurrency business, notably in Brazil. The team is also active in advising Latin American clients on establishing financial services businesses in Florida. Thomas Martin has a background in capital markets and bank finance transactions in Latin America, including debt offerings, private credit and term loans, while Emilio Alvarez-Farré is another immensely experienced financing specialist, especially in leveraged finance and debt restructurings, along with privatisations. Joseph Mamounas and many others in the Miami office have wide-ranging experience in Latin America disputes, including litigation and arbitration; notably M&A, licensing and tech disputes, along with energy and natural resources cases.

GST LLP is a Miami-headquartered dispute resolution boutique with a major focus on Latin America international arbitration. The firm has a long track record in investor-state and commercial arbitration, where it has represented a large number of Latin American states and other quasi-sovereigns; it has acted for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Guatemala in a series of headline cases. Beyond ICSID investor-state matters, the team has extensive experience in UNCITRAL, ICC and ICDR arbitrations. Diego Gosis is an experienced figure in investment and commercial arbitration with a particularly strong record in Argentina disputes; he is admitted to practice in Argentina. Managing partner Quinn Smith is another prominent name in investor-state and commercial arbitrations, particularly Brazil cases. Mauricio Gomm Santos also specialises in Brazil disputes, and is licensed to practice in Brazil and New York. Former partner Domenico Di Pietro left the firm in August 2023.

Hogan Lovells US LLP's Miami office has a long history in Latin America, where it is primarily known for energy and infrastructure projects, along with high-value investment and commercial arbitrations. The Miami team also has a background in bank financings, corporate and M&A, and capital markets offerings. In the international arbitration field, the office has an impressive mix of investor-state and commercial cases, where it represents a range of sovereigns, quasi-sovereigns, investors and corporates; the practice has achieved further growth in the commercial arbitration segment. The team is multi-lingual and multi-cultural, with many team members having been trained in common and civil law; the team is also noted for its advocacy skills. Americas managing partner Richard Lorenzo is a big name in international arbitration, taking lead roles in a series of recent ICSID and ICC arbitrations involving Latin American parties. Global head of international arbitration Daniel González is another major figure for Latin America cases. Maria Ramirez also impresses in investment and construction arbitrations; and counsel Juliana de Valdenebro Garrido is an emerging talent for international arbitral mandates. In energy and infrastructure, Jorge Diaz-Silveira has an outstanding record in large-scale projects in Central America, Ecuador, Chile and Colombia; he is managing partner of the Miami office and leader of the Americas infrastructure, energy, resources and projects group. José Valdivia co-chairs the Latin America practice group and also has a prestigious record in energy and infrastructure projects across the region.

Holland & Knight LLP is a titan of the Miami legal market with a rich history of Latin America engagements. The Miami office has a background in corporate transactions, financings, project development and international arbitration. The firm has continued to advise on headline and high-value M&A and private equity transactions, with Latin America group head Roberto Pupo having a pivotal role in the firm’s cross-border deals. The team has achieved further prominence in inbound transactions into the US for Latin American clients, along with growth in intra-regional deals; its offices in Mexico and Colombia give it additional regional presence. Enrique Conde leads the emerging companies and venture capital practice in South Florida, while having a significant focus on Latin America. Aymee Valdivia is another key member of the cross-border transactional group and of the Cuba action team, with Jose Sirven and Alexandra Aguirre providing further senior credibility to the regional practice. In international arbitration, Adolfo Jimenez leads a team that has an extensive record in cases involving multiple Latin America jurisdictions and is further noted for its expertise in energy, infrastructure, transport and hospitality disputes. Katharine Menéndez de La Cuesta is also rated for international arbitration. Miami and New York-based Norberto Quintana has an outstanding record in infrastructure, oil and gas, and energy project financings.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP‘s Latin America practice has undergone a period of transition with a new generation of leaders, such as Emilio Saiz, who is now chair of the Latin America practice and head of the Miami office. Finance specialist Saiz has sustained the firm’s prominence in syndicated loans in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia; bilateral loans and sustainability-linked facilities are also key areas of strength. The Miami-based Latin America team has longstanding connections to major lenders and has further developed its standing among borrowers in recent years. Mark Denham is noted for aviation finance, including aircraft leases and loans, pre-delivery payment financings and warehouse facilities, among other transactions. Top finance practitioner Amy Dulin has retired, while versatile Latin America specialist Federico Goudie and Latin America M&A expert Ruben Diaz have left the firm, along with international arbitration specialist Luis O’Naghten.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP's core Latin America practice is located in Miami, where the team has an extensive background in M&A and corporate transactions, financings, securities offerings and fund formations. The Miami practice has experienced an uptick in engagements from private equity houses and Latin American family offices with investments across the region. Its deep connections have led to a number of intra-regional deals and it has maintained its formidable record in bank M&A, including inbound transactions into the US; it represents a multitude of large Latin American banks on M&A transactions, securities offerings, fund formations and financings from international banks. It also acts for a series of US-based banks and financial institutions in connection with their Latin America interests, including financings. The Miami group continues to be active in agency-led financings, most notably for Inter-American Investment Corporation (IDB Invest), a regular client for Uriel Mendieta, who is also noted for digital infrastructure, including subsea fibre optic cables and terrestrial cables; Fernando Margarit is a specialist in this area and is also active in Latin America. As head of the Latin America practice, Fernando Alonso is a leader in M&A, financings and securities offerings, with the corporate team being best known for transactions in Central America, the Andean region and the Caribbean, along with a growing deal flow in Brazil.

Jones Day's Miami office operates as a fulcrum for much of the firm’s Latin America business, including inbound and outbound M&A, restructurings, investigations and real estate. The firm has traditionally enjoyed a lengthy list of Latin American and international clients, and frequently advises major multinationals on transactions involving the region. The Miami office is also active in corporate restructurings and is increasingly working closely with the Mexico City office on investments and acquisitions associated with nearshoring in Mexico. It retains a strong reputation in white-collar crime and investigations, along with FCPA due diligence in M&A transactions. Cristina Pérez Soto leads the litigation practice in Miami and maintains an active presence in government, regulatory and internal investigations in Latin America. Ricardo Puente and Eliot Pedrosa provide further expertise in international arbitration and parallel litigation proceedings, notably commercial arbitration along with investment arbitration where the team often works alongside the Washington DC office. Luis Vélez is a key corporate and M&A partner in Miami, who frequently works alongside New York, Mexico City and Sao Paulo colleagues on cross-border deals.

Kennedys' Miami office operates as a hub for its well-established insurance practice in Latin America. Working alongside offices throughout the region, the Miami office works on a range of complex loss-related mandates, along with a multitude of policy, licensing and regulatory engagements; the firm has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, along with associate offices in Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, and Puerto Rico. It continues to expand its cyber risk and insurance practice, led by Javier Vijil, who was elected to the partnership in May 2023. The cyber practice now ranges from incident response and regulatory obligations to coverage issues and privacy matters. The firm is making further progress in new products for the Latin American markets, including healthcare and transportation. Senior name Alex Guillamont has been based in the US since 2010, has a broad practice and is expanding the firm’s presence in mining losses. Anna Weiss is regional managing partner for Latin America and the Caribbean, has a background in construction insurance, but is particularly active in political risk claims. Qualified in Venezuela, Lorena Avila specialises in regulatory matters and medical malpractice claims.

King & Spalding‘s nascent Miami office has a primary focus on international arbitration and project finance. It has transferred senior practitioners to the city, hired senior practitioners and is building out its more junior ranks. As a global leader in international arbitration the firm has recognised the strategic importance of being present in Miami, with leading practitioner Harry Burnett now being based there, along with Craig Miles, who splits his time between Miami and Houston; both have represented Quanta Resources in a series of commercial, insurance and investment arbitrations, including a sizeable ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Peru under the Netherlands–Peru bilateral investment treaty. Admitted to practice in Brazil, New York and Washington DC, Érica Franzetti provides further senior firepower to the office’s standing in investor-state and commercial arbitration. The Miami team has played a key role in developing the firm’s record in M&A-related disputes, especially in Brazil, along with further growth in commercial arbitrations; the group is also at the forefront of investor-state arbitrations. On the project finance front, Fradyn Suárez and counsel Jessica Mendoza have lifted the firm’s position in the market; often working alongside colleagues in New York and Houston (among other offices), the two are established figures in transportation infrastructure and renewable energy financings, along with mining and resources, energy transition, LNG and telecoms infrastructure.

Kobre & Kim's established Miami office has a considerable focus on white-collar crime and government enforcement defence. The team continues to be noted for representing senior executives, high net-worth individuals and politicians, along with multinational corporates and financial institutions. Much of the practice centres on fraud, money laundering, sanctions violations and other alleged misconduct cases. Former prosecutor Evelyn Sheehan is especially active in Latin America white-collar and government enforcement defence matters, including representing senior executives in FCPA investigations, asset tracing and recovery engagements, and asset forfeiture proceedings. Adriana Riviere-Badell is another experienced litigator with a major focus on Latin America, notably government enforcement defence.

León Cosgrove Jiménez, LLP is a dispute resolution heavyweight with strong links to Latin America. Much of its Latin America practice centres on capital flows into the US with the firm frequently representing Latin American and US-based financial institutions in major cases. It has an established record in fraud disputes and large bankcruptcy cases, including Chapter 15 proceedings. Much of the practice centres on cross-border disputes involving Venezuelan entities, along with several Central American jurisdictions and a number of other nations in South America. The team features a significant number of Latin American nationals, many of whom are admitted to practice in a Latin American jurisdiction. It is also home to a number of partners that previously practised at major international law firms. ‘An extraordinary litigator‘, Diego Perez Ara is an emerging talent in international arbitration and cross-border commercial litigation, benefitting from his background as a civil law trained practitioner in Venezuela before relocating to the US. Derek León is an immensely experienced litigator, having appeared in numerous headline cases since founding the firm in 2013 and previously as a partner at a major international law firm. Bankruptcy specialist Andrew Zaron and litigator Scott Cosgrove are also key partners, along with Marcos Daniel Jiménez, a former US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, who has deepened the firm’s geographic coverage in Latin America and extended its reputation.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP has strong connections to Latin America through its Miami office, which is particularly noted for its expertise in international tax, including inbound and outbound investments and financing transactions. Much of the practice is driven by family offices and fund formation engagements, along with Brazilian investment into US real estate assets. Michael Silva is co-head of the Latin America practice and head of the Miami tax practice; he has a background in US investment structures, cross-border transactions and tax treaty planning, and is also noted for fund formation and advising family offices on their business interests. Steven Hadjilogiou and Arianne Plasencia are also international tax and estate planning specialists.

Morrison Foerster's Miami office is led by Randy Bullard, who is co-chair of the firm’s Latin America desk and a veteran of M&A, private equity and venture capital investments in the region. Bullard and the Miami team remain active in Latin America tech deals, including venture capital and emerging company transactions. The group recently advised Uruguayan nearshore digital engineering company, Octobot, on its acquisition by Sparq. It also represented Brazil-based mobile security provider, Incognia, on its Series B financing round with existing investors. The team had previously advised SoftBank Latin America Fund on a multitude of transactions.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has a significant presence in Miami where it houses an established Latin America team with a principal focus on growth company and venture capital transactions in Brazil and beyond. Moreover, it is noted for inbound and outbound M&A, and corporate restructurings. The practice continues to have a major focus on Brazil’s tech sector with a stream of venture capital financings and emerging company transactions, along with M&A activity and joint-ventures. The Miami team is prolific in seed financings, Series A and Series B financings for emerging companies and venture capital funds. A native Portuguese speaker, dual qualified (Brazil/New York) Leandro Molina is co-chair of the Latin America practice. Fellow co-chair John Haley brings extensive experience in cross-border transactions in the region, including M&A deals, joint ventures, private equity, infrastructure financings and project finance. Carlos Loumiet provides additional senior expertise in M&A and venture capital financings, while Rebecca Lester supports from the associate ranks. Luis O’Naghten has more than 30 years of experience in cross-border disputes, including both investor-state and commercial arbitrations. Jackson Hwu left the firm in February 2024.

PAG Law is based in Miami and is primarily focused on Latin America. The firm is best known for its expertise in the start-up tech sector in Latin America, operating throughout the lifecycle from start-up and early-stage financings to going public. It has successfully continued to take a number of its clients public despite inhospitable market conditions. The firm has wide-ranging experience in the start-up field, including biotech, fintech, software, e-commerce and proptech; it also has an extensive record in venture capital fund formation. With an established record in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Argentina, it is also noted for private M&A in the hospitality, healthcare, media and marketing sectors. While the firm has further developed its Latin America credentials with the recruitment of New York partner Alejandro Fiuza, the former head of Brown Rudnick LLP's Latin America practice, the Miami office remains the linchpin of its work in the region. It now has nine partners with a primary Latin America focus, various of whom are dual-qualified and with practise experience in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, among other jurisdictions. Key partners include founders Juan Pablo Cappello and Lizbeth Flores, along with Esteban Elias.

Reed Smith LLP has a substantial Miami team that is widely recognised for its expertise in cross-border disputes, including investment and commercial arbitration, and is also prominent in white-collar crime and investigations, antitrust disputes and bankruptcy cases (particularly in connection with Brazil). Over the years, the Miami team (which features a number of practitioners licensed in both the US and a Latin American jurisdiction) has built a substantial client base of international companies and multilatinas. In investment arbitration, the team has acted for a series of investors in claims against Venezuela and Peru; more broadly, the team remains focused on energy and natural resources, life sciences and shipping, among other sectors. Vice-chair of the firm’s international arbitration practice in the US, Francisco Rodriguez nevertheless has a major focus on Latin America. Sandra Millor and Edward Mullins are also top dispute resolution practitioners that have a background in cases related to the region, as does foreign legal consultant Gilberto Guerrero-Rocca as regards investor-state and commercial arbitration. Arbitral leading light José Astigarraga is set to leave in late 2024 to practice solely as an arbitrator and mediator. The firm's Brazil desk is led by experienced figure Felipe Berer, who is licensed to practice in Brazil, the District of Columbia, Virginia and is a foreign legal consultant in Florida.

Rivero Mestre LLP is a Miami firm with an illustrious history in commercial litigation and international arbitration. A considerable portion of its practice centres on international litigation and arbitration, along with white-collar criminal defence and internal investigations. Andrés Rivero is a hugely experienced litigator and trial lawyer, with a wide-ranging background in large-scale disputes and white-collar crime cases. Jorge Mestre is also a senior litigator with extensive experience in cases connected to Latin America. The firm recently filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico against the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of Puerto Rico (OCIF) and OCIF Commissioner, Natalia Zequeira Diaz, in connection with alleged improper and discriminatory conduct by the OCIF in the regulation of international banks doing business in Puerto Rico. Amanda Fernandez is managing partner of the firm and the president-elect of the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA).

Sidley Austin LLP's Miami office continues to establish itself in the Latin America market, particularly in emerging company and venture capital transactions. Following the hire of Juan Delgado in August 2022, the office has represented SoftBank Latin America Fund on a series of investments, including some of the largest-ever venture funding rounds in the region. With a primary focus on Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, the team remains active in strategic investments, joint-ventures and disposals, and works closely with other offices across the US as necessary, notably fund formation specialists in New York, such as Alyssa Grikscheit. Axel Miranda is a senior managing associate in the team and has had a key role in many of the Miami office’s notable Latin America engagements.

Squire Patton Boggs's rapid emergence in Latin America-related international arbitration and cross-border litigation is in large part down to the strength of the Miami office. It has gained a series of major investor-state engagements where it now represents Latin American states, such as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Guatemala and Panama; all, except for Ecuador, are new to the practice since 2021. The strength of the Miami team also lies in the balance of common and civil law expertise, exemplified by leading international arbitration practitioner Raúl Mañón, who is dual-qualified in Florida and the Dominican Republic and has represented the Republic of Peru in connection with three ICSID arbitrations relating to alleged breaches of a concession agreement related to the Metro de Lima Linea 2, one of the largest current infrastructure projects in Latin America. Digna French (‘innovative and creative for solutions‘) is chair of the litigation practice in Florida and co-chair of the Miami-Latin America task force; she has a background in Latin America-related litigation, including Section 1782 discovery proceedings. Of counsel Jose Martin provides further expertise in anti-corruption and FCPA enforcement, along with internal investigations, particularly in Mexico and the wider region.

White & Case LLP has the leading Latin America-facing Miami practice of the heavyweight international law firms. It is a dominant force in energy and infrastructure, including both project development and project finance, while remaining at the forefront of acquisition finance and structured financings. Moreover, it has a substantial team dedicated to white-collar crime and government enforcement investigations, along with further strength in international arbitration. In energy and infrastructure, the Miami team has a prestigious client base of sponsors, investors, banks and development finance institutions (DFIs). Carlos Viana has an outstanding reputation for large-scale and headline project financings in multiple jurisdictions, with Sean Goldstein providing further senior-level talent in project development and project finance; he is also a key relationship partner for IDB Invest. Anna Andreeva is further noted for aviation finance and equipment leasing financings, along with project finance and general bank lending. In white-collar crime and government enforcement investigations, Michael Garcia and Maria Beguiristain are top practitioners, achieving additional prominence in sanctions-related cases, cryptocurrency and fintech, along with anti-corruption due diligence in investments and acquisitions. Silvia Marchili, who splits her time between Houston and Miami, is another established name in commercial and investment arbitration in Latin America. Newly minted partner Estefanía San Juan is primarily focused on Latin America commercial and investor-state arbitrations. Head of the Latin America group Christian Hansen is now based in Mexico City.

Winston & Strawn LLP has cemented its position in Miami following the launch of its office there in May 2022. With multiple skills and specialisms across the Miami team, there are few firms in the city that can offer the same range of expertise to Latin American and other international clients. It has played a pivotal role in extending the firm’s exposure to Latin America inbound and outbound transactions, and in expanding its client base in the region, including numerous family offices and family-controlled groups. Miami managing partner Enrique Martin and Nicholas Rodríguez are highly-rated M&A and private equity practitioners with an extensive record across industries and geographies in Latin America; this also includes venture capital investments in blockchain and digital assets. Fintech and digital assets are a particular strength of the Miami office, with dedicated experts in Kimberly Prior and Daniel Stabile, who lead the digital assets and blockchain technology group. They are part of a wider financial services regulatory group led by Carl Fornaris and which also includes Juan Azel. In energy and infrastructure, Richard Puttré is chair of the Latin America projects practice and has an extensive record in project financings across the region, most notably for Spanish sponsors. Gustavo Membiela is another established figure in cross-border Latin America disputes, notably international arbitration, along with government enforcement investigations and internal investigations. Craig Rasile has an extensive background in bankruptcy and restructuring, including Latin America matters. Native Spanish speaker Rafael Aguilar specialises in real estate transactions in Florida, notably for Latin American investors.