Jones Day

Latin American Practice Overview

Jones Day has been active for decades in Latin American matters, including capital markets, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, business restructuring and reorganisation, and litigation and arbitration.

In 2009 the firm opened an office in Mexico City adding eight new Partners and twelve associates to the existing team which includes lawyers from all over the Jones Day network. The firm also has long-standing relationships with leading lawyers and law firms located throughout the region with whom we regularly work in cooperation on complex cross-border projects.

The Latin America practice is centered in Madrid, with important contributions from Atlanta, Cleveland, Mexico City, New York, and Washington DC, as well as other Jones Day offices. The success of the firm’s Latin American practice stems from the focus on client needs, expert legal skills, teamwork and the strength of a network which truly functions as one firm worldwide.

Project finance

Our attorneys in our project finance practice regularly participate in numerous complex financings throughout Latin America in sectors such as power generation, power transmission and distribution, telecommunications, transportation, waste treatment, manufacturing and general infrastructure. We have developed strong relationships with major lenders, including multilateral and bilateral lending institutions, financial and political risk insurance providers and commercial banks.

Mergers and acquisitions

Our mergers and acquisitions attorneys represent buyers, sellers, financial advisers, merchant bankers, and other parties in transactions ranging from small, privately negotiated transfers of shares or assets to leveraged buyouts, large public-company combinations, and contested takeovers. Jones Day consistently ranks in the Thomson Financial tables for completed mergers and acquisition transactions in Latin America. Our lawyers represent their clients with interests in the region in cross border operations as well as Latin American companies wishing to do business outside the region.

Capital markets

The capital markets practice focuses on the representation of companies and financial intermediaries in capital-raising transactions, from early-stage venture financings for start-ups to public debt and equity offerings for seasoned issuers. We represent companies and investment banks in various securities offerings, including public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities. Our range of experience includes many SEC-registered, 144A/Regulation S ADR and other private equity offerings, high-yield bonds and asset-back securities. Members of our Latin America practice group have substantial experience preparing and filing periodic reports with the SEC on behalf of non-US issuers, including annual reports on Form 20-F.

Litigation/arbitration

The firm’s litigation practice today numbers more than 1,100 attorneys. We provide services to clients under United States local state law and federal law, as well as in connection with international arbitrations under ICC, ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules and those dealing with investment issues and administered by the World Bank (CIADI). Our international arbitration specialists have acted on matters involving Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Panama and regularly protect the investments of our clients in such markets. We represent foreign investors in Latin America before arbitral institutions involving various jurisdictions.

Banking and finance

The firm’s banking and finance practice acts in a broad range of commercial financing transactions: commercial banks, merchant banks, investment banks, insurance companies, placement agents, trust companies, commercial financing and leasing companies, borrowers/capital users, lessees and equity investors. The firm has extensive experience in representing both capital providers and capital users in connection with securitisations, financial products, derivatives and other complex structured finance transactions.

Business restructuring and reorganisation

Lawyers in Jones Day’s business restructuring and reorganisation practice represent debtors, creditors, and others in complex restructurings, out-of-court workouts, chapter 11 cases, and other insolvency matters, including representation of boards of directors in evaluation corporate restructuring alternatives and fulfilling their fiduciary duties. Our international insolvency practitioners assists clients worldwide in the development of legal strategies to address the US implications of non-US bankruptcy proceedings. Our attorneys are active in many important matters in Latin America, particularly in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.