News

Chadbourne's Mexico City Office Opens, Positions Firm to Serve Key U.S. Markets Focused on Latin America

More Expansion in Latin America Being Considered

March 26, 2008

The international law firm of Chadbourne & Parke LLP announced today that it has opened an office in Mexico City as part of the expansion of its Latin American practice. Attorneys in the office will advise clients in Latin America and also in major U.S. markets involved in cross-border trade with the region.

“A Mexico City presence fits well with Chadbourne’s international and domestic network of offices and provides strong support for our Latin America practice,” said Allen Miller, co-head of Chadbourne’s Latin America practice. “We expect Mexico City to be a key office in our international network. Our operation there also creates special synergies with domestic offices such as Los Angeles, where Chadbourne already has a very active practice, including renewable energy and litigation, and Houston, where we are particularly strong in serving the oil and gas sector.”

Attorneys in the new office will focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, bank and project finance, energy and infrastructure, litigation and arbitration.

The Mexico City office opened with approximately 20 attorneys. Boris Otto, a corporate lawyer, and Luis Enrique Graham, a litigator and international arbitration practitioner, joined as partners in Chadbourne & Parke LLP. José Antonio Chávez, a corporate finance lawyer, joined as a partner in the Mexican partnership, Chadbourne & Parke, S.C.

Two other attorneys joined Chadbourne’s New York office earlier this month as part of the Latin American practice’s expansion. Marc Rossell, who concentrates on cross-border capital markets and financing work, and Oliver Armas, a litigator and international arbitration practitioner, joined as partners of Chadbourne & Parke LLP.

Other attorneys in the Mexico City office include Derek Woodhouse, who heads the energy and infrastructure practice in Mexico; Anthony Girolami, who is active in infrastructure development and international finance matters, with an emphasis on Brazil; and Ricardo Ramírez Hernandez, who focuses on international arbitration and trade matters.

“We are excited to join Chadbourne and become its first office in Latin America,” said Mr. Otto, Managing Partner of the Mexico City office. “Our Latin America practice has deep roots in the region and experienced attorneys. My colleagues and I expect to benefit from Chadbourne’s resources in Latin America and worldwide. We look forward to an expansion of the office’s activity in such areas as M&A and private equity.”

Following significant increases in 2007 in revenue and profits, the Firm is evaluating other locations in Latin America for expansion. Talbert Navia, co-head of the Latin America practice, said that Brazil is a possibility, noting, “Chadbourne already serves major clients in that country, in the energy, natural resources, infrastructure and financial sectors. An in-country presence in Brazil would further expand our practice.”