Latin America and the Caribbean

Mexico City Office

Haynes Boone, SC, the firm’s fully-integrated Mexico City office, was formed in 1994, and consists of approximately 30 lawyers and law clerks advising on Mexican Law. The firm is unique in having permanent senior Mexican lawyers based in its U.S. offices and conversely having an American expatriate working in its Mexico City office, thereby providing integrated working teams from both its U.S. and Mexican platforms. In response to the Mexican energy reforms, the firm has increased its energy law capabilities in the Mexico City office, including partners who handle environmental and tax law. Additionally, our Mexico City office has many lawyers who serve on the NAFTA Task Force. They are responsible, in part, for the firm’s NAFTA Renegotiation Monitor report.

The Mexico City office has extensive experience in complex corporate, finance, real estate, energy and mining, competition, environmental, and litigation matters. The firm has also earned “Deal of the Year” recognition for its work in Mexican energy and private equity arenas.

All of the lawyers in the Mexico City office are bilingual and many of them have obtained post-graduate degrees in the U.S. and/or worked in the United States with a U.S. law firm (two are licensed to practice in the State of New York and one in the State of Texas). Recently, the firm has been very active in the Mexican oil and gas bid rounds on behalf of foreign clients. The office also has a deep real estate practice experience, having advised U.S., UK, and Spanish hotel groups and private equity groups on a variety of transactions in recent years.

Brazil Practice 

Haynes Boone has extensive experience in advising clients in numerous types of cross-border matters involving Brazil. Some of the firm’s recent experience in Brazil includes subscription line financings, extensive work in a corporate restructuring on a post-merger basis, large cross-border loan transactions on behalf of foreign financial institutions and a local power company, hotel development work for a large international chain, and a cross-border investigation of a large Brazilian company. 

Cuba Practice

As part of its Americas Practice Group and in response to changes in US foreign policy, Haynes Boone has also formed a Cuba Team focused on international regulatory, transactional and dispute related areas to help clients monitor and prepare for new opportunities related to trade with Cuba. The firm has been very active in the Cuban market since the Obama Administration reforms, particularly in the aviation sector, developing an in-depth knowledge of local Cuban foreign investment issues, including but not limited in the finance and tax areas. Through this recent experience, the firm has developed close relationships with Cuban counsel. Additionally our team was instrumental in representing prominent airline sector clients in connection with the inaugural service to Cuba.  

Latin American Energy Practice

Haynes Boone has an active Latin American energy practice. In addition to its work in the Mexican market, we have advised Latin American energy companies in Argentina and Colombia, advised an international energy company in the divestiture of its Central American downstream assets, and advised a U.S. investor in acquiring a distressed power company in Honduras through an extensive bid process. The firm has been very active in the Vaca Muerta area in Argentina in non-conventional investments.

Aviation Practice

The firm has a leading aviation practice focused on Latin America and over the years has advised American Airlines, US Airways, IATA, Grupo Taca, Cathay Pacific, Sabre and Aerolineas Argentinas, among others, in their important projects throughout the region. The firm has experienced lawyers in this area based both in Dallas and Mexico City. Most recently, the firm has served as lead international counsel in the post-merger international integration of one of the largest transportation groups in the world serving markets in over 50 jurisdictions in every continent. We have been involved in the recent investigations of the Mexican aviation sector part by the Mexican Competition Commission (Cofece) and in the recent liberalization of air service between the U.S. and Cuba on behalf of two international clients. In 2015, the firm was selected in a bid process to serve as IATA’s U.S. and Latin American counsel.

Experience in Other Areas of Latin America and the Caribbean

In addition to its strong Mexican and Brazilian practices, the firm distinguishes itself with a strong presence in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, having worked in more than 30 jurisdictions in the region and through such work has developed a strong network of Latin American law firms. We are also a founding member of the multidisciplinary World Services Group (WSG), which has a strong network of Latin American law firms and other professional service providers. Haynes Boone is frequently called upon to advise in complex multi-jurisdictional work in the region and leverages well these relationships (in conjunction with its internal resources) on behalf of its clients.

Latin American Lawyers on Staff in U.S. Offices

Haynes Boone has an active foreign associate program for leading Latin American and Spanish lawyers. The firm has hosted foreign associates from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela to work in its U.S. offices. In addition, we have a regular training program that provides an opportunity for our Mexican lawyers to work in one of our U.S. offices (typically Dallas or Houston) for up to one year. Additionally, we regularly arrange for younger foreign lawyers to study on scholarship with the Center for American and International Law (formerly the Southwestern Legal Foundation) in Dallas, Texas, for an intensive six-week conference. The effect of these collective efforts is a dedicated and extensive international network of Latin American lawyers with whom we collaborate on projects in the region on behalf of our clients.