Welcome to the new beta version of legal500.com Visit the legacy site

Latin America - Latin America: International firms

Mayer Brown

More informationMore information

Mayer Brown’s status as a global leader in banking and finance, combined with its longstanding commitment to Latin America, forms the basis for a flourishing practice in the region. The firm advises a vast array of big-name lenders, including Latin American and international institutions, with engagements ranging from bulge-bracket project finance to sustainability-linked loans and pioneering structured finance transactions. It continues to be at the forefront of future flow financings, warehouse financing, and supply chain and trade finance, and has also worked on the vast majority of diversified payment rights financings in Latin America. The firm has a presence in Brazil through its association with Tauil & Chequer Advogados and a growing office in Mexico City, coupled with Latin America-focused practitioners in New York, Chicago, Washington DC and other US offices. Chicago partner Douglas Doetsch is head of the Latin America group and a market leader in infrastructure finance and cross-border securitisations, including future cash flow securitisations. Buenos Aires-born Gabriela Sakamoto is another experienced name in project finance, structured finance and acquisition finance, and Chicago partner Juan Pablo Moreno is another key figure on cross-border financings in Latin America, including major project financings and sustainability-linked loans. David Duffee has retired.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Excellent at executing and solving structural problems.’

  • ‘My perception is that the team is very solid for transactions in Latin America. Compared to other firms, it seems to me that the team is certainly as good as its competitors.’
  • ‘In the project on which we worked with Mayer Brown, the involvement of the partner in charge, Juan Pablo Moreno, was exceptional. He led the transaction the whole time and was always available for everything. For a complex transaction like the one we had, his ideas and his contributions were important.’

Key clients

  • Banco do Brasil
  • Banco Itau
  • Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior
  • Banco Santander
  • Bank of America
  • BNP Paribas
  • Bogotá, Distrito Capital
  • Credit Suisse
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Empresas Públicas de Medellín
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Sumitomo Mutsui Banking Corporation

Work highlights

  • Advised Empresas Públicas de Medellín on a $700m sustainability-linked loan credit facility, based on sustainability linked loans principles.
  • Represented BBVA México, as arranger, in connection with a $750m syndicated cross-border term loan facility to Banco Actinver, acting solely and exclusively as trustee of Trust 1401; the proceeds of the facility were used to refinance existing real estate portfolio indebtedness.
  • Represented Goldman Sachs Bank as lender, administrative agent, collateral agent and lead arranger regarding a senior secured revolving credit facility with Operadora Falcon.

Lawyers

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Douglas Doetsch

Mayer Brown

Douglas Doetsch serves as head of the firm’s Latin America/Caribbean practice and is a member of the firm's Banking & Finance practice. He advises clients on infrastructure financings in the port, airport and road sectors, acquisition and other leveraged lending transactions, and structured credit transactions. He is also a leader in cross-border securitization transactions, especially future cash flow securitizations.In his cross-border work, Doug also regularly advises on emerging market debt restructuring and debt exchange offers. In addition, his transactional work involves asset and stock acquisitions, real estate investments, and cross-border joint ventures.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Douglas Doetsch