22 February 2011
International law firm DLA Piper is opening a Miami office on March 1 to expand its focus on Latin America.
The office will feature international arbitration attorneys Pedro J. Martinez-Fraga and C. Ryan Reetz. The two had led Squire Sanders & Dempsey’s international dispute resolution practice in Florida and Latin America.
It also will include two Venezuelan attorneys as foreign legal consultants, energy specialist Jose Juan Delgado and corporate lawyer Maria Cecilia Rachadell. They had previously practiced at Squire Sanders and then formed their own firm in Venezuela, InterJuris Abogados SA. That firm also will become part of the DLA Piper network, the law firm announced.
"Following our cooperation agreement in Brazil last year with Campos Mello Advogados and the establishment of DLA Piper’s foreign consultancy there, the Miami office and an on-the-ground presence in Venezuela are key developments as we advance our global capabilities and expand our presence in Latin America,” said Stuart Berkson, chair of DLA Piper’s Latin America practice.
“Miami is the gateway to Latin America and has also become a critical business and financial center for our clients with interests abroad,” said Juan Picón, who leads DLA Piper’s corporate group for Europe-Middle East and Africa and serves as managing partner in Spain.“In particular, this expansion creates a myriad of inbound and outbound opportunities for our clients throughout Europe and Spain.”
The moves follows DLA Piper announcement it will merge with Australia’s DLA Phillips Fox effective May 1, creating a firm with more than 4,000 lawyers, more lawyers than any other firm in the world.
In the new Miami office, Ignacio Sanchez will serve as acting managing partner, building on 17 years of practice in Miami and the firm’s longstanding presence in Tampa. The firm has leased 22,000-square-feet for the new operation downtown on the 23rd floor of the Wachovia Financial Center.
Martinez-Fraga has served as an arbitrator in proceedings before the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes. He has also represented national, state or local governments in Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil, Spain and Ecuador.
Before Squire Sanders, he practiced with Greenberg Traurig. He holds a law degree. from Columbia University and a B.A. from St. John's College, plus a Licenciatura, Magíster and Diploma de Estudios Avanzados (DEA) from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Reetz represents clients as trial counsel in international and domestic commercial and regulatory disputes. He received a law degree. from Boston University and a B.A. from Harvard University.
Delgado focuses his practice on energy, taxation, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, as well as banking. He holds a J.D. from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Venezuela, an LLM from Boston University and an LLM from Harvard University.
Rachadell focuses her practice on M&A, financial services, project finance, capital market transactions and domestic or international arbitration. She received a law degree from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Venezuela and an LLM from Harvard University.
For the complete press release, click here .