Latin America

Latin America presents a dynamic market as different jurisdictions restructure their economies, revamp their industries and facilitate foreign investment in virtually all business and government sectors.

The region plays a key role in the provision of food, energy and biodiversity to tackle the world’s increasing necessities. Green growth and energy transition present a unique opportunity for Latin America as it contributes a small portion of global greenhouse gas emissions and has enormous green comparative advantages.

For more than 75 years, Akin has been at the forefront of representing global industry leaders, sponsors, financial institutions, and public and private companies in Latin American cross-border engagements.

Our team also represents and advises Latin America-based companies and governments trying to access global markets, attract international funding and incorporate best practices into their industries.

From Mexico to Argentina and throughout the Caribbean, we assist clients by providing top legal and policy counsel through our globally integrated transactional, restructuring, regulatory, policy and dispute resolution practices.

Our lawyers and advisors have exceptional insight into how business is conducted in Latin America. Our practice consists of an international team of lawyers and advisors based across the globe, and especially in our New York, Washington, D.C., Houston and London offices.

Our lawyers possess an understanding of the Latin American legal systems and culture, and our practice is supported by numerous multilingual lawyers throughout our offices, which we believe is essential to providing more efficient and exceptional service.

M&A and Private Equity

Akin combines a global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) group focused on private equity and other asset managers with leading tax, finance, regulatory and executive compensation teams to execute sophisticated transactions across the capital structure.

We collaborate with local counsel to efficiently provide the advice that clients need. We have decades of experience in Latin America and have been involved in significant M&A matters. We understand structures and deal practices that are common in Latin America and we help clients resolve regulatory or government relation issues.

Financial Restructuring

Akin’s financial restructuring practice is widely recognized as a restructuring powerhouse. Our team has more than 100 lawyers dedicated to distressed situations across the Americas. Companies, ad hoc groups, official and informal creditors’ committees and institutional investors seek our counsel for their most sensitive and complex restructuring, liability management and special situations matters, trusting our international and integrated platform to manage every facet and issue that may arise, no matter how many borders it may cross.

The Global Restructuring Review recently ranked Akin among its top four firms in the world because of our broad variety of restructuring-focused capabilities in multijurisdictional situations.

Energy, Projects & Energy Transition

Throughout our history, Akin has been known for its sophisticated, diverse and full-service energy law practice. We have a long history of experience and visible leadership on energy issues. Our top-ranked energy practice comprises a powerhouse team of elite dealmakers who are regularly sought out by some of the world’s largest companies and investors for traditional oil & gas, renewables and mining projects and transactions at the forefront of the energy transition.

International Trade

Akin’s international trade team is one of the largest international trade practices in the world. Our comprehensive offerings include all of the substantive international trade disciplines, including export controls, economic sanctions, customs, antibribery/anticorruption, antiboycott, trade policy, antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) litigation, climate change, World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute resolution and environmental, social & governance (ESG).

Lobbying & Public Policy

Akin has one of the largest and most diverse government relations practices of any major law firm worldwide. Included on our teams are a number of former members of Congress, including former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman to ever serve as a member, and lawyers and policy advisors with decades of bipartisan political experience.

These former members and political operatives assist clients routinely on building and maintaining relationships across the federal government, including with key congressional leadership and staff at all four corners of Congress—House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans—as well as across the executive branch.

With a proven track record of success in navigating the complex and evolving landscape of federal, state and local government policies and regulations, Akin stands out among the top government relations firms in the country.

Our bipartisan team of leading policy lawyers and advisors brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, providing clients with a comprehensive array of services that include not only advocacy at all levels of government, but also strategic and comprehensive legal advisory and representation.

Representative Matters

M&A and Private Equity

Represented Mubadala in the acquisition of an interest in a Brazilian FIP dedicated to a Brazilian toll road investment platform as a co-investor with Farallon Capital.
Represented Prisma Medios de Pagos, Argentina’s largest payment processing company, in its sale to Advent International.
Represented Mission Produce, a global leader in the worldwide avocado business, in its purchase of a 50% agricultural joint venture in Peru.
Represented Imagina U.S. in its sale of certain sports media rights and three Spanish-language cable television networks to Hemisphere Media Group Inc., a Spanish media company that serves the U.S. Hispanic/Latino and Latin American markets.

Financial Restructuring

Counsel to an ad hoc group of senior noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Aeroméxico and its affiliates, Mexico’s flagship airline, involving $2 billion in liabilities. Cross-border Restructuring of the Year - Over $1B (M&A Advisor)
Counsel to an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in the restructuring of $400 million in debt of TV Azteca, Mexico’s second-largest mass media company.
Counsel to an ad hoc group of lenders on the financial restructuring of Oi, the largest fixed telephone operator in Brazil and third largest telecommunications company in Latin America, involving $4.3 billion in liabilities.
Counsel to Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in terms of departures and cities served, in connection with finance and liability management issues.

Energy, Projects & Energy Transition

Represented Hokchi Energy in its $500-million sale of certain assets to Mexican subsidiaries of Wintershall Dea and in its $200-million purchase of certain assets from E&P Hidrocarburos.
Represented Pegasus Capital Advisors in its acquisition of COG Energy Limited and Colombia Energy Development Co. with onshore assets producing oil & gas in Colombia.
Represented Pan American Energy in the disposition of its fuel service stations network in Paraguay.

International Trade

Assisted a U.S. medical research institute in securing U.S. government policy support and first-of-its-kind Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licensing for a high-profile joint venture with Cuba-based Center of Molecular Immunology.
Advised a client on the preferential duty benefits and rules of origin under the EU-Mexico Free Trade Agreement for its Mexican operations.
Represented a multinational energy company in a seven-year Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and criminal prosecutors in Argentina.
Advised a U.S. private investment firm on U.S. trade policy developments, particularly in relation to obligations related to the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement.

Lobbying & Public Policy

Provided a Mexican trade association with policy advice and advocacy related to international tax and trade.
Advised a Mexican agricultural association on lobbying and advocacy strategies before the U.S. Congress, the administration and state governments regarding a suspension agreement and antidumping proceedings with the Department of Commerce.
Negotiated entry into the Cuban marketplace for one of the world’s largest meat processors.

Representative Matters

M&A and Private Equity

Represented Mubadala in the acquisition of an interest in a Brazilian FIP dedicated to a Brazilian toll road investment platform as a co-investor with Farallon Capital.
Represented Prisma Medios de Pagos, Argentina’s largest payment processing company, in its sale to Advent International.
Represented Mission Produce, a global leader in the worldwide avocado business, in its purchase of a 50% agricultural joint venture in Peru.
Represented Imagina U.S. in its sale of certain sports media rights and three Spanish-language cable television networks to Hemisphere Media Group Inc., a Spanish media company that serves the U.S. Hispanic/Latino and Latin American markets.

Financial Restructuring

Counsel to an ad hoc group of senior noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Aeroméxico and its affiliates, Mexico’s flagship airline, involving $2 billion in liabilities. Cross-border Restructuring of the Year - Over $1B (M&A Advisor)
Counsel to an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in the restructuring of $400 million in debt of TV Azteca, Mexico’s second-largest mass media company.
Counsel to an ad hoc group of lenders on the financial restructuring of Oi, the largest fixed telephone operator in Brazil and third largest telecommunications company in Latin America, involving $4.3 billion in liabilities.
Counsel to Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in terms of departures and cities served, in connection with finance and liability management issues.

Energy, Projects & Energy Transition

Represented Hokchi Energy in its $500-million sale of certain assets to Mexican subsidiaries of Wintershall Dea and in its $200-million purchase of certain assets from E&P Hidrocarburos.
Represented Pegasus Capital Advisors in its acquisition of COG Energy Limited and Colombia Energy Development Co. with onshore assets producing oil & gas in Colombia.
Represented Pan American Energy in the disposition of its fuel service stations network in Paraguay.

International Trade

Assisted a U.S. medical research institute in securing U.S. government policy support and first-of-its-kind Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licensing for a high-profile joint venture with Cuba-based Center of Molecular Immunology.
Advised a client on the preferential duty benefits and rules of origin under the EU-Mexico Free Trade Agreement for its Mexican operations.
Represented a multinational energy company in a seven-year Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and criminal prosecutors in Argentina.
Advised a U.S. private investment firm on U.S. trade policy developments, particularly in relation to obligations related to the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement.

Lobbying & Public Policy

Provided a Mexican trade association with policy advice and advocacy related to international tax and trade.
Advised a Mexican agricultural association on lobbying and advocacy strategies before the U.S. Congress, the administration and state governments regarding a suspension agreement and antidumping proceedings with the Department of Commerce.
Negotiated entry into the Cuban marketplace for one of the world’s largest meat processors.