Latin America

Latin America is one of the most diverse and exciting regions in which to do business. Central America, South America and the Caribbean islands are home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, as well as areas that face significant political and fiscal challenges. The mix of cultures and languages similarly reflects the highly varied geography, natural resources, and legal and business systems that govern Latin American commerce domestically and across borders.

McGuireWoods has extensive experience advising domestic and foreign clients with interests in Latin America in a broad range of corporate, financial and regulatory matters, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures; project finance, syndicated finance, and corporate and commercial lending; and a range of international supply chain agreements such as procurement agreements, distribution and sales agency agreements. We also represent public- and private-company clients in the negotiation and documentation of commercial contracts, and provide full-spectrum guidance in cross-border sales, tax, real estate and going-private transactions.

We understand that Latin America is not monolithic, and that our guidance must be tailored to the specific political, legislative, business and cultural practices of each country in which we represent clients. We have advised individuals, corporations and institutional investors in dozens of countries across the region and across a vast array of industries.

We regularly work with experienced local counsel and other advisors to provide seamless guidance that blends the full resources and legal acumen of McGuireWoods with the invaluable insights of domestic practitioners. The ability to communicate directly with clients, government officials and parties on all sides of a transaction is another important benefit of our services.

Our capital markets and finance lawyers represent investment banks, syndicated and asset-based lenders, brokers, sponsors and market entrants on private equity, securities matters, debt finance and credit facilities, and compliance with national and international government regulations and exchange rules. We have advised clients on investments in Latin America involving retail enterprises, manufacturing, hotels and family businesses and property development.

Nor is McGuireWoods’ Latin American experience geographically limited to Latin America. McGuireWoods regularly advises Latin American companies doing business outside of Latin America, particularly in the United States and the E.U. McGuireWoods has extensive experience assisting Latin American clients in internationally expanding their business operations and advising them in their investments and projects outside of Latin America. The firm also offers Latin American clients with a deep bench of litigation, arbitration, and labor and employment lawyers that frequently defend Latin American clients in international controversies and possess significant experience in successfully handling the technical jurisdictional and related cross-border issues that typically arise in those cases.