Brazilian disputes boutique Marchini Botelho Caselta Advogados has hired a former chief compliance officer and litigation head of drinks giant Anheuser-Busch InBev to lead its arbitration and compliance groups.
Law firm participation on behalf of corporates in the discussions that led to the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement is evidence of the unique perspective lawyers bring to the table in interactions between companies and governments. More broadly, law firms advising corporates on government relations can help them promote important policy changes, effectively managing regulatory risk. But there are still obstacles in the way of Latin American law firms making a name for themselves in government advocacy in the same way their US counterparts have.
Three Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP offices and Ritch, Mueller, Heather y Nicolau, SC in Mexico City are advising Deutsche Bank on the sale of its trust business in Mexico, which comes after a year of “continual pressure” from the country’s financial regulator to complete the deal.
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A recent Latin Lawyer survey of more than 100 Latin American law firms indicates a significant proportion – one in five – have opted not to reopen their offices after closing earlier this year in response to the covid-19 pandemic. Those that have reopened are operating at much-reduced capacity, with safety precautions in place. Our survey highlights changing attitudes towards office life and the chief concerns partners have about remote working.
Jaime Carey’s ability to break new ground and cultivate long-lasting tradition in equal measure is what makes him stand out from the crowd. We interview a man who knows the value of applying a business savvy approach to law firm management, while never losing sight of what he believes truly matters.
The average hourly rate charged by Latin American law firms is falling. Data suggests this was the case even before the onset of the economic crisis induced by covid-19, particularly for associate rates. As firms consider creative means to serve challenged clients, prices are likely to reduce even further.
Doing more with less is a tough challenge. LACCA’s latest legal spend survey found most in-house teams have reduced their legal budget in the last year, a period when workloads have increased and the complexity of legal issues facing companies has deepened as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. Balancing less budget with more responsibilities has led GCs across the region to find windows of opportunity in unlikely places.
