Holland & Knight, one of the largest law firms in the United States, announced today that it will open a new office in Mexico City. The decision to open its own office in Mexico City represents a new direction for the firm in Mexico. The firm previously operated in Mexico through a joint venture established in 1998.
The new office, which continues the firm’s expansion in Latin America, will be led by Boris Otto, the former managing partner of Chadbourne & Parke’s Mexico City office. In addition to Mr. Otto, Alejandro Landa Thierry and José Antonio Prado, formerly partners with Chadbourne & Parke, will join Holland & Knight as partners. The addition of the three partners, along with two counsel, Miriam Grunstein and Leslie Palma, and a group of five associates, further expands the firm’s capabilities in its Latin American practices. The Mexico City office will focus its practices on corporate finance, energy, project finance, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, securitizations, and private equity.
“We see enormous potential in Mexico for the firm and its clients. Mexico is a dynamic market and many of our clients have operations or interests there,” said Steven Sonberg, managing partner of Holland & Knight. “The Mexico City office will expand our cross-border capabilities and enhance our existing corporate and commercial finance and energy practices.”
“Latin America is a strong geographical area of focus for our firm,” said Roberto Pupo, chair of Holland & Knight’s Latin America Practice Group. “Our new team will provide a variety of highly sophisticated legal services to clients doing business regionally and globally, and complement our existing Latin America Practice Group, consisting of more than 80 bilingual and bicultural attorneys.” Holland & Knight has one of the largest and most diverse Latin American practices among U.S. law firms.
Mr. Otto, executive partner of the new Mexico City office, commented, “We are very excited to open Holland & Knight’s new office in Mexico. We are confident that the combination of our group’s talent with the excellent management and infrastructure of Holland & Knight will give us the ability to quickly become a top law firm in the Mexican legal market.”
“We expect to hire additional partners in key practice areas as we expand our client services in Mexico,” added Otto. “The firm’s outstanding reputation and its strong platform offer unique opportunities to lateral partner candidates and the clients they serve.”
