The global law firm Jones Day has announced that it has opened an office in Miami, the Firm’s first office in Florida, 16th in the U.S., and 40th in the world. Pedro A. Jimenez, a Miami native and partner in Jones Day’s Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice, will serve as Partner-in-Charge. Enrique (Rick) Martin, who recently joined Jones Day as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice, will serve as the Office’s Administrative Partner in Miami.
The Firm’s expansion to Miami reflects its continuing commitment to the rapidly growing Latin America market. The Firm established offices in Mexico City in 2009 and São Paulo in 2011, but its clients’ needs in the remaining 18 countries in the region also can be met most effectively from Miami. The office will focus on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, lending, project finance, and restructuring in Latin America. It will, in addition, have a significant focus on dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration, issues and appeals, labor and employment, intellectual property, executive compensation, and health care.
“In years past, the Latin American practices of many major law firms, including Jones Day, were centered in New York City, primarily to access the debt and equity markets,” said Steve Brogan, Managing Partner of Jones Day. “Today, corporate and business leaders in Latin America have increasingly made Miami their point of contact in the U.S. Along with our substantial capabilities in Mexico and Brazil, a presence in Miami allows us to establish a deep bench of gifted lawyers who can effectively guide our clients seeking to do business in the region. An equally important reason for opening in Miami is to handle the growing litigation docket coming out of that state. Over the last half decade, Jones Day lawyers have tried more significant civil cases to verdict in Florida than any other leading law firm in the country. Our office in Miami will be staffed by lawyers who have the experience and ability to try cases throughout Florida.”
Mr. Jimenez joined Jones Day in 2006 and has been involved in some of the Firm’s most high-profile matters, including the Chrysler and Dana restructurings. He has also led some of the Firm’s largest and most successful cross-border restructurings, including those of Spansion Japan, Costamex, and PT Arpeni Pratama, the latter representing the first time a United States court extended comity to an Indonesian insolvency proceeding and earning the IFLR Asia Award for Restructuring Deal of the Year. Mr. Jimenez began his legal career in Miami, where he successfully represented numerous Latin American companies in their restructuring efforts, including Corporación Durango in the first cross-border restructuring following passage of Mexico’s new insolvency law. Mr. Jimenez earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Miami, and his B.B.A. from Florida International University.
“I am delighted to be returning home to Miami, and am excited about the opportunity Miami presents for us to represent our clients in a region that has become a major player in the global economy,” said Mr. Jimenez. “Miami has continued to evolve as one of the key business nerve centers for Latin America, so a presence in Miami is a natural extension of our commitment to the needs of our clients that began with our offices in Madrid, Brazil, and Mexico. In addition to expanding our Latin America capabilities, our Miami Office will give us the opportunity to meet the domestic and international legal needs of the numerous public company clients we serve in Florida, including Adecco, CSX, Ryder, NextEra, Harris and Darden.”
Mr. Martin has practiced in Miami for more than 20 years, providing corporate, securities, and cross-border advice to his clients. He represents domestic and international clients on mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, securities offerings, and private equity transactions. Mr. Martin has represented the BearingPoint Liquidating Trust in connection with the wind-down and disposition of BearingPoint’s assets and operations in Latin America, and also recently represented the purchaser of the Colombian assets and operations of Xerox Corporation. Mr. Martin was listed as a finalist for Top Dealmaker of the Year 2012 by Daily Business Review in the Corporate (Domestic) Category, and in 2007 was selected Top Dealmaker by the same publication in the International Corporate Category, for his work in the disposition of the Latin American operations of McDonald’s Corporation. In addition, Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA Guide, Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America Guide have recognized Mr. Martin in numerous editions primarily for his work in Latin America. Mr. Martin is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he is on the Board of Managers for the Penn Law Alumni Society and Co-Chair of the Penn Law Alumni Club of South Florida. He received his B.S., cum laude, from the Florida State University.
“This is a special opportunity to practice at a global firm with a uniquely collaborative ‘one firm’ culture that ensures that clients consistently receive the highest quality service from the most qualified lawyers,” said Mr. Martin.
“Adding Miami to our long-standing offices in Madrid and New York, and our more recent expansion in Brazil and Mexico, makes us among the first integrated global law firms with a regional approach to Latin America,” said Luis Riesgo, chairman of Jones Day’s Latin America practice and Partner-in-Charge of the Firm’s Brazil office. “In combination, these locations create a critical mass of legal capacity in key business centers of the Latin America region.”
“The Mexican market is maturing and internationalizing at a rapid very pace, and as it has, our Mexico City Office has continued to grow and expand its reach,” said Fernando de Ovando, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Mexico City Office. “Our office in Miami will be an ideal location to assist clients in outbound and inbound transactions and disputes, and efficiently serve clients in a wide range of matters throughout Latin America.”
