MEXICO CITY – Aug. 20, 2015 – Greenberg Traurig, LLP is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Mexico City office with the addition of three new shareholders: real estate lawyers Fernando Orrantia and Antonio A. Robles and labor & employment and mergers & acquisitions attorney José Carlos M. de Uriarte.
“We are focused on increasing the breadth and depth of our resources in Mexico City by expanding our existing core group of lawyers, and we are pleased to have secured three very talented attorneys to further that goal,” said José Raz Guzmán, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's Mexico City office.
Orrantia and Robles were previously with Orrantia y Robles S.C., a law firm they both founded. They have particular experience advising clients in a variety of business sectors such as real estate, financial services, petrochemicals, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, ports, energy, and aerospace. Orrantia’s practice concentrates in the areas of real estate, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and commercial arbitration matters. He has also advised on regulatory matters for investment funds. Robles focuses on real estate, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and general finance matters, as well as project financing.
Orrantia earned a law degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho and a J.D. from The University of Minnesota Law School. Robles holds a law degree from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and completed postgraduate studies at Université Nice Sophia Antipolis.
“Greenberg Traurig offers an outstanding platform for Antonio and I to continue to grow our practices as we enter this next phase of our careers,” Orrantia said. “We look forward to collaborating with the talented lawyers at Greenberg Traurig and contributing to the growth and development of the firm’s Mexico City office.”
De Uriarte has more than two decades of experience handling a variety of labor and employment matters, including individual and collective labor issues, employee benefits, and executive compensation for top-tier executives, design strategies for outsourcing regimes, design of stock option plans, and retirement pension plans. He brings extensive experience in commercial and corporate law, complex international joint venture operations, cross-border transactions and loans, start-up operations, acquisition of real estate for industrial purposes, and industrial infrastructure development. De Uriarte has represented international clients in negotiations with federal and local governments to obtain a wide variety of operational and investment authorizations. He regularly participates in business mergers and divestitures of transnational companies, often involving antitrust counseling and lobbying. He also is active in counseling local and international entities in gaming activities in Mexico, both for administrative lobbying and commercial contract negotiations.
De Uriarte received a law degree from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, an LL.M. degree from Duke University, a postgraduate degree in tax law from Universidad Panamericana, and a postgraduate degree in foreign trade from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.
“I was impressed by Greenberg Traurig's growth trajectory and the firm’s vibrant culture,” de Uriarte said. “The firm has a solid network of offices worldwide and a stellar reputation for the types of complex and challenging transactions that are most interesting to me. I am excited to join the Greenberg Traurig team and leverage the global platform to continue expanding my practice.”
“José Carlos joining the firm reflects our continued commitment to building our leading labor and employment practice,” said Shareholder Jordan W. Cowman. “I look forward to working with him on employment law issues for our clients.”
“The arrival of talented, experienced lawyers, complement our existing teams in Mexico City and across the Latin American and Iberian Practice, allowing us to continue to take on complex matters, while maintaining the highest standard of client service,” said Yosbel Ibarra, shareholder and co-chair of Greenberg Traurig's Latin American and Iberian Practice.