Category :Special focus: Latin America

It is anticipated ‘one or two’ global firms will take the step of opening offices in Central America, with data protection and technology driving demand for legal services

International clients demand innovative approaches to legal services and this will mean more international law firms forming alliances with Central American firms or opening offices in the region

Corruption scandals in the Pacific Alliance could deter investors, it is argued, but there is still optimism regarding the region’s economic prospects despite uncertainty surrounding NAFTA

Energy and telecommunications sector reforms mean international investors are continuing to target Mexico despite the country’s political instability, says Manuel Romano, partner in charge of Jones Day’s Mexico City office.

Peru and Colombia require improvements to infrastructure, and this is generating opportunities for Spanish companies as well as their legal advisers

Chile, Mexico and Colombia are attracting substantial foreign investment, particularly in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors, says João Caiado Guerreiro, managing partner at Portuguese law firm Caiado Guerreiro.

More global law firms are expected to set up shop in Central America with some of the best growth opportunities for law firms and investors alike to be found in Costa Rica, which is forging

The renewable energy and infrastructure sectors are driving growth across Latin America, according to Uría Menéndez partner Eduardo Rodríguez-Rovira.

The country’s real estate and tourism sectors are also creating opportunities for lawyers, though there could be an economic slowdown ahead of the 2018 presidential elections