DLA Piper launches in Puerto Rico

DLA Piper announced it has opened an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

This new development follows an expansion drive in the Americas which has seen the global firm establish a cooperation agreement with Martinez Neira Abogados in Colombia, as well as combinations with Gallastegui y Lozano in Mexico and Davis LLP in Canada. DLA Piper also has a presence in Brazil through a cooperation agreement with independent law firm Campos Mello Advogados.

In Puerto Rico, the new office will include partners Nikos Buxeda, Miriam de Lourdes Figueroa, José Alberto Sosa-Lloréns and Manuel López-Zambrana.

Nikos Buxeda will serve as the office’s managing partner. He joins from Puerto Rican law firm Adsuar Muñiz Goyco Seda & Pérez-Ochoa and has a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A., cum laude, from Harvard University. His experience includes corporate and securities law transactions, including M&A, private placements, project finance, public-private partnerships and spin-offs. Buxeda has also advised clients on the organization of Puerto Rican mutual funds and private equity funds, distribution contracts, debt issuances and loan financing.

Miriam de Lourdes Figueroa has experience advising clients on infrastructure projects, public finance, project finance, public-private partnerships and administrative law. Figueroa has also advised government and private clients on energy related matters. She received her J.D., summa cum laude, from Pontifical Catholic University in Puerto Rico, her LL.M. from Harvard Law School, and her B.A. from Macalester College. Prior to joining DLA Piper, Figueroa was counsel at Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez in San Juan.

José Alberto Sosa-Lloréns received his J.D. and B.B.A. (Finance) from the University of Puerto Rico and his LL.M. from Columbia Law School. He regularly advises clients on securities and banking regulatory matters, international banking, M&A of financial institutions, and corporate reorganizations. He joins the firm from Fiddler González & Rodríguez in San Juan.

Manuel “Nolin” López-Zambrana focuses on tax matters and joins from López Sánchez & Pirillo. He served as an advisor to the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury and to the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico. He received his B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico and his J.D. from the University of Puerto Rico Law School.