Holland & Knight adds Luis Rubio from Jones Day in Mexico

Holland & Knight announced that Luis Rubio Barnetche and a team of four have joined the firm from Jones Day. 

Rubio was a member of the team that negotiated NAFTA on behalf of the Mexican government, and has also pioneered the practice of dispute resolution in the country under Chapter XIX of NAFTA. His experience includes representing Mexican and international corporations, trade associations and the national government on complex corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, international contracts and international trade proceedings.

He was a partner at legacy law firm Rubio Villegas & Asociados (now EC Legal Rubio Villegas) for over 30 years and left in 2012 to launch the Mexican office of Greenberg Traurig. In 2015 he became a partner at Jones Day. 

At his new firm, Rubio will be the executive partner of the Mexico City office. Joining him from Jones Day are partner Octavio Lecona as well as senior counsel Selene Espinosa, Blanca Luévano and Jaime Rodriguez. 

“Our group brings experience in new areas to the office that complements the services currently offered by the firm both in Mexico and in Latin America,” said Luis Rubio in the announcement. “We are particularly excited about joining Holland & Knight with its excellent reputation throughout Latin America. We look forward to teaming with lawyers across the firm to increase its prominence in the region.”

“We are very pleased to have Luis and his team join us. Luis and Octavio will add much strength to the regulatory, corporate, labor and arbitration practices in our Mexico City office,” sstated Roberto Pupo, who leads the Latin America practice group a Holland & Knight. “The firm has a significant commitment to Mexico, and to Latin America overall, and we look forward to further expanding our relationships with Mexican companies with their help.”

Holland & Knight launched the office in Mexico in 2013 and it now boasts 25 attorneys with the new arrivals. The firm has an additional outpost in Bogota and its Miami hub serves as a launchpad for a 120-strong Latin America practice.