Carlos Viana > White & Case LLP > Miami, United States > Lawyer Profile

White & Case LLP is an indisputable leader in Latin America banking and finance. It leads the market in project finance, has a major presence in aviation finance and is active in acquisition finance in the energy and infrastructure fields. It is also at the forefront of debt restructurings and debtor-in-possession (DIP) financings in the region and is further noted for loans to financial institutions in Latin American jurisdictions. Green and sustainability-linked loans are another forte; it represented Petrobras on its debut $1.25bn sustainability-linked loan. The large banking and finance group operates from multiple offices, including Miami, New York, Washington DC, São Paulo and Mexico City. Carlos Viana  is head of the Latin America group and an eminent figure in project finance – although he is active in a range of financings, including syndicated loans. São Paulo executive partner John Anderson is a prominent name in Brazil, especially in the energy sector. New York’s Sabrena Silver has wide-ranging experience in Latin America financings; and Anna Andreeva has made an impression in asset finance, corporate loans and project finance. New York partner Bibiana Jaimes is well regarded for capital markets’ and debt financings. Named individuals are based in Miami unless stated otherwise.

White & Case LLP stands out not only for its commitment to Latin America (spanning multiple offices), but also its breadth of clients across the sponsor, DFI, commercial bank and fund segments. Unusually, the core of the team is based in Miami, where Carlos Viana leads the Latin America group. Also in Miami, bilingual partner Sean Goldstein is pivotal to the firm’s relationship with IDB Invest, leading multiple deals across the region. The team has a longstanding presence in energy projects and is building its standing in infrastructure projects. It advised BNDES and the commercial banks on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the São Paulo Metro system’s Line 6-Orange. It continues to advise on a raft of projects in Chile, while Colombia and Brazil have also become key markets. Smaller jurisdictions such as Paraguay and Ecuador also feature strongly for the team. New York partner Thomas Pate and Washington DC’s Martin Menski have had key roles in developing the firm’s infrastructure practice, while remaining active in energy. John Anderson is a major figure in São Paulo; and New York associate, Raffaele Turco, demonstrates ‘impressive understanding’ and is highly rated by clients. Former partner Jeannine Acevedo  moved in house at Atlas Renewable Energy in February 2023, while former practice co-head Christopher Richardson left the team in March 2024.

White & Case LLP’s Miami office houses one of the most complete Latin America practices. From white-collar crime and investigations to international arbitration, banking and finance, and projects and energy, it has a huge and highly developed team with a major focus on the Latin America region. On the projects front, the team in Miami includes head of Latin America Carlos Viana, a leader in project finance, along with IDB Invest relationship partner Sean Goldstein, and up-and-coming yunger partner Anna Andreeva. The group have a fine background in energy projects and have carved-out a growing portion of infrastructure financings over recent years, with mandates including a series of project financings in Chile, along with metro projects in Brazil. Solar projects and 4G road refinancings have also featured in the team’s caseload. Another key member of the team, Christian Hansen has particular expertise and an extensive record in the aviation finance segment in Latin America. More broadly, the Miami team is also recognised for acquisition finance, sustainability-linked financings and debt restructurings. It has a flourishing white-collar crime and investigations practice led by Michael Garcia and Maria Beguiristain, which has a major presence in FCPA violations, internal investigations and M&A due diligence; the team is increasingly active in relation to gaming, crypto and online platforms. In international arbitration, a group which includes Silvia Marchili (who divides her time between Houston and Miami), has a strong presence in commercial, construction and investor-state arbitration; the Miami team forms part of the firm’s broader, market-leading Latin America arbitration practice, which has an outstanding record in energy and LNG-related arbitrations. Arbitration specialist Estefanía San Juan was elected to the partnership in January 2023.