Ms Gabriela Sakamoto > Mayer Brown > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Mayer Brown’s status as a global leader in banking and finance, combined with its longstanding commitment to Latin America, forms the basis for a flourishing practice in the region. The firm advises a vast array of big-name lenders, including Latin American and international institutions, with engagements ranging from bulge-bracket project finance to sustainability-linked loans and pioneering structured finance transactions. It continues to be at the forefront of future flow financings, warehouse financing, and supply chain and trade finance, and has also worked on the vast majority of diversified payment rights financings in Latin America. The firm has a presence in Brazil through its association with Tauil & Chequer Advogados and a growing office in Mexico City, coupled with Latin America-focused practitioners in New York, Chicago, Washington DC and other US offices. Chicago partner Douglas Doetsch is head of the Latin America group and a market leader in infrastructure finance and cross-border securitisations, including future cash flow securitisations. Buenos Aires-born Gabriela Sakamoto is another experienced name in project finance, structured finance and acquisition finance, and Chicago partner Juan Pablo Moreno is another key figure on cross-border financings in Latin America, including major project financings and sustainability-linked loans. David Duffee has retired.

Mayer Brown has a genuinely wide-ranging Latin America capital markets practice. It has a longstanding presence in energy and infrastructure bonds, high-yield and investment-grade bonds, private placements, liability management, and securitisation and structured financings. Additionally, the firm is building its standing in IPOs and equity offerings, especially in Brazil through its partner firm Tauil & Chequer Advogados. It has continued to advise on a series of infrastructure financings, often through private placements, and remains at the forefront of diversified payments rights programmes. It also has a growing office in Mexico City. Chicago partner Douglas Doetsch leads the Latin America group and has an outstanding record in infrastructure bond financings and future cash flow securitisations, including diversified payments rights programmes. Chicago’s Juan Pablo Moreno is licensed to practice in Colombia, New York and Illinois, and is also noted for diversified payments rights programmes, debt offerings and other structured finance transactions. Washington DC partner Gabriela Sakamoto is rated for private placement financings for infrastructure projects and securitisations. New York’s David Bakst  is another key member of the team.

Mayer Brown has an outstanding record in project finance with its excellent connections to key commercial lenders and multilateral agencies. Operating across the energy, oil and gas, and infrastructure spaces, the firm is also noted for its experience in M&A transactions, including the acquisition finance aspects of these deals. The firm also has strong links to project sponsors, special purpose vehicles, contractors, operators and governments. It has a fine reputation in project bond transactions, hybrid financings and PPP structures. The US-based team works closely with colleagues in Mexico City and Brazil, including oil and gas, LNG, and gas-fired and renewable power projects. Washington DC and New York-based Christopher Erckert leads the firm’s project bonds practice and Latin America projects practice; he continues to be active in major infrastructure, renewable energy and electricity transmission project financings. Chicago partner Douglas Doetsch is head of the Latin America and Caribbean practice, and is an experienced figure in transportation infrastructure financings and re-financings. Washington DC’s Gabriela Sakamoto and Chicago partner Juan Pablo Moreno are also key names, along with Gabriel Salinas, who joined the Houston office as a partner in April 2023 from Shearman & Sterling LLP.