Mr Manuel Orillac > A&O Shearman > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

With an established record in both issuer and underwriter engagements, A&O Shearman‘s global offerings practice largely centres on Latin America and Canada. Its New York, Houston and Sao Paulo offices have deep connections to Latin America – particularly Brazil – though the firm has a fine record in most jurisdictions in the region. It also has a large number of Latin American natives within its attorney ranks. The firm also has a considerable history in Canada, having launched an office in Toronto in 1989. In more recent years, it has brought its specific expertise in green and ESG bonds, SPACs and other types of offerings to both regions. Jason Lehner, who leads the Toronto office, also works out of New York. New York partners Grissel Mercado and Manuel Orillac specialise in Latin America offerings, with Mercado becoming increasingly prominent in recent years.

After a tumultuous 2023 which saw the departures of partner Grissel Mercado and counsel Maria Larsen, and the subsequent hire of former Linklaters LLP counsel, Alejandro Gordano, as a partner, the capital markets practice at the newly combined A&O Shearman has emerged with a bench of considerable strength. A senior figure, of counsel Antonia Stolper handles primarily US capital markets and global ECM work, but has a long history and strong profile across the Latin America region. David Flechner has built a strong reputation in Brazil, Mexico and other Latin American jurisdictions, covering a range of equity and debt transactions, including a number of IPOs and follow-on offerings in Brazil. New York’s Manuel Orillac and Sao Paulo-based Roberta Cherman are also key figures in the Latin America capital markets group; while the aforementioned Gordano is particulary experienced in ESG-segment capital markets mandates. More broadly, the team is making an impression in sustainability-linked bonds and ESG-related offerings in general, along with project bonds, where the capital markets department often works alongside colleagues in the project finance group. Since publication, Sao Paulo-based counsel Jonathan Lewis has left the firm – effective as of February 2024.