Robert O'Leary > Shearman & Sterling LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Shearman & Sterling LLP has a long history in Latin America energy and infrastructure projects. It continues to be especially active in Chile, where it has worked on a series of major projects (including desalination plants, electric generation, power and renewables projects); more generally, it works extensively throughout the Latin America region – including Central America, Dominican Republic and Argentina. Its wider practice ranges from power and renewables to mining and natural resources, oil and gas, and transport infrastructure projects. The Latin America team has an impressive mix of sponsor/borrower, investor and lender clients, including commercial banks, DFIs and MLAs. Cynthia Urda Kassis is the global leader of the firm’s project development and finance practice, with much of her focus on the Americas in their entirety; she is a recognised authority in the mining and metals sector, along with energy and infrastructure. Dual-qualified (Peru/New York) Augusto Ruiloba was elected to the partnership in June 2022 and has worked on headline deals in Chile, Panama and across the region. Robert O’Leary was promoted to counsel the same month; a fluent Spanish speaker, he is heavily focused on Latin America. Alexandro Padrés  and Gregory Tan left the firm in mid 2022. Since the conclusion of research, the firm has announced its merger with Allen & Overy LLP to form A&O Shearman; the realisation of this combination remains in process and it is not yet possible to gauge its full impact.