Rafael Roberti > White & Case LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

White & Case LLP has an established presence in US and global high-yield debt offerings, notably transactions originating from Latin America. The firm is also making an impression in sustainability-linked offerings. Traditionally underwriter-centric, the capital markets team has focused hard on successfully developing issuer and sponsor-side relationships, including private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Daniel Nam  and Jonathan Michels are experienced figures in high-yield and investment grade debt, and liability management transactions, including US and Latin America deals. Andrew Weisberg and Rafael Roberti are also key names in the team which is led by regional section head of the Americas capital markets section David Thatch . All are based in New York.

White & Case LLP achieved significant deal volumes in 2021, including a number of high-value and blockbuster transactions. Much of this is down to the firm’s focus on Brazil, primarily through its Sao Paulo and New York offices, where it has picked up a series of headline engagements. It has achieved additional prominence in Brazil’s vibrant fintech segment, including advising on the headline $2.6bn IPO by Nubank. With its office in Mexico City, the firm is also picking up quality mandates from a resurgent market, along with impressive deals in Chile and Colombia, and debt restructuring matters in Argentina. Global head of capital markets John Vetterli has a major focus on Latin America, particularly Brazil, having previously been resident in the Sao Paulo office. Donald Baker is a giant of the Brazil market, having founded the Sao Paulo office back in 1997, and has built a hugely impressive client base of Brazilian issuers. Sao Paulo’s John Guzman is an emerging talent with an impressive track-record in Brazil debt and equity offerings. Bibiana Jaimes is another impressive practitioner and Rafael Roberti, who was promoted to partner in 2021, is highly rated by clients. The team was further strengthened with the June-2021 hire of experienced counsel Marie Elena Angulo, from Jones Day, to the Miami office, where fellow counsel Karen Katri -who undertakes securities, bank financing and project financing- was raised to the partnership in October 2022. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.