Miami-headquartered Diaz Reus International Law Firm (DRT) is a global legal practice focused on national and international parallel proceedings and business transactions in the following broad areas, with board certified lawyers in international litigation and arbitration, international law, and immigration and nationality law:
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance > Miami, United States > Firm Profile
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance Offices
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance
MIAMI TOWER AT INTERNATIONAL PLACE
100 S.E. SECOND STREET, SUITE 2600
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33131
FLORDIA
United States
MIAMI TOWER AT INTERNATIONAL PLACE
100 S.E. SECOND STREET, SUITE 2600
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33131
FLORDIA
United States
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 3
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance is deeply experienced at advising on a wide range of white-collar criminal matters such as bribery, corruption, money laundering, and fraud. Founding partners Michael Diaz and Robert Targ lead the team. Diaz has extensive experience as a trial lawyer, while Targ is recommended for matters relating to health care fraud and asset seizures. Based in Houston, Greg Ahlgren stands out for his cross-border capabilities; he routinely advises on regulatory compliance projects across multiple jurisdictions, including India and Europe. Other key members of the team include Javier Coronado and Marta Colomar-Garcia, who are both certified anti-money laundering specialists. Unless otherwise stated, all lawyers mentioned are located in Miami.Practice head(s):
Michael Diaz; Robert Targ
Other key lawyers:
Javier Coronado; Marta Colomar-Garcia; Richard Wiedis; Greg Ahlgren
Testimonials
‘They have people with knowledge of different languages and will go to any country to get all the answers. Also, there are a great number of staff working around the clock who keep the client informed every step of the way.’
‘Their team is fully dedicated.’
‘They have excellent on-ground expertise and a winning mentality.’
‘Mr. Michael Diaz was outstanding in the advice provided. He is a skilled and tremendously experienced lawyer with the ability to clearly guide his client in overlapping administrative and court proceedings.’
‘The knowledge and dedication of every professional in the team was great. They are a great team.’
‘Michael Díaz is the very best. He is honest, sincere, and totally devoted.’
‘Mr. Targ is very focused and a great listener. Martha Colomar is attentive and great at processing ideas.’
‘This team can’t compare to any other. They are definitely the one to recommend for any legal assistance.’
Work highlights
- Representing the former governor of Lebanon’s central bank with respect to his designation in the List of Specially Designated Nationals on a matter relating to unlawful self-enrichment schemes.
- Representing an individual for alleged money laundering and trafficking legal cannabis across California state lines worth approximately USD 350 million.
- Representing a Guatemalan businessman who was designated by the U.S. State Department under the Engel’s List for his alleged corruption with government port contracts in Guatemala.
Dispute resolution > International litigation Tier 3
The international litigation practice at Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance frequently handles proceedings running in parallel across multiple jurisdictions, specifically those involving parties in the US and Latin America. The team is renowned for its representation of high-net-worth individuals in commercial disputes, with IP and financial fraud related disputes both mainstays of the department. Based in Miami, Michael Diaz Jr. and Gary Davidson lead the practice, both with extensive experience in disputes arising out of Latin America. Also of note in the team are Brant Hadaway, Marta Colomar-Garcia, and Evan Stroman.Practice head(s):
Michael Diaz, Jr; Gary Davidson
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Eastern National Bank
Marmol / Van Perbogh
Efinanzas
Work highlights
- Representing a founder and his company, the American Anti-Piracy Alliance, in USD 65 million domestic litigation matters against one of the most prominent attorneys in the Middle East.
- Representing a Mexican National in a USD 30 million derivative suit against his former partner, a well-known businessperson, who owns various companies, including a television broadcasting station.
- Representing the board of directors of Eastern National Bank in two USD 20 million lawsuits brought by minority and majority shareholders.
Latin America: International firms > City focus - Miami Tier 1
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance is a giant of the Miami market, particularly in the fields of white-collar crime, anti-money laundering and investigations, international arbitration and other contentious commercial matters, especially partnership disputes. Clients widely praise the firm for its cultural understanding of Latin America, benefitting from the presence of various Latin America-born practitioners within its, a number of whom are dual-qualified in Latin American states and in the US, providing additional expertise in both common and civil law codes. Corporate real estate and tax work related to the region are both areas of growth. Venezuela has featured prominently for the firm over many years, but it has broadened its geographic reach to Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Mexico among other markets. The firm is also building its standing in tax disputes and international tax, often in connection with Latin American investments into South Florida; estate planning and pre-immigration tax planning for Latin American clients are also central parts of the Miami practice. Global managing partner Michael Diaz is hugely well connected and has an outstanding reputation in white-collar crime and investigations. Robert Targ is a prominent figure in fraud, asset seizure and money laundering cases; and Gary Davidson has an excellent reputation in cross-border commercial disputes and international arbitration. Marta Colomar-Garcia is another key figure in cross-border disputes involving Latin American businesses and senior executives. Colombian national Javier Coronado, who is licensed in New York, Miami and Colombia, is another emerging talent.Practice head(s):
Michael Diaz; Gary Davidson; Marta Colomar-Garcia
Testimonials
‘At Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance, I have found excellence displayed in many forms. Primarily through the service and commitment of their attorneys, but also through efficacy and execution, and legal support and knowledge which I had not found with other law firms and litigators. The capacities and knowledge that they have given to our cases, including a civil suit that we have been working on in Miami, FL, and another fraud case that has involved extensive and elaborate negotiation and back-and-forths, Diaz Reus has taken the proper steps and provided practical advice, always handled professionally and timely to recoup assets that were taken away from us. The judicial decisions and advice given for negotiations to recover assets taken fraudulently have made a significant difference thanks to their professional knowledge, experience, and commitment.’
‘All of the Diaz Reus attorneys I’ve had the opportunity to interact with have always displayed outstanding professionalism and knowledge. In particular, attorneys Marta Colomar-Garcia, Gary Davidson, and Michael Diaz, have always taken the time to thoroughly explain the legal process, available options, and potential outcomes. They have been diligent in their research and preparation and have genuinely demonstrated their care and commitment to solving the issues presented. I cannot speak highly enough of their professionalism and expertise.’
‘In Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance, we have found an extension of our counsel in Miami. Their knowledge, experience, attention to detail, and commitment to their clients make them an exceptional choice for anyone seeking legal representation.’
‘There are plenty of firms that claim being “multicultural” but the reality is that they have Americans who speak Spanish or have roots but makes Diaz Reus unique is that it is really diverse and international. They of course have multilingual practitioners, but also understand culture, fee approaches and the way of working with European and Ibero-American multinationals. I strongly recommend them.’
‘Michael Diaz is an unique lawyer. We recently hosted a client meeting on a sensitive sanctions matters and he is very capable and knowledgeable but, most importantly, provides reassurance and full control of matter. We also enjoy working with Javier Coronado, Gary Davidson and Marta Colomar-Garcia. A truly first class team!’
Key clients
Silmar Robert Bertin
Alejandro Andrade
Eastern National Bank
Victor Herrera
Arturo Samanyoa
Liga de Béisbol de Venezuela
Felipe Alejos
Raine Chacko
Virginia Mcgowan
Samuel Tcherassi
Erik Gautier
Alibaba
Work highlights
- Represented Alejandro Andrade, the former Treasurer of Venezuela who was recently released from a 10-year prison sentence, in defence of the US government’s continued efforts to secure and forfeit assets and monies from third parties as part of the largest FCPA case in South Florida history.
- Represented the board of directors of Eastern National Bank in two $20m lawsuits brought by minority and majority shareholders, involving two parallel proceedings in Venezuela and Curaçao relating to the control of an entity that holds 99% of the bank’s shares.
- Representing the respondent in a foreign arbitral award recognition and enforcement action in the Southern District of New York, opposing an action which seeks to enforce an arbitration award of $40m issued by an arbitration panel in Brazil.
Latin America: International firms > Compliance and investigations Tier 3
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance is based in Miami and has strong ties to Latin America and an established record in white-collar crime and investigations. It has a history of securing government declinations of criminal prosecutions and pre-indictment resolutions strategies in criminal investigations. The firm is widely recognised for its representation of senior executives and government officials in investigations by US law enforcement agencies; it recently acted for Alejandro Andrade, the former Treasurer of Venezuela who is serving a 10-year prison sentence, in the defence of the US government’s efforts to secure and forfeit assets and monies from third parties as part of the largest FCPA case in South Florida history. The firm also has an increasing profile in sanctions violations cases. Michael Diaz has an outstanding record in major cases involving senior executives and government officials. Robert Targ is another senior practitioner with a fine reputation in representing Latin American corporates and individuals. Marta Colomar-Garcia is a key figure in anti-money laundering cases, while Javier Coronado, Juan Vargas and Houston/Mexico-based Greg Ahlgren are also prominent practitioners in the white-collar crime area. Of counsel Jorge Schmidt, a native Spanish speaker and Latin America white-collar crime specialist, joined the firm in May 2023. All named individuals are based in Miami unless stated otherwise.Practice head(s):
Michael Diaz; Robert Targ
Key clients
Alejandro Andrade
Arturo Samayoa
Felipe Alejos
Liga de Beisbol de Venezuela
Suppliex and its principal, Doenitz Walter Roman
Jesús Alebero Riera
Work highlights
- Acted for Alejandro Andrade, the former Treasurer of Venezuela who is serving a 10-year prison sentence, in the defence of the US government’s efforts to secure and forfeit assets and monies from third parties as part of the largest FCPA case in South Florida history.
- Acted for Liga de Béisbol de Venezuela regarding a grand jury subpoena for records and documents relating to million-dollar monies paid to it by Alex Saab, the alleged strawman for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
- Represented Felipe Alejos, a Guatemalan congressman sanctioned by OFAC under the Global Magnitsky Act, in conducting legal efforts for OFAC to reconsider the designation of Alejos on the List of Specially Designated Nationals.
Latin America: International firms > International arbitration Tier 5
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance is headquartered in Miami and has a major focus on Latin America. The full-service law firm has a big reputation in contentious matters, primarily litigation and white-collar crime, but is also a recognised player in international arbitration, particularly the enforcement of arbitration awards. The firm has a lengthy track record representing clients in cross-border disputes involving Venezuela, although it also enjoys extensive geographic coverage of the Latin America region. Global managing partner Michael Diaz; senior dispute resolution specialist Gary Davidson who is qualified in Arizona, Florida and the District of Columbia (and who has a significant focus on Venezuela); and Marta Colomar-Garcia (who is qualified in Florida, New York, DC and Spain), are the key figures. With considerable arbitral experience, Brant Hadaway - formerly a partner at the firm for 12 years - returned as of counsel in November 2022.Practice head(s):
Michael Diaz; Gary Davidson
Testimonials
‘The Diaz Reus international arbitration team’s main differentiator is that is truly international, hosting qualified lawyers from all over Latin America, Spain, etc, and at the same time understanding very well the pitfalls of international arbitration with seats in the USA.’
‘The approach to fees including contingencies and ABAs (alternative billing arrangements) is quite innovative. Marta Colomar, Gary Davidson and -not least- Michael Diaz and Javier Coronado are extremely responsive and proactive and it is a pleasure work with them.’
Key clients
Alibaba
American Veteran Enterprise Team
Silmar Roberto Bertin
Work highlights
- Assisted Silmar Roberto Bertin oppose the action which seeks to enforce an arbitration award, issued by an arbitration panel in Brazil, of $40m in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented Alibaba in all its US litigation involving IP violations, including in arbitration-related matters.
Diaz Reus International Law Firm & Alliance > Firm Profile
- Fraud, civil litigation and arbitration
- White-collar crime, regulatory, criminal investigations and defense in matters of corruption, bribery, money laundering, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, OFAC, Magnitsky Act, CAATSA, Specially Designated Nationals, the Bank Secrecy Act and other US law violations
- Asset investigations, identification, location, tracing, and recovery
- Politically sensitive investigations and the recovery of US immigration status and visas
- Corporate / M&A
- Real Estate
- Sports and entertainment law
- Immigration, tax and estate, family law
- Sovereign trade, commerce, banking, real estate, intellectual property, capital markets, and finance
- Corporate/financial institutions, governance and compliance
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency
Diaz Reus serves US-based and global clients, including multinational corporations, import and export companies, manufacturers, technology companies, government entities, heads of states, political parties, public officials, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, family offices, high net worth individuals, and athletes and entertainers. Diaz Reus is an entrepreneurial, enterprising, emerging-markets law firm providing traditional legal services across all industries while focusing on promising new business opportunities for its clients. The firm is dedicated to growing and protecting its clients’ assets and securing their long-term stability. From 36 offices located throughout Latin America, North America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, our multicultural lawyers operate seamlessly, giving clients access to boots-on-the-ground, global legal counsel.
Main areas of practice
High-stakes litigation and arbitration: Transnational litigation, arbitration, and appellate matters including commercial disputes, sensitive investigations, financial fraud, asset seizure and forfeiture, white collar criminal, asset recoveries, international law, intellectual property rights, and recovery of visas.
Transactional: Complex contract negotiations, finance, real estate, IP licensing, joint ventures, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, customs, trade, and franchising.
Regulatory: Anti-money laundering compliance, BSA, corporate governance, regulatory investigations, FCPA, customs, and criminal and civil RICO cases. Representing banks, corporations, traditional and non-traditional financial institutions, sovereigns, political parties, government entities and officials, and private individuals.
Private client: Domestic and international tax, athlete, and entertainer representation. Immigration, trust and estate, and family law matters.
Representative litigation and arbitration matters
- Represent holdout group of bondholders in $700m Argentinean government default
- Represent US citizen/Venezuelan national in defense of a federal criminal investigation in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) involving allegations of unlicensed money transmitting and money laundering
- Represent group of US auto dealerships in breach of agreements in importation and sale against Indian truck manufacturer. Claims include fraud, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, unjust enrichment, civil conspiracy, and violations of the federal automobile dealers Act and state ‘dealer day in court’ laws
- Represent head of political party in lawsuit for defamation against The Wall Street Journal
- Represent Latin American, Chinese, and Middle Eastern nationals in recovery of US Visas, following investigations for human rights violations and corruption
- Represent Venezuelan government agency in lawsuit alleging expropriated property in excess of $1bn, violating the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act
- Arbitration of dispute in Panama between US company and Brazilian general contractor engaged in construction of airport
- Represent parties allegedly defrauded of equal shares in joint venture to sell power-generating turbines to Venezuelan electricity sector. Includes allegations of fraudulent transfer, an out of state trust, an affiliated company in Panama, and US law enforcement investigations
- Represented Mexican oil giant, PEMEX, in multimillion-dollar action under federal RICO, involving complex extraterritoriality issues
- Represented US-multinational corporation victimized by fraudulent acts during government bid process in Peru
- Represented Central American commodities enterprise in dispute with US-based supplier regarding cross-border shipment of goods under CAFTA-DR
- Arbitrated commercial dispute in purchase and sale contract transferring airplanes from Central to South American airlines, ultimately sold to a third-party airline in Dubai
- Represented iron/ore producer in defense of arbitration dispute for maritime vessel and iron/ore contracts in London, Zurich, Miami, and New York
- Represent prominent, wealthy Honduran family and their business empire against money laundering charges and OFAC designations in federal court in New York City
Global managing partner: Michael Diaz, Jr
Offices
USA: Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York;Washington, D.C.;
Canada: Toronto
Latin America: Aruba; Bogota; Bonaire; Buenos Aires; Caracas; Curaçao; Lima; Mexico City; Monterrey; Panama; San Pedro Sula; Santiago; Santo Domingo; Sao Paulo
Europe: Frankfurt; Madrid; Moscow; Prague
Middle East/Asia: Abu Dhabi; Aleppo City; Baghdad; Beirut; Dubai; Lahore; Riyadh; Shanghai
Africa: Johannesburg; Lagos
Languages: Arabic, Catalan, Czech, English, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Shanghainese, Spanish.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFAC Sanctions, Corporate investigations and white collar criminal | Michael Diaz, Jr. | mdiaz@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| OFAC Sanctions, Corporate investigations and white collar criminal | Robert I. Targ | rtarg@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| International litigation and arbitration | Marta Colomar-Garcia | mcolomar@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| International litigation and arbitration | Gary E. Davidson | gdavidson@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| OFAC Sanctions, Corporate investigations and white collar criminal | Javier Coronado | jcoronado@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Corporate | Evan Stroman | estroman@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| White Collar criminal defense | Richard Wiedis | rwiedis@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Immigration | Michael A. Harris | mharris@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Real estate | George Diaz | gdiaz@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Corporate, White-Collar Criminal Defense | Marcela Blanco | mblanco@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Litigation, Entertainment | Kenneth A. Linzer | klinzer@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Tax planning and estates | Julio Barbosa | jbarbosa@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Tax planning and estates | Steve Horowitz | shorowitz@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| White collar criminal defense | Juan Vargas | jvargas@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
| Civil & Criminal Litigation | Greg Ahlgren | gahlgren@diazreus.com | +1 877.247.9277 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Greg Ahlgren | Partner | View Profile |
|
Mr Ibrahim M. Amir | Associate Attorney | View Profile |
|
Ms Marta Colomar-Garcia | Administrative Managing Partner | View Profile |
|
Mr Javier Coronado Diaz | Partner | View Profile |
|
Gary Davidson | Partner | View Profile |
|
George Diaz | Partner | View Profile |
|
Michael Diaz, Jr. | Global Managing Partner | View Profile |
|
Mr Evan Stroman | Of Counsel | View Profile |
|
Mr Robert Targ | Founding Partner | View Profile |
|
Juan Vargas | Of Counsel | View Profile |
|
Richard Wiedis | Partner | View Profile |
Legal Briefings
-
US anti-corruption developments – 2019 in review
Throughout 2019, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continued to actively investigate and prosecute individuals and corporations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for suspected involvement with political corruption and/or bribery around the world. The US implemented further aggressive measures to fight corruption, including economic sanctions administered …