Ms Catherine McCarthy > Clifford Chance > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Clifford Chance houses a fully-rounded Latin America banking and finance practice. It is particularly noted for energy and infrastructure finance, and holds excellent connections to multilateral agencies (MLAs), export credit agencies (ECAs) and development finance institutions (DFIs), primarily through its Washington DC office. IDB Invest, IFC and Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional are amongst its key clients. The firm also has key banking and finance practitioners in its New York, Sao Paulo and Madrid offices. Key markets for the team include Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Colombia. It has also made a considerable impression on smaller markets such as El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. Along with new money lending, the firm has an established record in major debt restructurings, especially in the aviation sector. Sustainability-linked financings are another forte, while it has made further inroads in acquisition finance, notably advising the lenders, issuing banks and hedge providers on the $1.2bn equivalent multi-tranche and dual-currency financing for Sociedad Transmisora Metropolitana’s acquisition of the entire stake in Enel Transmisión Chile. Fabricio Longhin has an outstanding reputation in the market, representing agencies, development banks and commercial lenders, amongst others, while partners Jessica Springsteen, Lori Bean and senior counsel Catherine McCarthy are also intensely focused on Latin America. New York partner Douglas Deutsch is noted for debt restructurings. Counsel Alberto Haito is another impressive practitioner. All named individuals are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise.

Clifford Chance has a large team of Latin America specialists, which has built close connections to multilateral agencies and development banks, commercial banks and sponsors. It remains noted for its energy and infrastructure work in Colombia, although it has extensive geographic coverage, including projects and energy transactions in the Dominican Republic, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador. The firm has a history of advising on large conventional project financings, and has built its presence in project and infrastructure bonds. It is also at the forefront of green bonds and sustainability-linked financings. Moreover, it has earned accolades for its work in infrastructure financings, including toll roads, metro lines, mass transportation systems and port projects. The practice group is also increasing prominent in renewables, including solar and wind. Fabricio Longhin is a major name in energy and infrastructure projects, advising a range of multilateral lenders, commercial banks, sponsors and investors; he is a recognised force in Colombia infrastructure and renewables projects, along with major projects and energy transactions elsewhere in Latin America. Lori Ann Bean is also noted for representing development finance institutions (DFIs), export credit agencies (ECAs) and commercial banks on Latin America energy and infrastructure projects. New York partner Hugo Triaca provides further expertise in bond-driven financings and hybrid securities transactions, including green bonds and ESG-linked offerings. Jessica Springsteen and senior counsel Catherine McCarthy are also key figures in the team, along with counsel Alberto Haito. The launch of a Houston office, which included the hire of upstream oil-and-gas specialist David Sweeney from Akin in June 2023, has deepened the firm’s Latin America energy credentials. All named individuals are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise.