Mr Bruno Soares Ferreira > DLA Piper ABBC > Lisbon, Portugal > Lawyer Profile

DLA Piper LLP (US) has significantly expanded its US-based Latin America corporate and M&A capabilities in the past few years with top-drawer senior names in New York now operating alongside leading practitioners in Miami. The firm also has an extensive network of offices across the region itself. The enlarged team has further extended its connections to large global corporates and private equity funds, while retaining its leadership in mid-market deals. The Latin America team has become more prominent on inbound and outbound Brazil transactions due to senior New York-based Brazilian partners Marcello Hallake and Bruno Soares (a new recruit who joined from A&O Shearman in February 2024); Hallake is an ‘amazing lawyer‘ and a ‘highly qualified lawyer for international deals‘ who is also noted for representing large French corporates in their Latin America acquisitions and investments. Another Brazilian, Amadeu Ribeiro brings additional antitrust expertise to the team in New York. A further New York-based partner Michael McGuinness is a hugely experienced Latin America M&A specialist with an active recent record in Mexico deals. Colombia is another key jurisdiction for the wider team. Miami-based Francisco Cerezo is chair of both the US-Latin America practice and the Latin America corporate and finance team; a ‘pro-deal practice leader‘, he continues to lead a multitude of headline transactions in the region. Dividing his time between San Diego and New York, Raul Farias is another key partner, particularly in relation to energy deals in Mexico. In Puerto Rico, Nikos Buxeda is highly rated for his expertise in cross-border deals. Miami associate Joseline Rodríguez also impresses.