Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is a major force in Latin America M&A and private equity transactions. Its core team of Latin America specialists have an intense focus on corporate and private equity deals with extensive experience of transactions across the region, including key jurisdictions such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile. With its Latin America team located in New York and Sao Paulo, it has successfully leveraged the firm’s global reputation in the private equity space; the Latin America team now represents many of the biggest asset managers in the world, along with Latin America-focused funds. The group has advised KKR on a series of major transactions and strategic programmes, including the expansion of open access fibre optic investments in Latin America and its acquisition of approximately 1,100 wireless communications towers in Colombia from Tigo Colombia, a subsidiary of Millicom; this is an example of its successful targeting of the digital infrastructure industry, along with real estate, financial services, tech and retail. Todd Crider heads the Latin America group, splitting his time between New York and Sao Paulo, and remains a market leader in strategy M&A and private equity deals. Grenfel Calheiros heads the Sao Paulo office and is pivotal to the firm’s M&A work in Brazil. Juan Francisco Méndez is another senior member of the group with additional experience in M&A and private equity, while Juan Naveira has also made a big impact in private equity deals. Borja Marcos and Gabriel Silva are making a further impression, with Silva making a valuable contribution to the firm’s standing in digital infrastructure. Sao Paulo counsel Luiz Noronha provides further senior support. All named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The STB team can advise us on a variety of issues, from routine matters involving this complex corporate structure to more complex investment transactions. The team is always available to help us and the response time is always very short, often immediate. The team is highly qualified.'

  • ‘Gabriel Silva and Gabriela Astolphi are always available to help us with a wide range of topics. They are highly qualified professionals. In this way, the advice they provide is able to balance legal and commercial aspects.'

Key clients

  • Advent International Corporation
  • Andean Telecom Partners
  • Blackstone
  • BTG Pactual
  • Compass
  • COPEC
  • DigitalBridge
  • Genesee & Wyoming
  • Gerdau
  • Grupo Axo
  • Ingeniería Estrella
  • JP Morgan Securities

Work highlights

Representation of Mercantil Colpatria in the sale of its remaining stake in Scotiabank Colpatria, Fiduciaria Scotiabank Colpatria and Scotiabank Securities (Colombia) to The Bank of Nova Scotia.
Representation of El Puerto de Liverpool on its acquisition (together with certain members of the Nordstrom family), of all the shares of Nordstrom, Inc. not already owned by the buying group in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $6.25bn on an enterprise basis.
Represented DigitalBridge Group (and its portfolio company Scala Data Centers) in connection with a $500m structured financing round for Scala Data Centers, including $250m from Coatue Tactical Solutions and $250m from the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario - IMCO.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Todd Crider

Next Generation Partners

Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Borja Marcos
Juan Naveira

Practice head

Todd Crider; Grenfel Calheiros; Juan Francisco Méndez; Juan Naveira; Borja Marcos; Gabriel Silva; Paulo Fernando de Menezes Cardoso