Holland & Knight has significantly expanded and refined its Venezuela Strategic Advisory Team in response to the political and economic changes underway in the South American country.
As global powers react to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and the United States signals an extended role in guiding Venezuela through a transitional period, organizations with interests in the country and region are reassessing their investments and potential exposure to the Venezuelan market.
Holland & Knight, which possesses one of the legal industry’s strongest Latin America Practices and a full-service office in Colombia, has been on the forefront of advising clients about Venezuela-related matters for many years. The Firm has a longtime strategic alliance with Venezuelan law firm Tinoco Travieso Planchart & Nuñez, which has allowed it to jointly represent clients on Venezuela-related matters, including entry into the Venezuelan market; mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures; issues relating to exiting the country; and expropriation issues and related litigation and arbitration disputes.
Holland & Knight’s Venezuela Strategic Advisory Team, initially formed in 2019, includes policy advisors with substantive experience in newly relevant areas. The team includes more than 25 individuals who practice in the areas of international trade and sanctions, energy, government advocacy, corporate and M&A, banking, finance and restructurings, international disputes, compliance, private wealth, tax and real estate.
“We are experiencing a significant uptake of inquiries from clients and prospective clients from multiple industry sectors interested in Venezuela”, said George Mencio, Holland & Knight’s Chief International Officer. “The rapid pace of recent events has raised numerous questions about the implications for businesses and the potential for investments, especially in the energy, infrastructure, technology and consumer goods industries. We are fortunate to have a strong team of talented and connected individuals, several of whom have held positions at key U.S. governmental agencies, to help clients assess and plan their strategies”.
“Venezuela has quickly become one of the most attractive yet highly complex business opportunities in the world”, said Holland & Knight partner Ambassador Nathan Sales. “Many questions remain about the country’s future as it transitions to democracy, and businesses looking to enter the market will have to navigate a challenging environment of legal uncertainty, U.S. sanctions and geopolitical risk. Whether it’s managing uncertainty or planning for growth, our team can help businesses evaluate the risks and rewards with clarity and confidence”.
