Squire Patton Boggs partners José Feris and Rhina Martinez Brea and principal Paula Galhardo have been recognized by Latino Leaders magazine as 2021 Top Latino Lawyers. Senior associates Francisco J. Batlle and Miguel Cano were also named “Lawyers to Keep on the Watch.”
The list recognizes role models in the legal profession who have represented top clients and carry an impressive record of accomplishment, including involvement in the community. Latino Leaders has distinguished 20 Squire Patton Boggs attorneys since the inception of this recognition.
José Feris is a partner in the firm's International Dispute Resolution Practice Group specializing in international commercial arbitration, public international law and investment arbitration Before joining the firm, Mr. Feris served at the ICC International Court of Arbitration where, in addition to Deputy Secretary General, he occupied the positions of Acting Secretary General, Managing Counsel, Counsel and Deputy Counsel.
Paula Galhardo is principal in the firm's Corporate Practice Group and chair of the firm's Brazil Country Desk. She represents a diverse range of businesses — from owner-managed groups to multinationals operating in the chemicals, energy, industrial and manufacturing sectors— in inbound and outbound international transactional matters involving Latin America, including mergers and acquisitions, international contracts, anticorruption compliance and investigations. Currently, Ms. Galhardo serves as regional counsel for a public chemical company in Latin America, which includes operations in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia. She also advises clients in anticorruption compliance in Latin America.
Rhina Martinez Brea focuses her practice on corporate, lending and real estate matters. She advises and assists clients with the drafting and negotiation of a variety of contracts including joint venture, shareholders’, stock purchase, escrow, services, consulting, stock pledge and chattel mortgage agreements. She also provides legal advice to non-Dominican and Dominican corporate clients, including US and European banks, in the structuring, implementing and securing of international financial transactions.
Francisco J. Batlle is a senior associate in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Practice, focusing on international law and arbitration. He has significant experience in public international law matters. Mr. Batlle acts as counsel to sovereigns, state-owned companies and individuals in complex international legal proceedings involving a wide range of institutions, procedural rules and treaties. He regularly intervenes in investor-state arbitrations and cross-border disputes to address public international law elements.
Miguel Cano is a senior associate the firm’s Corporate Practice specializing in capital markets. As an experienced banking and capital markets attorney, Mr.Cano’s work involves advising financial institutions on monetary and financial regulation, as well as the legal structuring of complex and sophisticated financial transactions and instruments. Noteworthy, Mr. Cano participated in the drafting of law 163-21 for the enhancement of initial public offerings and distribution of variable income securities in the Dominican Republic capital market, and advised clients in public consultation procedures regarding the issuance of proposed regulations by the Dominican securities market regulator. Additionally, he has significant experience in private placements, project finance and other financing transactions. Mr. Cano has also contributed to the development of reports issued by the World Bank Group on matters such as fostering the business of agriculture, and digital business indicators and world development. Before joining the firm, he previously served as head of the legal, trust and compliance division for several broker/dealers.