© 2014 The Texas Lawbook.
By Brooks Igo
Staff Writer for The Texas Lawbook
Norton Rose Fulbright is opening its 55th office in Rio de Janeiro, the firm announced last week. The Brazil office becomes the firm’s third in Latin America; the other two are in Caracas, Venezuela and Bogotá, Colombia.
Glenn Faass, the head of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Bogotá office, will lead the office in Latin America’s largest market with recent hire Andrew Haynes, who was previously assistant general counsel global corporate at BP p.l.c., where he oversaw all of the British oil and gas company’s M&A legal work globally. Prior to BP, Haynes served as deputy general counsel for BG Group plc, one of the largest foreign investors in Brazil.
“Brazil is a significant market for many of our energy, financial institution and healthcare clients,” Linda Addison, managing partner of Norton Rose Fulbright U.S., said in a statement. “We see tremendous opportunity in expanding our global platform to this emerging commercial center, where our lawyers have represented both U.S. and international clients for many years.”
Approximately 20 lawyers from Norton Rose Fulbright’s Texas offices will be working on matters with the firm’s new office, including Willie Wood, U.S. Head of Energy and Infrastructure; Laura McMahon; Mark Baker, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration; Mike Irvin, U.S. Head of Energy Transactional; Mark Baker, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration; and Andrius Kontrimas, Global Head of Tax.
Wood, who is a member of the firm’s global advisory board and has co-chaired its Latin America practice, said opening a Brazil office has been a priority since the integration of Norton Rose Fulbright. Even prior to that, he said Fulbright & Jaworski had been looking at Brazil for at least five years.
“It fits nicely in regions of the world where we provide service,” said Wood, who dedicates almost all of his practice to the energy industry. “Our clients have been telling us we have missed out on opportunities by not having a presence in Brazil.”
Clients have also been asking the firm to consider an office in Mexico – a region the firm is very interested in, Wood said. Fulbright & Jaworski had an office there from 1953 to 1971.
One of the reasons for the renewed interest in Mexico, Wood said, is the recent historic developments in energy reform.
“It would be a natural fit,” he said. “We have been doing work there for years, but we haven’t been there in full force.”
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