News

A&O Shearman names Manuel Orillac, Denise Grant and Sami Mir as co-heads of Latin America practice

Published Date
Aug 14 2024
A&O Shearman is pleased to announce that partners Manuel Orillac, Denise Grant and Sami Mir have been named as co-heads of the firm’s award-winning Latin America practice.

Manuel, Denise and Sami bring years of experience to their new leadership positions at a firm well known and widely respected in Latin America for its work in finance and capital markets, M&A, project development, restructuring and disputes. A&O Shearman’s Latin America practice is backed by a global firm of nearly 4,000 lawyers working from 47 offices in 29 countries.

“Manuel, Denise and Sami are perfectly suited to leverage our global platform to serve Latin American, Caribbean and international clients at the highest level in their most important matters, as we expand and diversify our presence in this fast-growing market,” said Adam Hakki, co-chair of the firm’s global executive committee and board and U.S. chair.

The distinct focus areas of Manuel, Denise and Sami reflect A&O Shearman’s core offerings in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Manuel’s diverse practice encompasses capital markets, project finance and M&A with a client base of sovereigns, corporates, and regional and international banks. Denise advises lenders and borrowers on bank and project-related financings across all major markets and key sectors including banking, energy, mining, consumer products and retail. Sami works closely with sponsors and lenders, including commercial banks, multilateral agencies and development banks, serving as the firm’s relationship partner with the IFC, IDB Invest and others.

“This is an exciting moment for our firm as we leverage the strength of A&O Shearman’s global partnership with our deep roots in Latin America,” said Manuel Orillac.

Denise Grant added that “Latin America is a dynamic place to do business, and A&O Shearman is uniquely qualified to deliver outstanding results for clients while working seamlessly with local law firms.”

“A&O Shearman’s Latin America practice combines a strong culture of teamwork and collaboration,” said Sami Mir. “The firm’s offerings are simply unparalleled in the region as they are around the world.”

A&O Shearman has been present in Latin America for over 60 years, including through our office in Sao Paulo. Our attorneys maintain deep personal and professional ties to nearly every country in Latin America and work actively on behalf of international investors, Latin American corporates, financial institutions, multilateral agencies, governments and government-owned entities on many of the region’s largest, most sophisticated and precedent-setting business transactions and disputes.

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