Latin America

From the Rio Grande to Tierra del Fuego, Simpson Thacher has built a powerful practice serving clients throughout Latin America. The Firm’s ties to the region date to the 1970s and ’80s, when we advised clients on sovereign lending and restructurings. By the 1990s, the Firm had developed a team focused on multidisciplinary Latin American transactions.  Over time, we solidified our position as a market leader in corporate transactions that involved both Latin American companies and sovereigns, as well as our traditional multinational client base.

We offer clients the benefits of a broad-based, collaborative practice—anchored by our New York office and complemented by our offices in São Paulo, Houston, London and Palo Alto—and advise on matters in the region spanning a range of disciplines.  We regularly advise on:

Mergers & Acquisitions

Simpson Thacher's Latin America M&A team has been at the forefront of some of the most significant and complex transactions in the region – whether it is a cross-border merger, a strategic acquisition, a joint venture or a divestiture, our team has the experience, creativity and market knowledge to help our clients achieve their objectives. We have worked on numerous high-profile matters across the region involving Ambipar, Vinci Partners, Grupo Nutresa, Blackstone, Telefonica, Despegar, and Braskem.

• Tier 1, Corporate and M&A, The Legal 500 Latin America (2012 – 2024)
• Band 1, Corporate/M&A, Chambers Latin America (2013 – 2024)
• Band 1, Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global (2013 – 2024)

Capital Markets

Our Latin America Capital Markets practice stands out for its exceptional involvement in the full spectrum of equity and debt offerings. From guiding IPOs to managing subsequent equity deals, structuring complex PIPE transactions, and coordinating debt offerings of all kinds, as well as debt restructuring and exchanges, our expertise is unmatched. We leverage our profound regional insight to give clients a strategic edge. Some of our notable experiences involve companies such as VTEX, Zenvia, OHL México, ATP Tower Holdings, Pan American Energy, YPF Luz, Braskem, MSU Energy and TelevisaUnivision.

• Tier 1, Capital Markets, The Legal 500 Latin America (2018 – 2024)
• Band 1, Capital Markets, Chambers Latin America (2013 – 2020)
• Band 1, Capital Markets, Chambers Brazil (2023 – 2024)
• Band 1, Capital Markets, Chambers Global (2013 – 2020)

Banking and Credit

We specialize in major, intricate cross-border financing deals in Latin America, covering a broad spectrum of transactions such as acquisition finance, syndicated loans, and structured finance, as well as handling project finance and infrastructure development. Our deep understanding of local markets allows us to empower clients through tailored financial solutions that drive growth and success in their ventures.

Private Equity/Funds

With a seasoned team of experts, we are adept at orchestrating sophisticated fund liquidity strategies, including fund-level initial public offerings and strategic debt financings. Our practice is distinguished by its comprehensive approach to structuring funds' investments across a diverse array of asset classes, coupled with our proficiency in securing financing at every tier of the capital structure. Our numerous significant transactions have included leading global private equity sponsors and fund managers such as Advent International, KKR, The Carlyle Group and Gramercy Funds Management.

Arbitration/Investigations

Our practice stands at the forefront of resolving complex disputes in Latin America, specializing in cross-border litigation and arbitration, internal investigations, U.S. government investigations and anti-corruption practices.

Notable Experiences

Brazil

• One of the deepest equity capital markets practices in Brazil having advised on nearly half of all B3 IPOs and follow-on offerings since 2021
• SEC-registered IPOs for Brazilian issuers including Netshoes in its NYSE IPO – the first single listing of a Brazilian-based company in the United States, as well as CI&T, Patria Investments, Patria Latin American Opportunity Acquisition Corp, Vasta Platform and Linx
• BRF in an offering of securities of R$5.4 billion aggregate principal amount of its common shares, the largest equity offering of the year in 2023 (LatinLawyer)
• Blackstone in the sale of Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana Hotel
• Vinci with its announced business combination with Compass Group

 Mexico

• Blackstone Real Estate in Blackstone and MRP Group’s recently announced all-cash tender offer for up to 100% of the outstanding real estate certificates of Terrafina
• Tiendas 3B in the first SEC-registered IPO by a Mexico-based business since 2013
• Underwriters in Vesta’s US$445 million US IPO (“Initial Public Offering of the Year 2023” – LatinFinance)
• BBVA Mexico in its US$1 billion basel 3-compliant tier 2 subordinated preferred capital notes offering ( “Financial Institution Deal of the Year 2023” – LatinFinance)
• Underwriters in América Móvil’s US$1 billion Global MXN 9.5% Sustainable Notes offering (“Corporate High-Grade Local Currency Deal of the Year 2023” – LatinFinance)

Chile

• Underwriters in the re-IPO and re-listing of LATAM Airlines on the NYSE, as well as joint lead arrangers in LATAM Airlines Group’s US$2.75 billion debtor-in-possession to exit financing, (“Restructuring Deal of the Year 2023” – LatinFinance and “Corporate Restructuring of the Year 2023” – Latin Lawyer)
• COPEC in the sale of its North American MAPCO Network to Circle K Stores
• SAAM in the sale of its shipping terminal and logistics businesses to Hapag-Lloyd for US$1 billion

Peru   

• Aenza with the unsolicited tender offer by IG4 Capital to acquire common shares, including common shares represented by ADSs, of Aenza (“Private Equity Deal of the Year 2022” – Latin Lawyer)
• Republic of Peru in its issuance of US$4 billion of global bonds, including a century bond
• Volcan in the formation of a joint venture with COSCO SHIPPING Ports Ltd. for the development of port facilities in Chancay

Colombia

• KKR in its proposed acquisition of approximately 1,100 wireless communications towers in Colombia from Tigo Colombia, a subsidiary of Millicom
• Grupo Sura in a US$500 million senior secured term loan facility
• Nutresa with its unsolicited equity tender offers by Grupo Gilinski involving Grupo Sura and Nutresa
• Initial purchasers in US$1 billion debt offering by Grupo Aval

Argentina

• Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of the Latin American business of Lumen Technologies, Inc., (“Private Equity Deal of the Year 2023” – Latin Lawyer)
• IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones in its merger with IRSA Propiedades Comerciales
• SCC Power and MSU Energy Holding Ltd. in the acquisition by SCC Power of the business enterprise of Stoneway, consisting of four power generation facilities located in Argentina
• Advised on US$1.32 billion worth of debt offerings for Pan American Energy
• YPF Luz in its inaugural high yield notes offering

Regional

• Issuer in US$5.5 billion equity offering of Telefonica Brasil and KKR Infrastructure in its acquisition and acquisition financing of Telefónica Chile’s wholesale fiber optic network and in its agreement to acquire a majority interest in PangeaCo and the existing fiber optic networks of Telefónica del Perú and Entel Perú
• com in the minority investment made by Expedia, its SEC-registered IPO, and PIPE investments made by Catterton and Waha
• Issuer or underwriters in over 26 sovereign debt offerings by the Dominican Republic, totaling over US$33.25 billion in sovereign debt offerings since 2006
• Republic of Guatemala in the issuance and sale of US$1 billion of its notes

Our Latin America practice consists of approximately 40 lawyers, most of whom are bilingual. It is our dual skills—deep understanding of the nuances of the region, combined with unsurpassed transactional and dispute-resolution experience—that sets us apart.