Amy Guthrie

Transactional activity in Latin America's largest economy has slowed during an election year, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva due to face off in October against the son of his rival, former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Christian Zinser brings two additional lawyers from his boutique, Zinser Legal, to help the global firm prepare for more mediations and arbitrations following the dismantling of the Mexican judiciary.

The hiring marks the second departure of a high-level partner from DLA Piper's Latin America team this month.

Sudan Maccio, a Venezuelan native, is licensed in both Texas and Venezuela, and brings deep knowledge of the South American country and decades of experience in the energy industry.

The combination will create a legal institution with 130 lawyers in the South American country, where a new business-friendly government is inspiring deal-making.

The rush to enter the resource-rich South American country after the removal of dictator Nicolás Maduro has been accompanied by both optimism and reality checks.

The push into Mexico, Colombia and now Peru has brought an additional 700 professionals to the Spanish firm's global roster.

The U.S. indictment of a sitting Mexican governor has sent shivers through the political and business classes in Mexico, where corruption is widespread.

The U.S. indictment of a sitting Mexican governor has sent shivers through the political and business classes in Mexico, where corruption is widespread.

The group of 60-plus lawyers will pull from the firm's existing teams in Spain and Latin America, with the possibility of hires down the road.