News & Resources

Chambers and Partners recently announced that PMA has been shortlisted as Puerto Rico Law Firm of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service.

We are proud to announce that in its 2011 Global edition, PMA received a top Band 1 ranking in the Corporate Commercial and Dispute Resolution (Litigation) areas by Chambers and Partners.

For the second consecutive year, PMA collaborated on Getting the Deal Through – Product Liability, an annual report published by Law Business Research Ltd. whose contributing editors are Harvey L. Kaplan and Gregory L. Fowler. Getting the Deal Through- Product Liability provides international analysis in the area of product liability law for legal practitioners and business people. The 2010 Getting the Deal Through- Product Liability includes information on thirty-two (32) jurisdictions, with contributors from each jurisdiction preparing their jurisdiction’s chapter. Néstor M. Méndez Gómez, Heidi L. Rodríguez, María D. Trelles, and Jason R. Aguiló co-authored the updated chapter on Puerto Rico, which includes information regarding the Puerto Rico and U.S. Federal court systems and civil procedure in each forum, as well as products liability law in Puerto Rico. For more information on this publication, please visit www.GettingtheDealThrough.com.

Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on November 11, 2010, that Major League Baseball has established a new structure that will oversee the continued implementation of reform to the game’s operations in the Dominican Republic and throughout Latin America. PMA litigation partner, Jorge E. Pérez-Diaz has been named the interim head of Latin American Oversight for Major League Baseball, succeeding Sandy Alderson, who was recently appointed General Manager of the New York Mets. Jorge, who has been working with Major League Baseball on Latin American issues since January, will be responsible for continuing the implementation of recommended changes aimed at improving operations in Latin America. Jorge will consult with a three-person Latin American Oversight Committee, which will be comprised of Alderson; Larry Beinfest, President of Baseball Operations for the Florida Marlins; and Bill Smith, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Minnesota Twins. PMA managing partner, Jaime E. Santos said “we, at PMA, celebrate Jorge’s designation as the interim head of Latin American Oversight for MLB and are very excited with the opportunity of collaborating with MLB in this important endeavor.”

Ignacio Alvarez, one of the six founding partners of the Firm, will join Popular, Inc. as its Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President. This appointment is expected to become effective on or about June 21, 2010. Recognized by Chambers Global as “one of the best lawyers in Puerto Rico,” Ignacio is a brilliant lawyer and practical problem solver who has been an integral part of the Firm’s success for the past 18 years. Ignacio has had a diverse corporate practice, with an emphasis on corporate finance, banking, and general corporate representations. Jaime E. Santos, the Firm’s Managing Partner, said “We are very excited for Nacho as he takes on this important position at Popular. We will miss his many talents and key contributions. We are certain that Popular has acquired a great asset in Nacho.”

During the Federal Bar Association’s National Mid-year Meeting held in Washington, DC on March 26-27, 2010, the Fellows of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association held their annual Fellows Dinner. At the dinner, Foundation president Carl P. Gilmore gave Néstor Méndez a special recognition for his contribution and service to the Foundation’s Fellows Program and its Board of Directors.

Partner, Life Fellow and member of the board of directors of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association (FFBA) Nestor M. Méndez recently participated in the forum: Economic Development and the Judicial Branch. The event was held on March 18, 2010 and was organized by the FFBA and the Historical Society of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (HSSCPR). The panel was composed of the Honorable José A. Cabranes, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Dr. Diego Iribarren, David Lewis, Vice-President Global Taxes for Eli Lilly, and Mr. Méndez. The panel was moderated by Miguel A. Soto-Class, President of the Puerto Rico Center for the New Economy. The FFBA and HSSCPR have also organized a conference on Judicial Independence by Justice Stephen G. Breyer and various activities with Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her first trip outside the Continental United States after being sworn in as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

We are proud to announce that in its 2010 Global edition, PMA received a top Band 1 ranking in the Corporate Commercial and Dispute Resolution (Litigation) areas by Chambers and Partners.

Thomson Reuters issued its U.S. Municipals Review for the First Nine Months of 2009. In it, PMA was ranked seventh among US underwriters’ counsel firms for new issues of US Munis. In ranking the firms, Thomson Reuters takes into account proceeds of the issues, market share and number of deals.

Litigation Partner Jorge I. Peirats and Associate Giselle López Soler recently obtained a judgment from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico dismissing with prejudice an adversary proceeding filed by debtor Life Flight of Puerto Rico, Inc. against Humana Health Plan of Puerto Rico, Inc. The Hon. Brian K. Tester, Bankruptcy Judge, agreed with defendant in that qualitative distinctions between air ambulance providers do not require payment of different rates under applicable law and regulations. Life Flight of Puerto Rico, Inc. v. Humana Health Plan of Puerto Rico, Inc., Case No. 08-08870 (BKT), Adversary No.09-00057.