Lewis Brisbois Expands Corporate Law Capabilities on East Coast with New Partner Hire
Lewis Brisbois is pleased to welcome Mario Fontes to its Washington, D.C. office as a partner in its Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Securities & Corporate Finance Practices. Fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish, Mr. Fontes brings to Lewis Brisbois more than 25 years of experience advising companies in the United States, Latin America, and Europe on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general corporate matters.
Washington, D.C. (December 6, 2021) - Lewis Brisbois is pleased to welcome Mario Fontes to its Washington, D.C. office as a partner in its Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Securities & Corporate Finance Practices. Fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish, Mr. Fontes brings to Lewis Brisbois more than 25 years of experience advising companies in the United States, Latin America, and Europe on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general corporate matters.
"I am excited to have joined Lewis Brisbois' Corporate team and to return to Washington, D.C., where I grew up and attended college and law school," said Mr. Fontes. "I am looking forward to being part of the collegial environment and national team approach that I have always heard existed at Lewis Brisbois. The resources of the firm will be a great complement to my practice and our clients, especially the extensive transactions expertise from coast to coast. I appreciate the firm’s already impressive experience working with clients doing U.S. business coming from other countries.”
In addition to his extensive experience advising clients in domestic, international, and cross-border transactions, Mr. Fontes has represented pre-qualified bidders seeking to acquire government-owned entities in the telecommunication, energy, and natural resources industries. His practice also encompasses counseling on private and public offerings of debt and equity securities for U.S. and Latin American companies, as well as trade finance transactions. Moreover, Mr. Fontes regularly advises his clients on regulatory matters, including compliance with anti-bribery laws and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), as well as the implementation of internal compliance programs.
Washington, D.C. Managing Partner Jane C. Luxton expressed enthusiasm about Mr. Fontes' arrival, stating, "We are thrilled that Mario has brought his world-class transactional practice to our Washington, D.C. office. His presence will undoubtedly enhance our ongoing efforts to serve clients from our D.C. office, particularly in the business transactions and corporate finance space."
National Corporate Practice Chair and Securities & Corporate Finance Practice Co-Chair Michael G. Platner noted, "We are especially fortunate as Mario brings leadership to our Corporate Practice in Washington, D.C., further growing our ability to advise clients on federal, cross-border, and regulated commercial issues. We will also continue to provide a solid platform serving his Florida clients, and he will bring new transactions resources to our Pennsylvania offices as well.”
Named to the 2021 “Top Lawyer” list by the South Florida Legal Guide and the 2021 Best Lawyers in America list for Corporate Law, Mr. Fontes earned a law degree from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law and an undergraduate degree from American University. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Florida, and Pennsylvania.