DLA Piper prepares for launch in Brazil

Brazilian initiative will be DLA's first foray into South America

DLA Piper is drawing up final plans to launch in Brazil, with the firm's US practice leading the initiative.

Latin America group chairman Stuart Berkson and global energy co-head Robert Gruendel are spearheading the launch, with the firm hoping to open its first base in South America within the next few months.

The firm is waiting for regulatory approval and is still to make a final decision on whether to launch its own office or set up a local alliance.

DLA Piper considered forming a number of relationships with local firms across Latin America as part of a 2007 review led by Dallas corporate partner Michael Santa Maria and corporate counsel Todd Bowers. However, the strategy was never finalised and Berkson took up responsibility for the launch plans when he joined the firm last year from McDermott Will & Emery.

The firm has made a senior hire ahead of the launch, with the addition of Latin America-focused Mel Martinez to the US practice last month. The former US senator joined the firm's Washington DC government affairs practice as a partner.

Commenting on the plans to open in Brazil, the firm said in a statement: "DLA Piper has a very active Latin America practice and we have been exploring opportunities to open an office in Brazil for some time. We look forward to opening an office there in the near future, which will serve as the base of operations for the regional practice."

"We expect that this will complement a number of our core practices and sectors, including energy, projects, corporate and finance, tax and hospitality."

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