José Antonio Morán
Biography
José Antonio Morán chairs the Firm's Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Practice Group. He represents clients in numerous high-value deals, including one recognized by Thomson Project Finance International as “the largest merger and acquisition deal in Latin America.” José is ranked as a Foreign Expert for Spain in USA - Projects by Chambers USA 2017 and 2018. The Legal 500 United States also recognized him from 2011 to 2016 in the area of project finance and in prior years in the areas of corporate & finance and real estate & construction. José has been trained as a lawyer under a civil law system and a common law system.
José is a lecturer at Loyola University School of Law's comparative law seminar on legal systems in the Americas, and a visiting professor at Northwestern Law School as a lecturer in the project finance class. He was the vice chair of the Banking and Financial Services committee of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolutions.
Practice Focus
Mr. Morán concentrates primarily on transactions in the US, Spain and Latin America. He has assisted major US banks and institutional lenders in negotiating and drafting documents regarding loan syndications for Latin American borrowers, as well as US and European-based oil and gas companies in Latin America in acquisitions. He has also represented contractors in connection with ground-up, design/build projects, bulk fuels, and construction and renovation projects in military environments pursuant to NATO and Status of Forces Agreements in Spain, Portugal, Korea, Japan, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar. Mr. Morán also serves as counsel in major project finance and infrastructure transactions, moving complex projects through development, financial closings and operations.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advised Obrascon Huarte Lain in connection with the P3 concession work for the I-77 High Occupancy Toll Lanes Project in North Carolina.
- Represented Maxam Corp (Europe’s largest explosives manufacturer) in connection with Maxam’s joint venture in China. This joint venture will be dedicated to the manufacturing and commercialization of civil explosives and initiation systems for the sectors of mining, quarries and construction of infrastructures inside the Chinese market.
- Represented Obrascon Huarte Lain in connection with the acquisition of 50.1 percent of the equity capital of Judlau Contracting.
- Represented OHL Construction Canada Inc. and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd. in connection with the structuring and formation of OHL-FCC-DIBCO North Tunnels Canada Inc., for the bid and, upon winning the bid, the implementation of the tunneling projects for the Toronto Transit Commission subway line expansion.
- Represented the Gas Natural Group, as purchaser in connection with the implementation and performance of the Share Purchase Agreement with Electricite de France and Mitsubishi Corporation.
- Represented a major international pipeline, oil and gas company and an international oil and gas field services company as co-venturers in all phases of a BOO project in northeastern Venezuela for medium and high pressure facilities for the compression of natural gas and reinjection into the El Furrial oil field, including creation of a joint venture project company, negotiation and documentation of major equipment purchase contracts and EPC contracts, and negotiation of terms for financing from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
- Represented the Bank of Montreal, acting through its Toronto branch, as borrower in connection with a credit facility for an amount in Mexican pesos not exceeding the equivalent of USD100 million provided by Banco Inbursa, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple, Grupo Financiero Inbursa, as lender.
- Represented the concessionaire for the railway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts between the Panamanian ports of Colon and Balboa in connection with the debt and equity financing for renovation costs sponsored by the International Finance Corporation.
- Advised the sponsors and project companies in Argentina in connection with the renegotiation of approximately USD1 billion in multilateral and bank indebtedness. The project companies are engaged in providing potable water and wastewater services in Buenos Aires and two provincial capitals.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Chicago Bar Association
- Madrid Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar
Admissions
- New York~United States (2008)
- District of Columbia~United States (2001)
- Illinois~United States (2000)
- Madrid~Spain (1994)
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law (J.D.) (1999)
- Fordham University School of Law (LL.M.) (1996)
- Complutense University of Madrid (J.D.) (1994)
Languages
- English
- Portuguese
- Spanish
Previous Offices
- Barcelona
- Madrid
Baker & McKenzie LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership organized under the laws of the State of Illinois (USA) and is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Verein organized under the laws of Switzerland.