Paul Hastings has long been a fixture in Latin America’s most complex transactions, and the firm’s Caribbean practice continues to stand out for both its scale and sophistication. With marquee roles in airports, energy and oil financings across the region, the global law firm is once again reinforcing its reputation as a market leader.
“We dominate in certain sectors and certain markets, and the Caribbean is an example,” says Gregory Tan, co-chair of Paul Hastings’ energy and infrastructure practice. “The market knows what we are good at.”
Tourism is the lifeblood of the Caribbean economy, and Paul Hastings has been central to financing the infrastructure that sustains it. The firm structured a $480 million securitized bond for Jamaica’s Kingston airport, the first of its kind in the region, creating a new model for governments to leverage airport revenues. It also advised Vinci on a $940 million loan and bond package for its airports in the Dominican Republic.
Paul Hastings’ counsel to Aerodom, the Dominican Republic’s main airport concessionaire, was equally transformative. The nearly $1 billion financing—split between a $500 million bond and a $440 million credit facility—secured the concessionaire’s license through 2060, required a $775 million concession fee payment to the state, and committed funds for a new terminal at Las Américas Airport in Santo Domingo.
“The tourism industry, which is important for a lot of these jurisdictions, has grown over the years and this will continue. There will be more projects in tourism,” Tan says. That outlook is borne out by the numbers: both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic set visitor records in 2024, with 4.3 million and 11.2 million arrivals respectively.
Beyond airports, Paul Hastings is deeply entrenched in the new oil frontiers of Guyana and Suriname. Offshore exploration has transformed both nations into global energy stories. Guyana is on track to produce 1 million barrels per day, making it the region’s second-largest crude exporter after Brazil.
Paul Hastings advised on the $1.5 billion project loan for SBM Offshore to deliver a floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) to support ExxonMobil’s Guyana operations. In Suriname, the firm represented Staatsolie, the state-owned energy company, in a $1.6 billion loan to finance its 20% participation in TotalEnergies’ GranMorgu oil project. The transaction not only gave Suriname a seat at the table in its first commercial offshore development, but also signaled investor confidence in the country’s emerging oil sector.
“The area is ripe to really take off,” says Tan. “A number of international investors are looking to pull the trigger, and the recognition that the international investment community is not only looking at an ExxonMobil opens the way for smaller oil and gas companies that may need project financing.”
Ten years ago, bank loans dominated the Caribbean market. Today, Tan notes, “We are seeing more M&A activity and more refinancing. The capital markets are now more open.” That shift has only expanded the firm’s opportunities to innovate.
These landmark deals are emblematic of Paul Hastings’ broader practice. The firm’s capital markets and project finance teams advise across the spectrum—from sovereign bonds and equity offerings to project bonds and ECA-backed financings.
The team has also built a reputation for ESG leadership, further differentiating the firm in a crowded market. Its presence spans the full Latin American map, with mandates in Colombia’s 4G and 5G road programs, renewable projects in Chile and Mexico, and cross-border financings throughout the region.
Sponsors: Grupo Ortiz, KMA Construcciones
Mandated Lead Arrangers: Banco de Crédito del Perú, Credicorp Capital, ING
Senior Lenders, Co-Structurers: Bancolombia, CAF, FDN, IDB Invest, IFC, JP Morgan, MUFG, SMBC
Lenders’ Counsel: Clifford Chance, Holland & Knight
Sponsor’s Counsel: Cuatrecasas, Goncalves Pereira,Paul Hastings
Financial advisor: Credicorp Capital
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