Luis Moreno is the administrative partner of the Mexico City office of Haynes and Boone, S.C. Mr. Moreno, a dual licensed attorney in both Mexico (1991) and the State of New York (1997), has broad private and public sector experience, including the Mexican Ministry of Finance, the International Legal Department of PEMEX, International Legal Counselor for the law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, in New York City, and an associate attorney for the founding partner of the law firm, Santamarina y Steta, S.C., in Mexico City.

Mr. Moreno now leads the real estate and hospitality practices in our Mexico City Office, and has extensive experience in (i) structuring and planning of various bi-national mortgage programs for US major non bank banks and mortgage companies, (ii) long term lease agreements with multinational corporations on build-to-suit industrial buildings in Mexico and off-balance sheet financing, (iii) acquisition and development of major hotel projects in various of the country’s most renown beach resorts, (iv) preparation and negotiation of hotel operation agreements, (v) structuring and planning of fractional programs for various hotel developers and operators, (vi) financing of industrial real estate portfolios and mortgage securitization programs; (vii) development, construction and financing of golf courses and high-end residential projects in major Mexican beach resorts, (viii) restructuring and workouts of major hotel development financing, (ix) sale-lease-back transactions involving top industrial and commercial building facilities in Mexico, and (x) general corporate and finance practice, including his participation in a number of syndicated bank loans, debt restructuring of Mexican companies, mergers and acquisitions, and the privatization of government-controlled companies. 

Mr. Moreno has been recognized by prestigious international publications in the legal field as one of Mexico’s top leading real estate practitioners. Such publications include Chambers Latin America 2010, Latin Lawyer 250, 2010 edition, and Who’s Who Legal: Mexico 2010. 

His experience includes:

• Workouts to finance major hotel developments, including representation of Bank of America for workouts involving Starwood Hotels and Goldman Sachs Emerging Market Real Estate Fund, L.P.
  
  
• Development and construction financing of golf courses and residential projects, including representation of a US $100.0 million joint venture in San José del Cabo, Mexico, in the development of a high-end, private golf community anchored by a Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole championship golf course.
  
  
• Representation of corporations making international facilities acquisitions, including (i) US $85 million acquisition of a high-end hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico, together with a Jack Nicklaus-designed 27-hole golf course and other related amenities; and (ii) acquisition of TWA by American Airlines (Mexican regulatory matters).
  
  
• Representation of major domestic and international hotel operators in various Mexican beach resorts, including representation of Grand Heritage International on the lease, operation and structuring of a fractional program of two boutique type/high-end hotels, apartment buildings and beach club in Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo and San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur.
  
  
• Counseling major Mexican real estate developers on the execution of long term lease agreements with multinational corporations related to industrial buildings in Mexico and negotiation of financing with General Electric.
  
  
• Representation of a Mexican industrial real estate developer in the structure and negotiation of a major investment transaction with one of the most important pension funds of the United States.
  
  
• Acquisitions of industrial properties (land and finished buildings) in Mexico, including representation in negotiations related to the development, construction and management of industrial properties in Mexico.
  
  
• Counseling U.S. major mortgage company in the structure and negotiation of the pioneer loan resort program for US citizens acquiring residential type properties in Mexico.
  
  
• Acquisition and sale of Mexican companies in the transport, financial and media communications industries, including the sale of Mexicana de Autobuses, S.A. de C.V. to Volvo Bus Corporation.
  
  
• Privatization projects of government-controlled railroad, petrochemical companies and airports, including representation of Union Pacific Railroad Co., AMR Services Corp., and Grupo Girsa.
  
  
• Representation of banks in debt restructuring of Mexican companies, including representation of Banca Serfin, S.A. in the restructuring of Molienda Azucarera Industrial, S.A. de C.V., the number one sugar producer in Mexico.
  
  
• Project finance of electricity projects in Mexico and Central America, including representation of ISPAT Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. in a 1,000 megawatt project and a 750 megawatt project in Honduras for Panda International; and most recently Gamesa Wind US, in a 1,750 megawatt wind generating project in Baja California, Mexico.

Recent Publications

• Moreno, Luis and César Ramírez, "The bet for financial recovery," International Financial Law Review, September 2010.
  
• Moreno, Luis and César Ramírez, "Secured Lending Reforms in México," Texas Transnational Law Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 3, November 2003.
  
• Moreno, Luis and César Ramírez, "Mortgage-backed Securitizations: a rapidly growing market," Real Estate Law Newsletter, International Bar Association Legal Practice Division, Vol. 10, No. 1, September 2006.
  
• Moreno, Luis and César Ramírez, Second Part of Chapter 9 "Mortgage-backed Securitizations and Development Capital Certificates: The future of the securitizations in the real estate market," Real Estate Law: Selected matters and perspective of the Market, UNAM-ITAM-Porrúa.
  
• Moreno, Luis, "Latin American Real Estate Markets: Are they immune to the US Credit Crunch Crisis? Particular Focus: Case of Mexico," Euromoney Publications.
  
• Moreno, Luis, "Development Capital Certificates (CKDs): The bet for the financial growth," Euromoney Publications.

Selected Representative Experience

Memberships

• American Bar Association, Group Vice Chair of the Special Investors and Investment Structure Group, and Immediate Past Chair of the Committee on International Investment in Real Estate of the RPPT Section. 
• International Bar Association, Council Member of the Legal Practice Division, and Immediate Past Chair of the Real Estate Law Section.
• Mexican Bar Association, Active Member
• Texas - Mexico Bar Association, Active Member

Online Publications