Baker McKenzie offices in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)

Baker McKenzie has added two partners to its Miami office as the firm continues to build on its Latin America strategy, which positions Miami as a key link between its U.S. attorneys and the 800 Latin American lawyers the verein employs.

Cross-border corporate partner John Murphy, from DLA Piper, and regulatory partner Rebecca Leon, from Holland & Knight, have joined Baker McKenzie's Miami office. The firm also picked up Holland & Knight regulatory partner Jennifer Connors, who is based in New York. Murphy's first day was Feb. 19, while Connors and Leon started Monday.

Miami and New York office managing partner Scott Brandman said the new hires were a boon to the firm's Miami office, which after years of declining head count has been re-designated as the "hub" to the firm's Latin America offices. The firm kicked off that strategy in September with the hire of cross-border corporate attorney Federico Cuadra Del Carmen. To guide the process, it appointed a six-person committee of firm partners and executives.

"My message to Miami is we're doing what we said we're going to do," Brandman said.

Murphy, whose practice heavily focuses on cross-border Latin American infrastructure deals, said the rebranding was an "incredible draw" for him and his clients. Having local counsel baked into the firm's 15 Latin American offices will allow Murphy to serve clients more cost-effectively and allows for continuity between deals, he said.

"My largest clients [who] heard that I'm going to Baker have been excited and have universally been wanting to work with Baker & McKenzie," he said.

Leon and Connors advise broker-dealers and financial services companies on cross-border regulatory issues. Leon has worked with clients looking to structure their businesses in more than 100 jurisdictions across the world. Like Murphy, Leon was drawn to the firm's Latin America presence and the continuity it brings.

"It's a great asset to clients when you can work with your same partners over and over, so they understand what your clients are thinking and have some continuity," Leon said.

The hires come less than a month after the firm picked up two Miami-based tax partners from Florida midsize firm Bilzin Sumberg—Jeffrey Rubinger and Summer LePree—bringing the total head count of the office up to 23.

Brandman said some of the recent hires, specifically Murphy and Leon, will serve to bolster the firm's Latin America goals in Miami. But the office won't exclusively serve Latin America, he said, and Baker McKenzie will still look for Miami-based attorneys that primarily fit the firm's North America strategy of building out a top-tier U.S. transactional practice, as it did with LePree and Rubinger.

"Someone like Summer and Jeff fit a little bit more into our overall North America growth strategy, not specific to Latin America," Brandman said. "We're trying to do both at the same time."

Brandman said the firm doesn't have a specific head count in mind, but will continue to build out its Miami office. He said he expects associates to follow the departing partners and alluded to a big Miami group move on the horizon.

In a statement on the departures from his firm, Bilzin Sumberg managing partner Al Dotson said "Bilzin Sumberg's tax and wealth practice will continue to counsel international companies and high-net-worth families investing and doing business in Florida and select markets nationwide under the leadership of our longtime practice group chair Richard Goldstein."

Holland & Knight and DLA Piper were not immediately available for comment on the other partners' moves.

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Baker McKenzie Launches Latin America Practice