JOSÉ W. FERNÁNDEZ
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

José W. Fernández is a partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins LLP, and Global Co-Chair of the firm's Latin America practice.

For over two decades, his practice has focused on Latin America, working on a wide variety of matters as the economies of the region have evolved.  Mr. Fernández has handled some of the region's most complex acquisitions for corporations and private equity firms, and has advised on financings, privatizations, securities offerings, arbitrations and joint ventures across a number of Latin American countries. He also represents banks in loans and restructurings in a cross-section of industries, including mining, energy and telecommunications. His broad practice includes advising governments and bidders in more than 20 privatizations throughout Latin America and Africa.

Mr. Fernández was named one of the "World's Leading Lawyers" by Chambers Global for his M&A and corporate expertise, an "Expert" in International Financial Law Review's "Guide to the World's Leading Project Finance Lawyers" and one of the "World's Leading Privatization Lawyers" by Euromoney Publications.

Mr. Fernández serves on the Board of Directors of Dartmouth College, Accion International, the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, Ballet Hispánico of New York, WBGO-FM (Newark Public Radio) and the Middle East Institute.  He has been both chair of the American Bar Association's Inter-American Law Committee and chair of the Committee on Inter-American Affairs of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  Mr. Fernández is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

He received a B.A. and an M.A. from Dartmouth College, and a J.D. from Columbia University Law School.