Musick Peeler's membership in the International Alliance of Law Firms and affiliation with numerous Latin American law firms provide the network of relationships that define today's Latin American market. These connections enable the Latin America Group to bridge the gap between the Americas with the legal assistance critical to successful cross-border transactions at a time when cross-border potential for trade and investment has never been greater. Free trade agreements in the Western Hemisphere are creating new business opportunities for North American and Latin American enterprises. Latin American investors are beginning to realize the market potential for their products and services in the United States, especially in California.

Musick Peeler's Latin America Group, comprised of highly qualified bi-lingual U.S. lawyers, responds to a full range of business needs in Latin America and the United States. For leading companies in the Americas, the Group's attorneys have:

• Handled acquisitions and joint ventures in a wide range of industries
• Represented clients in connection with a variety of cross-border business transactions and commercial exchanges
• Incorporated California corporations on behalf of Latin American companies and investors
• Represented a Mexican bank charged with money laundering in U.S. Courts, resulting in a dismissal of the proceedings
• Identified and negotiated joint venture agreements for the manufacturing of auto parts in Mexico

Attorneys in the Latin America Group have also assisted companies in the Americas with structuring:

• Banking operations in California for Latin American investors
• Business and financial operations for the sale of real estate in Mexico to California residents
• Manufacturing and assembly operations in Mexico
• Projects for water distribution and other infrastructures

The Latin America Group has played a key role in promoting the passage of trade agreements. At the invitation of the business community, Chambers of Commerce, and trade associations, members of the group provided statements to government agencies in the United States and Latin America in support of:

• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
• U.S. — Chile Free Trade Agreement
• Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
• U.S. — Peru Free Trade Agreement

The expertise, experience, and professional contacts of the Latin America Group keep clients current with the new sectors and complex transactions in a fast-moving international market.

Clients of the Latin America Group benefit from the proficiency of Musick Peeler's 100-plus attorneys who provide a full range of legal services covering: Academic institutions, Appellate, Construction, Corporate, Environmental & Public Law, Financial Institutions, Health Care, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation, Oil & Gas/Energy, Real Estate, Tax & Employee Benefits and Trusts & Estates.