Ruben Diaz Jr. is an international transactional partner in Hughes Hubbard’s corporate group and is co-chair of Hughes Hubbard’s Latin America practice. After starting his career in private practice, Ruben served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of a privately-held Central American group with businesses in key sectors, including financial institutions and investment advisory services, agro-industrial, communications, automotive, energy, information technology, retail and consumer products, health care and real estate. He also previously served as Head of the Latin America Legal Practice at Ernst & Young.
Professional Activities
Board member of a state chartered bank in Florida
Board Member, American Nicaraguan Foundation (2004 – present)
Board Member, Burned Children Care Foundation (Aproquen) (2004 – present)
Advisory Committee Member, Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (1997 – present)
Previous Experience
Partner, Steel Hector & Davis LLP
Partner, Ernst & Young LLP
Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel, The Pellas Group
Highlighted Lectures
Co-chaired panel at the International Bar Association (IBA) Biennial Latin American Regional Forum Conference, “Compliance: Beyond Lava Jato and the Panama Papers,” March 14-16, 2018
Highlighted Matters
Lead legal advisor to the shareholders of BAC Florida Bank, controlled by Grupo Pellas (The Pellas Group), in the sale of the Coral Gables-based bank to Brazil’s Banco Bradesco
Representation of Ticofrut S.A., part of the Nicaragua-based Pellas Group, in a tort action filed by Del Monte in federal court alleging that Ticofrut has aided and abetted a pineapple grower’s breach of a contract with Del Monte.
Lead cousel on numerous mergers and acquisitions including the largest dollar value M&A transaction to that date in Central America.
Structured international joint ventures and restructured multinational groups.
Representations of both creditors and debtors in cross-border financings.
Representations of foreign companies regarding the establishment of U.S. entities and the acquisition of U.S. corporations, partnerships, and business assets.
