Miami, Fl., September 6,
2016 – Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP announced today that Ruben Diaz
will join the firm as partner in its Miami office. He will co-chair the firm’s
Latin America practice.
Prior to joining Hughes Hubbard, Diaz was General Counsel of Grupo Pellas, a
conglomerate of financial, industrial and commercial companies based primarily
in Central America. As the principal legal officer for the organization, he also
served as director of BAC Florida Bank, General Business Machines Corp.,
Greytown Advisors, the American Nicaraguan Foundation, and several other
companies that comprised Grupo Pellas.
“Ruben is no stranger to the firm, having started his career here as an
associate,” said Candace K. Beinecke, Chair of Hughes Hubbard. “We are very
excited to welcome him back to the team, this time as partner and practice
co-chair. His cross-border corporate experience in Latin America is an ideal
complement to our practice and his legal and business insights will be
tremendously valuable for our clients.”
At Hughes Hubbard, Diaz will focus on expanding the firm’s platform and
capabilities for serving clients doing business in Latin America. Diaz has
significant experience advising on cross-border investment, mergers and
acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate finance, as well as international
arbitration and dispute resolution. He has worked in key industries including
banking and finance, agribusiness, liquor, energy, health care, real estate and
information technology.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ruben to the team,” said Federico Goudie,
co-chair of the Latin America practice group. “We have worked with him for many
years as a client, and know him to be an extraordinary lawyer whose experience
handling sophisticated legal matters related to and in Latin America will bring
tremendous benefit to our clients and our group.”
Diaz joins Hughes Hubbard as the firm is strategically expanding its practice
in Latin America. Earlier this year, the firm bolstered its ability to serve its
Brazilian clients and its clients with needs in Brazil through a strategic
cooperation agreement with Saud Advogados, a Brazilian law firm based in Rio de
Janeiro. And in Miami, the firm recently renewed its lease and modernized its
space at the downtown Miami Center to continue to provide best-in-class
accessibility and service to clients.
“As someone who started his legal career at Hughes Hubbard, and has also been
a client of the firm, I have seen the team’s dedication to clients and their
relentless pursuit of excellence in legal practice,” said Diaz. “I am excited to
return home to Hughes Hubbard, and I look forward to supporting the firm’s
clients, particularly in Miami and Latin America.”
About Ruben Diaz Diaz began his career on
Wall Street as an associate with Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP. He later moved
to Miami and joined Steel Hector & Davis, becoming a partner and also
serving on that firm’s International Executive Committee. Diaz then joined Ernst
& Young as a partner in 1997. He led the firm’s International Tax Latin
American Business Center between 2000 and 2002, and later became the
partner-in-charge of Ernst & Young’s regional Latin American legal practice.
In 2004, Diaz joined Grupo Pellas as General Counsel.
Diaz holds a Bachelor of Arts, graduating cum laude from Princeton
University, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He was born in
Cuba, and has lived in the U.S. since the age of 10. He is fluent in both
English and Spanish. His primary residence is in Miami.
About Hughes Hubbard
Hughes Hubbard & Reed
is a New York City-based international law firm that offers clients
results-focused legal services and a collaborative approach across a broad range
of practices. Hughes Hubbard was founded in 1888 by the renowned jurist and
statesman Charles Evans Hughes, and the firm takes pride in the fact that it has
retained many of its clients for more than half a century. The firm is a leader
in promoting diversity in law firms and is recognized for its pro bono
achievements. For more information, visit hugheshubbard.com.