First arrival in Texas for 2020 adds to firm’s well-established Mexico and Latin America practices
Powered by LawFuel – HOUSTON – Nicolas Borda has joined Reed Smith’s Global Energy & Natural Resources Group as a partner in the firm’s 75-attorney Houston office. Borda has more than 25 years of experience in all facets of oil and gas (upstream, midstream and downstream), power and renewable energy projects. Borda, who also joins Reed Smith’s Latin America Business Team, has been involved in some of the largest energy deals throughout Latin America, including the joint operating agreement for a multibillion dollar, first-of-its-kind deep water project in the Gulf of Mexico and the development of an LNG project in Northern Mexico.
“We are very pleased to welcome Nicolas, whose strong reputation in Mexico-US and other cross-border energy transactional projects adds depth and geographic reach to our comprehensive energy offering in these critical markets,” said Prajakt Samant, Chair of Reed Smith’s Energy & Natural Resources Industry Group. “Nicolas’ arrival complements our broader Latin America vision and strategy, further enhancing our ability to assist with complex energy transactions in the region.”
Borda, who is licensed to practice law in Mexico and the United States, advises clients in complex international and cross-border transactions. His wide-ranging energy project experience spans regulatory advice, mergers and acquisitions, energy infrastructure project development, government procurement, EPC, public policy, anticorruption, compliance, NAFTA, USMCA, international trade and dispute resolution in the energy sector.
“I’m very excited to join a law firm with such talented attorneys so highly regarded in energy and commodities, offshore, arbitration, litigation and other areas that will greatly benefit my clients in Mexico and the United States,” Borda said. “Reed Smith’s global platform is particularly well-suited to my client’s interests, particularly in Europe, Asia, United States and other strategic locations vital to the sector. Likewise, I look forward to working with the firm’s Singapore and London offices on offshore oil & gas, arbitration and related maritime issues.”
In Mexico, Borda represents a full spectrum of businesses involved in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, which he represents before the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) and in negotiations with Pemex affiliates. Borda has also been active in midstream and downstream regulatory issues regarding storage, transportation, trading, transloading and the importation of different fuels before Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), ASEA and the Ministry of Energy. He has also served as an advisor in public bids by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) regarding the development of natural gas transportation pipelines. Furthermore, he has advised clients in trading of gas and power and participated in the National Energy Control Center (CENACE) auctions in connection with the country’s new electricity market and negotiated PPA’s with large off-takers in power supply optimization alternatives.
Before joining Reed Smith, Borda was a partner with Haynes and Boone based in Mexico City.
A thought leader in the energy community, Borda has chaired the Energy Committees of the National Association of Corporate Counsels (ANADE) and the Mexican Bar Association (BMA). Borda teaches on the Energy Law Post Graduate Program at the Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City, and he has lectured at several universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, Georgetown University, Tulane University, and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. He has also previously served as professor of energy law at the Universidad Iberoamericana and is a frequent speaker on international energy matters.
Borda has been consistently ranked in the top tier for Energy and Natural Resources in Mexico by Chambers Latin America (2012-2019) and Chambers Global (2018-2019), as well as Who’s Who Legal Mexico, Legal 500 and other guides of leading lawyers. In 2019, Borda was recognized as a “leading lawyer in Energy in Latin America” and as a “Thought Leader” by the Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA).
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. Our belief is that by delivering smarter and more creative legal services, we will not only enrich our clients’ experiences with us, but also support them in achieving their business goals.
Our long-standing relationships, international outlook, and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for the speedy resolution of complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
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