Nikos Buxeda

ENERGY SECTOR, INFRASTRUCTURE AND REAL ESTATE

P3

• Counsel to Canadian-American joint venture in successful proposal to enter into a US$1.6 billion, 15-year Operation and Maintenance Agreement with the Government of Puerto Rico to operate Puerto Rico's entire electric transmission and distribution system and in the transition to operation of the system
  Finance
• Counsel to a Colombian power company in a US$50 million refinancing
• Counsel to the lender in a US$10 million refinancing of a Puerto Rico broadband provider
• Counsel to a power plant with respect to a US$30 million secured working capital credit agreement
• Counsel to a consortium of international financial entities as the initial purchasers in a US$435 million Rule 144A notes offering by a private highway operator, undertaken principally to partially refinance its existing senior debt facilities, and to the lenders in an additional US$52 million credit facility to such operator
• Counsel to syndicated lenders with respect to a US$850 million financing of a concession to operate two toll roads
• Counsel to a real estate investment company in defeasance of US$54 million senior credit facilities

M&A

• Counsel to an electric utility company in the negotiation of vegetation management contracts in excess of $1 billion to implement a preventive vegetation plan to minimize damage caused by storms and other weather events
• Counsel to an electric utility company in the negotiation of vegetation management 
• Counsel to seller in drafting of transaction documents and legal negotiations in the US$125 million sale of two operating solar PV plants, totaling 73.2 megawatts, as well as a dedicated operating and asset management team and other entities pursuing additional solar and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico
• Counsel to a large European construction conglomerate in the bidding of multiple construction projects in Puerto Rico, a major road expansion, a river flood control project, a solar farm construction, and the reconstruction of the main runway of an international airport
• Counsel to a Peruvian majority shareholder as the seller of a Peruvian company which operates natural gas pipelines, compressor plants and pumping stations
• Counsel to a Chinese solar energy company with respect to an option to acquire for US$20 million a company developing a 20MW solar photovoltaic facility Corporate
• Counsel to issuer of LLC interests to partially fund luxury residential real estate development in Puerto Rico
• Counsel to a multinational conglomerate in connection with Puerto Rico aspects of the global restructuring of an oil and gas business, in preparation for the merger of such business with another oil and gas company
• Counsel to power plant shareholders in connection with the domestication of several Cayman Islands limited companies to Puerto Rico LLCs

DIVERSIFIED COMPANIES

Finance

• Counsel to a distressed lending fund in negotiation of Credit Facility for the purchase of IP and structuring of related solar energy project
• Counsel to borrower in US $12.5 million financing in connection with acquisition of consumer goods company
• Counsel to borrower in US $40 million financing in connection with acquisition of a medical practice management company
• Counsel to staffing and outsourcing company in financing and refinancing credit facility for international operations
• Counsel to lending fund in financing and refinancing of billboard company credit facility
• Counsel to lenders to purchasers in the Puerto Rico aspects of the EU€2 billion acquisition of a 50 percent stake in a holding company that owns 11 asset management companies in Latin America and Europe
• Counsel to a publicly traded rental car company with respect to the Puerto Rico aspects of US$190 million refinancing of revolving credit facilities
• Counsel to a private equity company in the Puerto Rico aspects of the US$15 billion acquisition of a publicly traded rental car company and related securitization of vehicles

M&A

• Counsel to one of the largest distributors in Puerto Rico in the acquisition of a distribution company in Florida
• Counsel to the majority owner of a leading urban music management company in the sale of its shares to a leading multinational music and entertainment conglomerate
• Counsel to purchaser in US $40 million acquisition of a medical practice management company
• Counsel to purchaser in US $18.5 million acquisition of consumer goods distributor
• Counsel to private equity fund in the more than US $250 million of acquisition of Puerto Rico billboard company
• Counsel to the Seller in the sale of a Spanish language streaming network available in the US in exchange, in part, for several local Puerto Rico radio stations
• Counsel to a Swedish company in acquisition of multiple podcast production companies in the US and Latin America
• Counsel to purchaser in US$13.3 million acquisition of electronic medical records service provider
• Counsel to private fund joint venture partner in acquisition of US$110 million portfolio of warehouses
• Counsel to a foreign private equity fund in the US$165 million acquisition of a 50 percent interest in a Colombian steel mill
• Counsel to a foreign private equity fund as minority shareholder of the purchaser in the acquisition of a Puerto Rico-based cement supplier and in the negotiation of a transition services agreement
• Counsel to a leading United States billboard company in the US$42 million acquisition of a Puerto Rico billboard company
• Counsel to a publicly traded agricultural company in the US$10 million acquisition of two Puerto Rico grain manufacturing companies
• Counsel to the seller in the US$122 million sale of a dairy processing company
• Counsel to the majority shareholder in the sale of a Puerto Rico fitness chain
• Counsel to a private equity fund with respect to the US$12 million acquisition of an indirect 40 percent interest in a billboard company
• Counsel to the seller in the US$64 million sale of a self-storage business
• Counsel to Puerto Rico government entities in the US$34.2 million acquisition of mental health facilities and related loan financing and refinancing by means of a municipal bond issue

Corporate

• Counsel to multiple multinational companies in connection with the negotiation of distribution agreements and the termination of distribution agreements
• Counsel to the sponsor of an international trampoline park company
• Counsel to a publicly traded multinational manufacturer of lamps, luminaires and lighting solutions with respect to the Puerto Rico corporate, regulatory and commercial law aspects of the carveout of its general lighting lamps business
• Counsel to multinational aviation company in negotiation of long-term lease, construction and employment incentive agreements and design-build agreement in connection with the US$65 million construction of a 5-bay hangar at an airport and the commencement of maintenance, repair and overhaul operations therein

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Finance 

• Counsel to a multinational bank with respect to Puerto Rico aspects of US$750 million asset-based credit facilities made available to a publicly traded retail company as the borrower
• Counsel to a Puerto Rico bank in the US$41 million acquisition of a small business loan portfolio and associated deposits

HEALTHCARE AND PHARMACEUTICAL

Finance

• Counsel to private equity fund in US$40 million financing to be used for the acquisition of healthcare facilities in Colombia
• Counsel to borrower/purchaser in acquisition financing and purchase of an electronic medical records provider
• Counsel to a US dialysis company in connection with Puerto Rico aspects of refinancing for purposes of dividend recapitalization
• Counsel to a pharmaceutical company with respect to amendments to US$75 million senior credit facilities and provision of additional collateral
• Counsel to an electronic medical records company with respect to its US$12 million senior credit facilities and amendments
  Corporate 
• Counsel to the Chinese manufacturer of a COVID-19 test in connection with negotiation of agreement with US distributor for the approval and distribution of such test in the United States
• Counsel to the sponsor and principal shareholder of two ambulatory surgical centers
• Counsel to a publicly traded multinational pharmaceutical company with respect to the Puerto Rico corporate, regulatory and commercial law aspects of the spinoff of its bioscience business operations to a separate publicly held company
• Counsel to a publicly traded pharmaceutical company with respect to Puerto Rico corporate and commercial law aspects of the spinoff of its research-based pharmaceuticals operations to a separate publicly held company

FUND FORMATION 

• Represented investment arm of leading Puerto Rico distribution company on the negotiations of a $75 million capital commitment arrangement with a PR fund manager
• Represented fund sponsor on the launch of a series fund targeting to raise $25 million in commitments to finance the expansion of a local distributor into the US and Latin America market
• Represented fund sponsor on the formation of a funding vehicle to finance the pre-development of a Hard Rock Café Hotel
• Representing fund manager in the development of a luxury residential high rise currently under construction with a projected sales price of close to $100 million
• Structured funds and other equity vehicles for management company that have invested in (i) acquisition of multiple commercial buildings in depressed urban center and repositioning as start-up and co-working spaces with trendy restaurants, (ii) trampoline parks, (iii) development of luxury residential buildings, and (v) restaurant franchisees
• Structured funds and other equity vehicles for management company that have invested in (i) development of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for mega-yachts and other ships, (ii) development of multiple renewable energy projects, and (iii) development of luxury high rise, hotel and casino complex
• Counsel to of Puerto Rico investment company in connection with its registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940
• Counsel to the sponsor of three Puerto Rico-based opportunity zone funds
• Counsel to the sponsors and investment advisers of multiple Puerto Rico private equity funds
• Counsel to the sponsor of a non-traditional fixed income Puerto Rico investment company
• Counsel to the sponsor and investment adviser of a family office investment adviser and unregistered investment company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as sponsor of an open-end Puerto Rico investment company which invests primarily in United States municipal securities
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the sponsor of a short-term open-end Puerto Rico investment company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the sponsor of a fixed income closed-end Puerto Rico investment company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the sponsor of a multi-portfolio equity open-end Puerto Rico investment company

HOSPITALITY

Finance

• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank with respect to a US$13 million issuance of notes by an issuer to finance the acquisition and remodeling of a hotel in Condado
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank with respect to the US$166 million issuance of notes by an issuer to finance a hotel and resort
• Counsel to a Puerto Rico government entity with respect to a US$25 million subordinated loan to partially finance construction of a hotel

Corporate

• Counsel to leading hotel management chain in connection with renegotiation of two hotel management contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria
• Counsel to Condado-area hotel in connection with its leases and contracts with service providers
• Counsel to potential purchaser of Condado-area hotel

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Finance 

• Counsel to a private equity fund with respect to a US$76 million loan agreement for the refinancing of the credit facility used to acquire a local television station
• Counsel to a telecommunications company in a US$25 million equity investment and US$60 million bridge loan facility provided by European banks
• Counsel to a publicly traded media company in the refinancing of its US$175 million senior credit facilities

M&A

• Counsel to a private equity fund in the US$130 million acquisition of a local television station
• Counsel to the seller of a Puerto Rico regional television station

INVESTMENT ADVISER REGULATION

• Counsel to multiple investment advisers who have relocated to Puerto Rico as a result of Acts 20/22

CAPITAL MARKETS

• Counsel to the United States subsidiary of a European bank as underwriter of a US$557 million issuance of municipal securities by a Puerto Rico government issuer
• Counsel to a United States investment bank as underwriter of the US$1.9 billion issuance of municipal securities by a Puerto Rico government issue
• Counsel to a European bank, as letter of credit bank, in a US$130 million AFICA bond (industrial revenue bond) issuance by a Puerto Rico newspaper company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the underwriter in a US$153.8 million preferred stock issuance by a Puerto Rico bank holding company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the managing underwriter in US$189.6 million preferred stock issuance by a Puerto Rico bank holding company
• Counsel to the Puerto Rico subsidiary of a European bank as the distributor in up to US$500 million Senior Debt Program of a Puerto Rico bank

Chambers Global

• Band 2, Puerto Rico Corporate/Commercial (2018-2024)

Chambers Latin America

• Band 3, Puerto Rico Corporate/Commercial (2024)
• Band 2, Puerto Rico Corporate/Commercial (2018-2022)

The Legal 500 Latin America

• Leading Lawyer, Puerto Rico Corporate, Commercial and Banking (2023-2024)
• Recommended, Puerto Rico Banking and Finance (2022)
• Leading Lawyer, Puerto Rico Corporate and Commercial (2021-2022)
• Recommended, Puerto Rico Dispute Resolution and Bankruptcy (2021)
• Recommended, Puerto Rico Government Contracting (2021)
• Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Corporate and M&A (2018-2019)

IFLR 1000

• Highly Regarded Lawyer, Puerto Rico, Banking, Capital Markets and M&A (2023)

• International Counsel, Corporate & M&A (2024)

Additional Awards

• "Lawyer Of The Year" by Best Lawyers in Puerto Rico in Corporate and M&A Law (2017)
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Puerto Rico for his work in Banking and Finance Law and Corporate and M&A Law (2016-2023)

• "Puerto Rico's Dealers Act: what every principal should know before selling products or services in Puerto Rico" May 3, 2024
• "The Corporate Transparency Act takes effect January 1: Top points for Puerto Rico entities," 19 December 2023
• "Private equity and hedge funds in Puerto Rico – key tax considerations" May 8, 2022
• "Leadership in a time of crisis: Nikos Buxeda" October 14, 2020
• "CARES Act: A lifeboat for Puerto Rico" April 19, 2020
• "Funds take note: Puerto Rico's new Incentives Code is now in effect" August 19, 2019
• "Puerto Rico changes its business permitting process" July 22, 2019
• "Private equity and hedge funds in Puerto Rico – a welcoming environment in the Caribbean" March 14, 2018
• "Public-Private Partnerships in Puerto Rico" March 21, 2017