Within the last month, four independent publications gave resounding confirmation of the market excellence of Shearman & Sterling’s Latin America Project Development & Finance practice, with 13 tier 1 rankings and four deal of the year awards.

LatinFinance held its Infrastructure Finance Awards ceremony in New York on September 30, delivering four awards to complex project financings on which Shearman & Sterling advised, including:

• Best Power Financing – Chaglla Hydro Project in Peru
• Best Renewable Energy Financing – Chaglla Hydro Project in Peru
• Best Infrastructure Financing: Andes – Chaglla Hydro Project in Peru
• Best Bond – Eten Power Project in Peru

Chambers Latin America, released a week earlier, continued its uniform tier 1 rankings of the firm’s project/finance practice as follows:

• Tier 1 in Latin America-wide Project Finance – practice noted for its “…excellent performance…The lawyers were always ahead of the issues during negotiations."
  • Cynthia Urda Kassis ranked Tier 1 in Latin America-wide Project Finance (1 of 8 total); Urda Kassis was also ranked Tier 1 in Latin America-wide Energy & Natural Resources (1 of 5 total)
  • Additional partners ranked for Latin America-wide Project Finance section included Howard Steinberg
• Tier 1 in Latin America-wide Banking & Finance – “The work is impeccable,” according to clients interviewed by Chambers, and the team is “very familiar with customer issues on behalf of banks or borrowers.”
  • Denise Grant ranked Tier 1 in Latin America-wide Banking & Finance (1 of 6 total)
  • Jeanne Olivier and Cynthia Urda Kassis ranked Tier 2 in Latin America-wide Banking & Finance (each is 1 of 10 total)

Legal 500 Latin America also released its rankings in September and, like the others, underlined the preeminent reputation of the firm’s projects and finance teams across the region, including:

• Tier 1 in Latin America Project Finance – practice noted for its “deep bench of project finance lawyers that are fully dedicated to Latin America.” Legal 500 Latin America also reported that the firm is noted for its “especially fine reputation for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, which is a key strength of the firm globally” and “well known for its work in the mining sector, as well the broader energy sector, including power and renewable power.”
  • Cynthia Urda Kassis named Leading Lawyer in Latin America Project Finance (1 of 15 total)
  • Howard Steinberg, Denise Grant and Jeanne Olivier additionally receive mentions as noteworthy lawyers in Latin America Project Finance
• Tier 1 in Latin America Banking & Finance – practice noted for its “unsurpassed experience and senior expertise,” with an “excellent team…always available, on time and accurate.”
  • Denise Grant named Leading Lawyer in Latin America Banking & Finance (1 of 7 total)
  • Jeanne Olivier named Leading Lawyer in Latin America Banking & Finance (1 of 7 total)
  • Cynthia Urda Kassis additionally received mentions as noteworthy specialists in Latin America Project Finance

Finally, IFLR1000, focusing on key project sectors across the region, ranked Shearman & Sterling's team as follows:

• Tier 1 in Latin America – Energy and Infrastructure: Finance – practice noted as “a major force in several Latin American jurisdictions.”
  • Cynthia Urda Kassis named Leading Lawyer in Project Finance
  • Howard Steinberg additionally receive mentions as noteworthy lawyers in Latin America Project Finance