Luis Lucero joins Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal

Luis E. Lucero has represented key clients in the sector such as Xstrata, AngloGold Ashanti, Rio Tinto, Vale, Cameco Corporation, Silver Wheaton, Hochschild Mining plc, Denison Mines, Andean Resources, Pan American Silver and Newmont. He has been involved in major projects such as Bajo de la Alumbrera (copper-gold) and Cerro Vanguardia (gold-silver), as well as a string of M&A deals and asset-related transactions in the sector. These include the sale by Rio Tinto to Vale of the Potasio Rio Colorado project as well as the acquisition of Andean Resources (Cerro Negro project) by Goldcorp.

Lucero has been on the board of several mining and gas distribution companies. He is a regular speaker at international conferences on mining law, particularly IBA events, and has appeared as an expert witness on Argentine law before the Supreme Court of Vancouver, Canada. He has also been a professor at several major Universities in Argentina and has recently conducted workshops in Scotland at the Center for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee, where he was appointed Honorary lecturer in 2010.

Alfredo O’Farrell, chair of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal’s executive board, commented on the hire of Lucero: “We are thrilled to welcome Luis to the team. He is one of the most highly respected mining lawyers both in Argentina and across Latin America. In recent years we have placed great emphasis on building a market-leading practice group dedicated to mining and there is nobody better than Luis to take this practice group to the next level.”

Marval launched a practice group dedicated to Mining Law at the end of 2009, following the return to the firm of mining specialist Leonardo Rodríguez. Since its official launch, and under the guidance of Rodríguez and senior energy and natural resources partner Francisco Macías, the practice group has gone from strength to strength, advising key clients in the sector, such as Hochschild Mining, Coeur d’Alene and La Mancha Resources.

Lucero is recognised as a leading expert in mining law by several key publications, including Chambers Global, Chambers Latin America, International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers and Latin Lawyer. Chambers Latin America 2011 describes Luis Lucero as “one of the most prestigious lawyers in this field in the country,” and goes on to say: “he has participated in the development of a number of the principal mining projects in Argentina, giving him a very clear vision of the industry.”