Francisco Cerezo serves as Chair of DLA Piper's US-Latin America Practice and also leads the firm's Iberian Americas initiative. He focuses his practice on corporate and international matters, advising US and foreign companies, private equity funds, family groups and sovereigns doing business globally and with a focus in the Americas and the Caribbean.

He has extensive experience in corporate and financial services, cross-border transactions, strategic corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and public-private partnerships. He regularly counsels global companies and private equity funds doing business in the Americas on matters ranging from complex transactions and market entry issues to compliance and general corporate strategic counsel.

Francisco also serves as principal outside counsel to several significant family groups on matters ranging from corporate governance and succession planning to representing their underlying portfolio companies in billions of dollars of transactions, ranging from banking and energy to telecom and retail.

Chambers Global recognized him for Corporate/M&A work and cited for "his impressive client list including leading Latin American companies in industries as diverse as financial services, telecoms and tourism, and he has enjoyed notable highlights."

The Legal 500 United States recognized him in the area of mergers and acquisitions and referred to him as "an excellent lawyer and strategic thinker. His roots and experience in the region and his capacity to foster relations set him apart from his peers."

Hispanic Business Magazine recognized him as one of the "50 Influentials," which profiles 50 of the most influential Hispanics in the United States across industries.

Latinvex recognized him as one of Latin America's Top 100 lawyers, and he was further recognized by the Global M&A Network as one of the Top 50 of Americas M&A Dealmakers in the South America and Latin America Dealmakers categories.

State of Affairs in Latin America: A conversation with Ambassador Michael McKinley