Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues to strengthen its robust and award-winning Latin America Practice with the addition of Matt Squires, former head of the Latin America practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
Squires, who will be based in the firm’s Salt Lake City office and continue to focus his practice on Latin America, has represented clients in connection with over $30 billion in cross-border transactions in the Latin American region. With nearly two decades of experience, he brings a deep understanding of the Latin American legal and business landscape, particularly in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. His culturally attuned, business-focused counsel helps clients navigate complex financings, mergers & acquisitions, and capital markets transactions across borders.
“Matt is a true leader in Latin America,” Chief Executive Officer Brian L. Duffy said. “Not only does his practice complement Greenberg Traurig’s strategic expansion in the region, but he also shares our high standards for client service and commitment to the community. We are proud to welcome an attorney of his caliber whose collaborative approach and cross-border experience will enhance the value we deliver to clients globally.”
Squires has played a pivotal role in some of Latin America’s most notable transactions, covering a wide range of industries, including AI, SaaS, fintech, biotech, proptech, robotics, cloud infrastructure and other technology and software-focused businesses, clean energy, telecom, financial services, health care, and infrastructure. He advised Pismo on its $1 billion acquisition by Visa, a landmark transaction in the global fintech space.
In the venture and growth equity space, Squires represented Brazilian real estate platform QuintoAndar in its acquisition of Buenos Aires-based Navent Group – a cross-border proptech deal in which Greenberg Traurig represented Navent. The transaction earned the Latin Lawyer 2022 Private Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Deal of the Year Award.
“Matt is one of the top lawyers in Latin America, and we are excited to welcome him to the Greenberg Traurig family,” said Antonio Peña and Marc M. Rossell, co-chairs of the firm’s Latin America Practice. “Matt’s arrival reinforces our unique strategy of representing clients with a team of more than 60 U.S.-based attorneys focused on Latin America work, which complements our full-service local law offering in Mexico and our additional global capabilities.”
“Matt is a recognized authority in the Brazilian market. He brings with him a track record of leadership and innovation in the region and his hire highlights the growth of our Brazil Practice and our continued commitment to our São Paolo office,” said Miami Office Co-Managing Shareholder Yosbel A. Ibarra, who together with Peña heads the Brazil office and practice.
Greenberg Traurig’s Latin America Practice includes more than 120 attorneys across offices in São Paulo, Mexico City, and the United States. The São Paulo office provides U.S. law advice to clients seeking to do business in Brazil, as well as Brazilian clients considering expansion in the United States and globally. Greenberg Traurig’s Brazil Practice acts as foreign legal consultants under U.S. law and does not practice Brazilian law, per local regulation.
“What attracted me to Greenberg Traurig was the opportunity to join a firm with Latin America embedded in its DNA, especially one with offices in Brazil and Mexico,” Squires said. “The firm’s unique global platform will expand my options for serving clients, while allowing me to offer more integrated services and a flexible model to help venture-backed companies scale their operations both in Latin America and beyond.”
Squires’ hiring also aligns with the continued growth of the Salt Lake City office, which opened in 2020 and has nearly 30 attorneys across approximately 15 practice areas.
“Matt’s experience advising high-growth companies and investors brings a valuable perspective to our team and strengthens our ability to serve Utah’s dynamic and expanding Silicon Slopes market,” said Annette W. Jarvis and Tracy S. Combs, co-managing shareholders of Greenberg Traurig’s Salt Lake City office, in a joint statement. “As a Utah native, his deep roots within the community, along with his thriving practice, will help support the office growth and enhance the Corporate Practice’s capabilities to better serve the local business community as it increasingly engages with international markets.”
Fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish, Squires earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law and holds an M.A. and B.A. from Brigham Young University. His strong connection to Brazil began in the late 1990s when he served a two-year mission in the country.