Sepulvado, Maldonado & Couret

FIRM OVERVIEW
Managing Partner: Elaine M. Maldonado
Partners: Lee R. Sepulvado, Albeniz Couret and Anibal J. Nuñez
Of Counsel: 2
Associate Attorneys: 5

AREAS OF PRACTICE
Dispute Resolution - 20%
Injunctive & Preliminary Relief - 15%
Employment Law - 10%
Environmental Law - 3%
Trademark & Copyright Infringement - 7%
Franchising & Distribution - 10%
Antitrust & Competition Law - 7%
Shareholder Rights - 8%
Appellate Practice - 10%
Government Affairs - 5%
Real Estate - 5%

THE FIRM
Sepulvado, Maldonado & Couret (SMC) is a dispute resolution law firm of 15 lawyers and professionals. It represents and counsels local, national and multinational clients in various commercial disputes. SMC works with clients to develop and implement preventive strategies as to foreseeable or incipient conflicts. The firm has developed a powerful cross-border network of law firms and professionals to provide complete solutions to clients in the United States, Latin America and Europe. SMC’s goal is to provide each client with responsive and cost-effective representation, and access to a full range of legal services.

In addition to its oil and gas industry practice, SMC is well-known for its injunctive and preliminary relief experience in state and federal courts. The firm also represents clients in disputes covering employment law, environmental law, trademark and copyright infringement, stockholder rights law, and complex contractual litigation of commercial nature. The firm’s partners are well-known for their ability to handle sophisticated commercial disputes and decision-making. SMC also assists clients in government affairs work.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
Oil & Gas Distribution: The firm offers strategic direction on legal matters affecting the oil and gas industry leaders. It handles litigation and advises directors on all issues concerning the Puerto Rico oil and gas marketing industry, including a high-profile and large-scale cases related to matters covering topics of antitrust and trade regulation, trademarks, franchising and distribution, real estate, environmental liability, regulation, and taxes, among others. It also engages in client-specific and industry-wide lobbying efforts.

Contract & Commercial Litigation: The firm’s accomplished team leads advocacy efforts and handles many complex commercial disputes, securities litigation, mass tort and multi-district product liability litigation, antitrust matters, fast-paced injunction proceedings, and class actions. The professionals appear and are admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the First & Second Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the Southern District of New York, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals, the Puerto Rico Court of First Instance, and federal and state administrative forums.

Injunctive Relief: The firm has presented and defended well over sixty (60) cases in the last fifteen (15) years involving injunction petitions or requests for other extraordinary remedies. This experience allows the team to design and implement complete litigation strategies within very tight deadlines. The firm has been engaged to represent various clients in injunction litigation related to high-profile individuals and issues of high public interest. Similarly, the injunction litigation handled by the firm covers a wide array of legal problems, including controversies of constitutional law, trademarks, franchising and distribution, intellectual property, corporations, public health and safety, administrative law, and antitrust, among others.

Employment & Benefits: The firm represents small entrepreneurs, large multinational corporations, and companies seeking to establish operations in the Island. The professionals provide advice to human resources management in employment and welfare benefits. The practice is led by one of the firm’s managing partners. The employment and benefits practice area regularly carries out general labour, employment, benefits, and employment counseling for its clients. The firm’s attorneys periodically review and prepare employee policies and regulations, as well as prepare and represent clients in collective bargaining negotiations. The attorneys have handled nearly every type of employment matter, including claims for discrimination, wrongful termination, worker’s compensation, arbitration, wages and hours, and employee benefits.

Antitrust: These developments require an understanding of the applicable antitrust laws and the specific business aspects of each client confronting these challenges. The firm has experience and proven ability defending and promoting antitrust and unfair business practices litigation in Puerto Rico. Some of the topics covered include unfair business practices, price discrimination, price fixing, predatory pricing and dumping, monopolisation, general counseling and strategic planning, regulatory compliance, administrative proceedings, and lobbying and public advocacy.

Intellectual Property: The firm’s practice focuses on diversity and creativity. Mastering trademark, branding, copyright, and trade secrets laws. The firm’s intellectual property litigation practice expands to matters about trademarks and copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and antitrust issues related to intellectual property topics. Similarly, the firm has played a significant role in various commercial disputes with intellectual property ramifications, such as disputes involving licensing, the transfer of intellectual property rights, or technology-related negotiations.

Shareholder Litigation: The firm provides counsel and litigation representation for shareholders, corporations, directors and officers, partnerships, and limited liability companies involved in lawsuits related to disputes of corporate governance and principles of fiduciary duties. The team has successfully represented clients in challenges to mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions.

Appellate: The firm has briefed and argued cases on appellate level involving constitutional law, administrative law, antitrust, trademarks, federal jurisdiction, intellectual property, distribution and franchising, insurance law, and stockholder rights. The team regularly apply the appellate briefing approach at the trial level, and have published several articles on topics of constitutional law and international relations.

Government Relations: The firm has substantial government relations experience in the field of oil and gas, energy, environmental, taxes, and antitrust. The firm’s professional resources include former elected officials and top aides from Puerto Rico’s political and public policy landscape.

Private Clients: The firm assists its private clients with matters related to personal and family real estate, family law, estate planning, individual civil law actions, controversies related to closely held corporations, finance and securities, general litigation, and dispute resolution.

LANGUAGES: English, Spanish.

CLIENTS
SMC’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, multinational and US corporations doing business in Puerto Rico. The firm also represents important participants in some of Puerto Rico’s largest industries.

CONTACTS
Dispute Resolution: Lee Sepulvado & Albéniz Couret
Employment & Environmental Law: Elaine Maldonado