Leonardo Palacios Márquez

Practice Areas

Public Law

Tax

Rgulatory Law

Career

Leonardo has extensive experience in Public Law, particularly regarding public finance, taxation and regulatory law, as a result of a solid background in both public and private sectors. He is highly recognized in the legal and business communities for his work, contributions in the design and execution of public policies, and experience in the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of the government, both at a national and a local level.

Such training has allowed him to participate in the restructuring of companies, privatization processes during times of economic opening and deregulation in various sectors—including Oil-and-Gas, during the so-called "Oil Opening" or Apertura model, Telecommunications and Electricity, among others,—or, as in recent decades, in the context of tightening economic regulation and state interventionism.

Leo has contributed to the comprehensive design and execution of strategies for organization, expansion and development of corporations subject to strict regulatory oversight, covering corporate, tax and regulatory aspects, in his capacity as advisor, boardmember, or legal representative in areas such as shipping, capital markets, health, food and agro-business sector, prepaid medical plans and foundations dedicated to cultural activities and economic education.

Leo’s wealth of experience in the public sector has allowed him to become a highly sought-after tax litigator since joining private practice over twenty years ago. He is regularly consulted for assistance in the design of defense strategies before procedures initiated by the Venezuelan Tax Administration (including examination, assessment and collection procedures) and special regulatory proceedings. Similarly, Leo regularly advises on available procedures on the occasion of unlawful conduct by National, State, Municipal and Parafiscal Tax Administrations, including administrative and judicial tax litigation, constitutional proceedings and annulment petitions regarding national, state and/or local tax laws and regulations before the Tax Courts, Administrative Courts, and the Administrative and Constitutional Chambers of the Supreme Court of Justice.