Santiago J. Padilla joined the firm’s Miami office as a partner in 2014, bringing 24 years of transactional and litigation experience. He has built a formidable legal career focused in the areas of international project development and finance, government privatization, international financing transactions, immigration law, real estate, business acquisitions and joint ventures, energy, corporate law, and employment law.

Mr. Padilla has represented major U.S. companies with the acquisition of energy projects in Latin America and Europe, and drafted bidding and transaction documents including Letters of Intent, MOUs, Power Purchase Agreements, Joint Venture Agreements, and Stock Purchase Agreements.

He has also represented or served as counsel to Latin American countries for construction and privatization matters, and assisted private companies in acquiring a major or controlling interest in privatized companies.

Furthermore, in solo practice Mr. Padilla has worked with the USCIS and overseas U.S. Consulates regarding hundreds of business immigration petitions, and has handled a wide variety of residential and commercial real estate transactions. He litigated over 120 cases in state and federal courts in solo practice involving contract disputes, collections under commercial sales contracts, employment disputes, non-compete agreements and enforcement of foreign-country judgements.

Prior to joining Fowler Rodriguez, Mr. Padilla operated a solo practice for 13 years, and had worked for various national and regional law firms.

Publications

• “An Approach to Due Diligence in International Projects,” M. Stuart Sutherland and Santiago J. Padilla, Georgia Bar Journal, Fall, 1995
• “The Privatization of Yacyretá - Issues for Private Sector Participants,” J. Alberto González-Pita, Santiago J. Padilla and Baruki González, Project Finance International, Spring 1996
• “Charting a Course: Analyzing and Mitigating Project Risk,” J. Alberto González-Pita, Santiago J. Padilla and Baruki González, Corporate Finance in Latin America (Latin Finance Special Supplement), March 1996
• “Financiación de Megaproyectos,” J. Alberto González -Pita, Santiago J. Padilla, Dinero, April 1996
• “Mexican Electric Power Development Plan- The Foreign Investor Perspective,” Alexis E. Rovzar, Santiago J. Padilla and Rafael Romo, Latin American Law and Business Report, May 1996

Conferences

• “Electric Power Rate-Making and the Role of the Public Service Commission,” Seminar on Electric Energy Regulation sponsored by Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, Georgia, November 1993
• “Characteristics of Power Purchase Agreements in Latin America,” The Second Mercosur Energy Summit, Miami, Florida, October 1996
• “Bidding on and Obtaining IDB Financed Projects”, Inter-American Development Bank Conference on Infrastructure Project Development, Miami, Florida, July 1998

Community Involvement

• Resort Villa Condominium Association- President of the Board of Directors, Key Biscayne, Florida, May 1998-December 2004