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Firm
As we start our
second decade of
existence, Coto
Malley & Tamargo,
LLP (“CMT”)
continues to
experience a
steady growth
and diversity
due to its
accessibility
and agility in
responding to
clients’
requests in a
results oriented
fashion.
CMT is currently
composed of
eleven
attorneys,
specifically
four partners,
an of-counsel,
seven
associates, and
two special
counsels, with
two paralegals
and a staff of
approximately 25
persons.
The firm was
formed in
January 1999,
when the
partners, Ramón
Coto-Ojeda, Jeff
Malley and
Eduardo Tamargo,
separated from
the local
corporate firm
of McConnell
Valdés, Puerto
Rico´s largest
law firm, after
over fifteen
years in that
practice. As
can be discerned
from our
individual and
firm profiles
and from our
representative
client list,
CMT’s practice
is essentially
the same as the
one that the
partners had at
McConnell.
However, the
firm’s focus in
the
representation
of corporate
clients differs
substantially
from the past,
granting clients
a streamlined
staffing of
cases and
matters,
directly through
one of the five
experienced
partners, rather
than through
tiers of
associates or
junior
partners. In
addition, all
the attorneys
strive on
accessibility
and agility in
responding to
clients’
requests in a
results oriented
fashion. The
firm seeks to
address issues
rapidly yet
maintaining
control of legal
expenses for our
clients and
attempts to make
their client’s
issues and
concerns their
own.
CMT is engaged
in the following
practice areas:
general civil,
commercial, tax
and
environmental
litigation,
petroleum
marketing
practices,
warranty and
products
liability, food
liability,
construction,
bids and
government
procurement,
corporate, real
estate,
commercial
banking, trusts
and estates,
bankruptcy and
workouts,
collections and
foreclosures,
antitrust and
trade
regulation,
alternative
dispute
resolution,
trademarks and
copyrights,
distribution and
franchising,
labor and
employment law,
and Cuba
matters.
One focus of the
firm’s practice
is distribution
and franchising
law and, in
particular, Act
75 and Act 21
consultation,
mediation,
arbitration and
litigation.
CMT also handles
product
liability and
warranty cases
and matters for
several clients
in the
automotive,
computer systems
and food
processing
industries and
appear regularly
before the
Department of
Consumer Affairs
(“DACO,” for its
English acronym)
on these and
other
enforcement
proceedings
related to the
petroleum,
computer, food
and automotive
industries. The
firm is also
local counsel
for the Grocery
Manufactures
Association.
We believe that
the firm’s
alternative
dispute
resolution
experience -
both as
mediators and
arbitrators- is
key to any
process of
ascertaining
early on the
least cost vs.
best case
outcomes of
claims and
disputes. We
also provide our
service full
labor and
employment law
services through
experienced
labor special
counsel.
The firm also
handles
securities
industry
customer claims
against the
firm’s
securities
firms’ clients,
including
arbitrations and
mediations, over
allegations of
churning, lack
of supervision,
compliance,
unauthorized
trading, and
selling away
cases, before
the Financial
Industry
Regulatory
Authority (FINRA),
which is the
largest
independent
regulator for
all securities
firms.
The Corporate
Department of
the firm, headed
by Eduardo
Tamargo, is
regularly
involved in real
estate work,
including
negotiations of
shopping center
leases and other
projects, and
commercial loan
and corporate
transactions,
for several
clients in the
telecommunications,
construction,
and banking
industries. We
also helped
TeleCorp
Communications,
Inc. (n/k/a
“AT&T Wireless”)
launch its
wireless
network, and
appear before
the Junta
Reglamentadora
de
Telecommunications
on numerous
matters and
proceedings.
We also handle
our corporate
clients’
consumer affairs
issues, claims
and regulatory
affairs
involving such
varied areas as
labeling,
deceptive
advertisements,
unfair trade
practices,
advertisements,
contests, and
promotions all
of which fall
under the DACO
umbrella.
We also have
substantial
experience in
the
petroleum
marketing
industry having
represented
Shell, ESSO and
Caribbean
Petroleum
Corporation
(“Gulf”);
overall the
partners have a
combined 75
years of
experience in
all facets of
the industry.
The
firm has worked
with several
corporate
clients´
Caribbean,
Central and
South America
(the “Region”)
initiatives in
developing and
overseeing
specific
projects. For
example, we
serve as
coordinating-supervising
counsel for
Discover
Financial
Services for
many marketing
initiatives in
Puerto Rico and
the Region and
have done
litigation
coordination in
the Region for
them and for
Dupont
Pharmaceuticals.
We also assist
several clients
on their Cuba
initiatives by
assisting them
in registering
trademarks,
exploring sales
and trade
opportunities,
organizing
sanctioned
trips, and other
related matters. |
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