Attorneys

<p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>JUAN RAMÓN CANCIO-ORTIZ</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 28, 1958; admitted to Bar, 1983, Puerto Rico.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Education</strong>: Franklin and Marshall College (B.A., 1980); University of Puerto Rico (J.D., 1983).</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">His practice is focused in the areas of corporate and business law, municipal finance, corporate finance, banking, litigation, real estate, securities, workouts, and mergers and acquisitions. He became initiated in securities work in 1984 in a US Treasury indexed preferred stock offering for Banco de Ponce, then one of the leading banks in Puerto Rico. Since then, Mr. Cancio has participated in numerous offerings of municipal and corporate securities, including swaps, hedges, and derivative products. During this time, in addition to being involved in the purely transactional and regulatory aspects of the transactions in which he participated in, he has also been involved in the determination of the taxation of such financial products. His finance practice involves the representation of borrowers, financial institutions, and private lenders in a diversity of financing transactions, including acquisition, asset based and real estate financings, restructurings, workouts, and purchases and sales of distressed credits. Mr. Cancio has participated in numerous offerings of municipal and corporate securities, including swaps, hedges, and derivative products. During this time, in addition to being involved in the purely transactional and regulatory aspects of the transactions in which he participated, he has also been involved in the determination of the taxation of such financial products. His experience in the taxation of financial products and transactions extends from Puerto Rico taxation to Section 501(c)(3) and Section 103 exempt financings under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Mr. Cancio was designated by the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico as part of the selective group of professionals entrusted with facilitating the successful return of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority to the revenue bond market, after a 20-year hiatus. Through his involvement in the financing and securities offerings, for Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt hospitals and similar facilities in Puerto Rico, Mr. Cancio has also developed significant experience in the regulatory aspects of healthcare law. His expertise in this particular field was recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, during its initial efforts in the privatization of various public healthcare facilities in the 1990s.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Among his most recent work in the field of municipal finance Mr. Cancio has led CCS’ representation as local counsel for the GDB Debt Recovery Authority in the issuance of the $2.6 billion of GDB Debt Recovery Authority Bonds (Taxable) in November 2018, the first Qualifying Modification under Title VI of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) (certified by the Financial Oversight and Management Board, under Section 601(g)(2)(A) of PROMESA, and approved by the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico on November 7, 2018) and our representation of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority in the issuance of $1,300,000,000 of its Senior Revenue Bonds and the refunding of $284,755,000 of its Commonwealth Guaranteed Revenue Bonds in 2008 and $2,095,695,000 of its Senior Lien Bonds under an amended and restated Master Agreement of Trust in 2012.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, Mr. Cancio has been involved in commercial litigation in the local court system and before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in numerous high-stake cases involving multi-million dollar claims, including “<em>bet the company</em>” litigation. Specifically, Mr. Cancio has appeared on three (3) separate occasions before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and was successful in upholding the constitutionality of Act No. 109 approved by the Puerto Rico Legislature, on July 12, 1985, as amended, under the Dormant Foreign Commerce Clause, a case of first impression in the United States.  Mr. Cancio also led the Firm’s efforts to successfully enjoin in local court the payment of a multi-million dollar stand-by letter of credit. Most recently, after a trial that lasted three weeks, Mr. Cancio was able to achieve a judgement in favor of his client, a shopping center owner, of approximately $2,300,000.00 in contract damages against a supermarket chain owner who abandoned the premises after a fire. Before trial, counsel to the supermarket chain offered Mr. Cancio $17,000.00 to settle the matter. Pending final adjudication, Mr. Cancio requested and was granted an order to attach funds of the supermarket chain. As a result, the full amount of the judgement was deposited with the Court.</p> <img class="size-medium wp-image-7604 aligncenter" src="https://ccsllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/11C81D7F61994A3EBEFCA53C09ED8DCD-300x91.png&quot; alt="" width="300" height="91" />

<strong><em>JORGE L. COVAS-MENDOZA</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 17, 1969; admitted to Bar, 1996, Puerto Rico. <b>Education</b>:  University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA and University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, Puerto Rico (B.S.,<i>Cum Laude</i>, 1992); University of Puerto Rico School of Law, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico (J.D., 1995). Mr. Covas has participated to varying degrees in transactions for the issuance of municipal bonds, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt hospital revenue bonds and tourism revenue bonds, as well as participated in the negotiation and drafting of closing documents for complex real estate transactions, stock and asset acquisitions, mergers, and joint ventures, including the acquisition of the Caribe Hilton Hotel by Hilton International, and a number of lease-backed government-sponsored real estate development projects for use by global research and development, IT, and manufacturing companies. Mr. Covas has also worked with clients in organizing corporations, planning and implementing corporate recapitalizations, spin-offs’ and other corporate restructurings and participated in negotiations and drafted documents in connection with the privatization of government assets and services, including representing the government of Puerto Rico during its initial efforts to privatize the public health system. He has prepared and negotiated loan and security documents as well as repurchase and purchase and sale documents for collateralized notes and other securities for the corporate banking, structured finance, investments, asset based lending and workout divisions of the largest commercial bank in Puerto Rico, including trades and workouts of distressed loans, leveraged buy-outs, and project financings.

<strong><em>CARLOS P. SANTIAGO-SARKIS</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 3, 1968; admitted to Bar 1995, Puerto Rico. <b>Education</b>: University of Puerto Rico School of Law, J.D., Cum Laude, 1994; Wallace E. Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, BS Finance, 1990. Mr. Santiago is one of CCS’ founding members, and a member of its Corporate Department. He is primarily engaged in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, secured corporate and commercial finance transactions, debt restructuring and workouts, and general corporate counseling. His finance practice involves the representation of borrowers, financial institutions, and private lenders in a wide range of financing transactions, including acquisition, asset based and real estate financings, restructurings, workouts, and purchases and sales of distressed credits. Mr. Santiago is also experienced in general corporate matters, including the organization of corporations, limited liability companies, and joint ventures, negotiation of commercial contracts, and corporate governance. He has also participated in transactions for the issuance of public and private debt and other securities, and represented both issuers and investors in venture capital formation transactions. Prior to the firm’s founding, he was an associate and later a partner in a large corporate law firm in San Juan. <blockquote><i>Established partner Carlos Santiago offers notable expertise advising clients on M&A transactions, joint venture agreements and debt restructuring mandates.</i> <cite>- Chambers</cite></blockquote> <img class="size-full wp-image-7605 aligncenter" src="https://ccsllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F891D0B1C5204D43B7EDC8B293214F0F.png&quot; alt="" width="200" height="61" />   <img class="wp-image-8362 size-medium aligncenter" src="https://ccsllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Logo-CPS-2024-300x252.jpg&quot; alt="" width="300" height="252" />

<strong><em>RODNEY W. COLÓN-ORTIZ</em></strong>, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, July 19, 1974; admitted to Bar, 2000, Puerto Rico. <b>Education</b>:  University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, and Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (B.B.A., 1996; J.D.,<i>Cum Laude</i>, 2000). Law Clerk for Honorable Juan M. Pérez Giménez, District Judge, U. S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, 2000. Mr. Colón has had continuous involvement in transactions and other matters related to the fields of local and federal litigation, securities, corporate, real estate, administrative and banking law practice and financing. Mr. Colón represents real estate developers in all stages of residential and commercial developments, as well real estate financings, acquisitions, and divestitures. He has also, prepared and negotiated loan and security documents as well as repurchase and purchase and sale documents for one of the principal commercial banks in Puerto Rico. Mr. Colón is involved in various civil and commercial litigation cases representing banking institutions and other commercial entities in both local and federal courts.

<div><span class="s7"><strong><em>CHARLES E. VILARÓ VALDERRÁBANO</em></strong>,<strong> </strong>born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 11, 1979; admitted to Bar, 2006, Puerto Rico; United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, 2006, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, 2010.  </span></div> <div></div> <div><strong>Education</strong>:  University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (B.S. in Accounting, Cum Laude, 2002); University of Puerto Rico, School of Law, San Juan, P.R. (J.D., 2005).</div> <div></div> <div> Mr. Vilaró joined CCS in 2008 as an associate attorney and is a member of its Litigation Department. He is a Junior Partner at CCS. Prior to joining CCS, Mr. Vilaró worked in private practice and in the Puerto Rico Department of Justice’s Office of Federal and General Litigation where he represented government agencies and officials in civil and commercial cases, having also participated as first chair counsel in federal civil jury cases. Mr. Vilaró has approximately fifteen years of litigation experience and concentrates his practice in the areas of creditors’ rights, securities litigation, and commercial litigation, before state and federal courts, agencies and ADR forums (i.e., arbitration and mediation).   Charles represents clients on such matters as shareholder appraisal litigation, derivative actions related to short-form mergers, construction litigation and contractor delays, insurance coverage defense, fraudulent transfer litigation under bankruptcy and local law, land use and permit procurement litigation, contract disputes, health law, medical invoicing litigation, collection of monies, creditors rights, among others. He has also advised and represented corporate entities in expropriation cases, successfully reaching favorable out of court settlements with public corporations. Mr. Vilaró obtained a favorable judgment from the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, in which said court vacated a decision issued by the Court of Appeals in an Act 95 (P.R. Real Estate Broker Law) case on due process grounds (<em>Ana Rivera Delbrey v. Global Equities Realty</em>, AC-2012-0037). Also, after being briefed by Mr. Vilaró, the Supreme Court issued certiorari in another case of first impression involving the litigious credit redemption doctrine as it intertwines with various sections of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. </div>

<p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>CRISTINA MARGARITA GARCÍA HALL</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 23, 1983; admitted to Bar, 2009, Puerto Rico.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Education</strong>: University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (B.A., Social Sciences, <em>Magna Cum Laude</em>, 2006); Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Law School (J.D., <em>Magna Cum Laude</em>, 2009).</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Ms. García-Hall joined CCS in 2010 as an associate attorney and is a member of its Corporate Department. She is a Junior Partner at the firm. Prior to joining CCS, Ms. García-Hall worked in private practice and in the Puerto Rico Sports and Recreation Department. As a member of CCS’ Corporate Department she counsels a wide range of private and public sector entities, including 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, in a broad range of transactions. Ms. García-Hall is primarily engaged in the areas of corporate and commercial law, corporate and municipal finance, commercial lending, mergers and acquisitions, securities, health and administrative law. As part of CCS’ Public Finance practice Group Ms. García Hall has participated in the Firm’s representation as local counsel for the GDB Debt Recovery Authority in the issuance of $2.6 billion GDB Debt Recovery Authority Bonds (Taxable) and the representation of Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority in the structuring, negotiating, drafting and execution of the definitive documents in the constitution of the Trust Funds for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (collectively, the “SRFs”). The establishment of the Trust Funds permitted the Government of Puerto Rico to recover about $195 million in federal funding that had been frozen at the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">She assists clients in diverse transactions, including the issuance of public and private debt and other securities. She has participated in numerous mergers and acquisitions, stock and asset purchase transactions, as well as secured corporate and commercial financings, debt restructurings and workouts. She also provides general corporate counseling and assists clients in a variety of general corporate matters, including the organization of corporations, limited liability companies, negotiation of commercial contracts, and corporate governance, among others.</p>

<div><span lang="ES-PR">Admitted to bar, 1989, Puerto Rico. </span>Education: Georgetown University, Washington, D. C. (B.S., 1985); University of Puerto Rico Law School (J.D., 1989). Ms. Vela-has been continuously involved in transactions and other matters related to the fields of corporate, real estate, administrative, banking law practice and financing. She has prepared and negotiated numerous loan and security documents, as well as repurchase and purchase and sale documents for one of the principal commercial banks in Puerto Rico</div>

<p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>ILEANA M OLIVER-FALERO</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico; admitted to bar, 1999, Puerto Rico; 2001, United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit;</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Education</strong>: Yale University (B.A. Spanish and Portuguese, <em>Magna Cum Laude, </em>Honors in Major, Bildner Prize, 1991); University of Puerto Rico Law School (J.D., 1998, Member of Law Review Board, 1995-1996, 1996-1997).</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Ms. Oliver is an experienced litigation attorney with a comprehensive practice before administrative, state and federal <em>fora.  </em>She is currently an Of Counsel Attorney at the Firm, assisting in special matters and bankruptcy law, representing and providing legal advice to public entities and creditors in proceedings under PROMESA, Titles III and VI, and related adversary litigation.  She also partakes in complex litigation, Act 75, foreclosures and collection of monies’ matters, among others. For several years before, she worked as a Senior Associate at CCS, also with our Litigation Department, participating in, coordinating and supervising state and federal civil, commercial, bankruptcy and appellate litigation.  As part of her endeavors, Ms. Oliver conducted assessments of litigation risks and strategies for individual and corporate clients, in order to streamline proceedings and provide thorough yet cost-effective representation. Through said process, she contributed to securing positive outcomes for clients through advantageous compromise settlements and summary judgments in numerous cases, without the need to incur in costly trial expenses.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Until recently, she worked as Special Assistant to the Director of Legal Affairs of the Municipality of San Juan (and as Interim Director of Legal Affairs), where she was responsible for an array of matters pending before the Office of Legal Affairs of the Municipality, including particularly, the overall coordination and direction of litigation before administrative, state and federal fora with both in-house and outside counsel; analyzing and recommending compromise settlements and defending the same before the Municipal Legislature; and working with the development and analysis of municipal ordinances and regulations; among other undertakings. She has also served as Acting Deputy Solicitor General at the Department of Justice of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Recently, Ms. Oliver was named as Special Solicitor for the Puerto Rico Supreme Court Bar Examining Board Reputation Commission.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">She has also served as Acting Deputy Solicitor General at the Department of Justice of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Office of the Solicitor General represents the Commonwealth and related governmental entities in civil, criminal and administrative appellate proceedings before the state and federal courts. It also conducts and oversees professional disciplinary investigations and actions regarding attorneys admitted to the Puerto Rico Bar.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Ms. Oliver has also worked for other high-profile law firms attending multifaceted litigation; with a particular emphasis on bankruptcy litigation, contested matters and adversary proceedings; catastrophic personal injury cases; Health Law; RICO Act; and Class Actions.  Prior to her work at CCS, Ms. Oliver also worked for a long time with José Raúl Cancio Bigas at his Firm, JRCB Law Offices, where she developed and honed her skills as an experienced Chapter 11 lawyer, representing both debtors and creditors in all aspects of the reorganization process and related adversary litigation.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Ms. Oliver’s representative private clients include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Banco Popular North America, Scotiabank de Puerto Rico (formerly, RG Premier Bank de P.R.), PR Asset Portfolio 2013-1 International, LLC, Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo de Puerto Rico, Inc., Metro Holdings, Inc. and related Metro-Pavía companies, Caribbean Hospital Corporation, Servicios Integrados de Medicina Avanzada de Humacao (SIMAH), Taco Maker, Inc., La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico, MC-21 Corporation, Manley Berenson Montehiedra Mgmt,; Daimler Chrysler,  Commoloco, Inc., Fox Sports Latin America Ltd., Sears Roebuck, Sherwin-Williams, and Univision Communications, among others.</p>

<strong><em>ANÍBAL J. MENDÍN-SÁNCHEZ</em></strong>, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 15, 1979; admitted to Bar, 2013, Puerto Rico. <b>Education:</b>Johnson & Wales University (B.A., Hotel & Restaurant Management), 2005. Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, School of Law, J.D., 2012; Mr. Mendín-Sánchez joined CCS in 2017 as an associate attorney and is a member of its Corporate Department. Prior to joining CCS, Mr. Mendín-Sánchez was an associate in Mendín Marín & Assoc. where he represented various governmental agencies and financial institutions, including the Economic Development Bank for Puerto Rico, the Innovation Fund for the Agricultural Development of Puerto Rico, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, the Puerto Rico Land Administration, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and PR Asset Portfolio International, LLC. He is primarily engaged in the areas of commercial secured financing transactions, corporate law, and foreclosure and collection suits. <div></div>

<strong><em>MICHAEL ROMÁN-CARDONA</em></strong>, born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, July 17, 1985; admitted to Bar, August 2019, Puerto Rico. <b>Education: </b> University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, B.A. in Psychology, 2011. Interamerican University, School of Law, J.D. <i>Magna Cum Laude</i>, 2018. Universitat de Girona, Facultad de Dret, LL.M. (also accredited by Univeristà di Genova and Universidad Austral de Chile), 2018. Mr. Román-Cardona joined CCS in February 2021 as an associate attorney and is a member of its Litigation Department. While in law School, Mr. Román-Cardona served as Director of the Critical Legal Studies Law Review, and worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Ángel Pagán Ocasio at the Extraordinary Remedies Courtroom in the Court of First Instance. He also worked as an intern at Jimenez, Graffam & Lausell and at Pizarro & González. Prior to joining CCS, Mr. Román-Cardona was a solo practitioner and an associate in Rivera-Aspinall, Garriga & Fernandini, PSC, where he provided legal counsel and represented various non-profit and for-profit corporations, governmental agencies, and private clients, including the Puerto Rico Department of Housing, 16 Points Holdings, LLC, Caribbean Custom Cellars, BMF Inc., JLL Distributors, MRA Accounting, among others. He is primarily engaged in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate law, real estate law and notarial practice, labor and employment counseling, intellectual property, and foreclosure and collection suits.