Drivers of change in legal profession and legal education

María Teresa has been advising clients for more than 30 years in real estate transactions representing private equity funds, real estate developers, hospitality operators, financial institutions. María Teresa has advised real estate developers in implementing, designing, and drafting documents to develop housing (residential, medium, and low income), retail, industrial projects and in the hospitality industry, she has counseled hotel industry stakeholders as to hotel operations, timeshares, fractional properties. She has broad experience in M&A transactions, designing and implementing diverse investment schemes for institutional and strategic investors and in establishing joint ventures in connection with real estate transactions. In addition, María Teresa advises clients in banking and finance, public biddings, public-private infrastructure projects and corporate law. She has been recognized by Chambers & Partners Latin America, Legal 500 and IFRL1000 as one of the leading lawyers in Real Estate and M&A for several years. María Teresa obtained her JD at Escuela Libre de Derecho in 1990, and thereafter she attended a post-graduate course on International Business, and more recently a Compliance Seminar. In 2015, she attended IPADE Business School’s Executive Management Program. She joined SMPS Legal in 2020 as partner in charge of the Real Estate Practice. Prior to that, María Teresa was founding partner of RomoPaillés, since 2000. From 1996 to 2000, she was an associate in White & Case, in Mexico City and New York. Immediately after law school, she worked as in-house counsel for a real estate and tourism company for 5 years. Other Interests and Activities María Teresa has been involved in D&I issues and working towards the inclusion of women lawyers in all areas of the profession. In 2015, she founded Abogadas MX, with other senior women lawyers, to provide tools and soft skills to younger women lawyers to advance in their careers. María Teresa is currently the president of Abogadas MX. She is a fellow member of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

Fernando Pelez-Pier Mexican by birth and Venezuelan is qualified as Mexican and Venezuelan lawyer. During his legal carrer he practiced in Mexico, Paris and London and joined Hoet Peláez Castillo & Duque in Caracas on 1977. He was an active participant in the development of the corporate area in the Firm and contributed to its strategic management until his retirement as founding partner. Fernando is also a recognized member of the international legal community. He is one of the pioneers of advocacy’s global projection around the world, being Chair of Lex Mundi (1992-1993), Founder and Chair of the Latin American Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA) (1994-1998). Fernando was President of the IBA (2009-2010), Vice President (2007-2008), Secretary General (2005-2006), Chair of the IBA’s Section on Business Law (SBL) (2002-2004), SBL Vice Chair (2000-2002), and SBL Secretary Treasurer (1998-2000). He is currently member of the IBA Council and LPD Council. Fernando has been active in different projects and initiatives within the IBA related to the future of the legal profession. Since his retirement as founding and managing partner of his firm, Fernando has been active as consultant on issues related to the management of professional service firms with special focus on law firms. Since 2015, he became involved in LexLatin and is currently the CEO and the Editor of his specialized newsletter on Managment of law firms. LexLatin is nowadays the strategic partner for Latin-American law firms for positioning through the generation of content the corporate brand of the firm and the personal brand of the partners and associates. LexLatin is also the strategic partner for professional training and education on new skills and abilities required by the legal eco system.