John Rogers concentrates his practice in the areas of banking, corporate, international, insolvency matters, and foreign investment law, with a focus on Latin American banks and companies. Formerly chief counsel of Bank of America in Mexico, he resided in Mexico for 19 years and was in charge of Strasburger's Mexico City office until he returned to the U.S. to open the firm's New York office in 2007.  Mr. Rogers has broad experience in bank lending transactions and loan workouts, project finance, joint ventures, acquisitions, securitization, and international bondholder representation. He is also actively involved in the development of new financing and investment vehicles for banks and investors initiating or expanding operations in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. In addition, he has experience in the telecommunications field, including air to ground telephony, satellite communications, and local telephony; and in energy matters including natural gas distribution and transportation.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Infrastructure Finance. Represented international investors in $207 million of bonds issued to finance Mexican toll highways.

Project Finance.  Represented U.S. security trustee in connection with four project finance transactions involving Mexican energy projects.

International Secured Loans.  Represented U.S. and European banks in loans secured by shares of Mexican companies, accounts receivable and other collateral.

Bankruptcy. Represents U.S. indenture trustee on behalf of holders of $100 million in notes issued by Mexican company which filed for bankruptcy in Mexico.  Also assisted trustee for bankrupt U.S. truck line in connection with winding up Mexican subsidiaries’ operations, including negotiations with Mexican creditors and joint venture partners.

Trade Finance. Represented U.S. bank lending to Mexican importers of U.S. goods. Obtained loan insurance and guarantees from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Technology JV. Represented U.S. investor in Mexican venture-capital company formed as a “SAPI” joint venture with Mexican and European partners, to import Danish technology supporting the development of the Mexican market for Mortgage-backed securities.

Telecommunications. Represented companies engaged in local telephone, satellite and air-ground telephone operations; represented local telephony provider in negotiating and documenting $22 million in vendor financing.

Mexican Government Debt. Represented major U.S. bank in connection with restructuring of more than $50 billion of the external debt of Mexican government and its agencies in 1982-1990.

Syndicated Acquisition Financing. Represented European bank in $75 million syndicated bridge financing of acquisition by Mexican investors of majority stake in large Mexican retailer.

Collateralized Restructuring. Represented European lenders in debt restructuring for which innovative collateral arrangement was developed with warehouse receipts covering sugar.

Foreign Investment. Assisted U.S. investors in establishing Mexican limited liability company to be used as vehicle for joint venture and “flow-through” entity for U.S. tax purposes.

Acquisitions. Assisted Mexican chemical company in $500 million acquisition of Latin American plastic pipe producers; and represented European consumer-products company in negotiation of acquisition of $26 million in assets of Mexican company.

Transportation.  Represented U.S. vessel owner in structuring and implementing joint venture with Mexican operator to furnish supply vessels under Pemex contract; represented U.S. truck line in structuring and negotiating loan to Mexican truck line; and assisted U.S. helicopter and Canadian submarine providers in structuring Mexican joint ventures for tourism industry.

Credit Bureaus. Represented U.S. credit reporting company in establishing and operating Mexican subsidiary.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Co-author, Liquidation of Multinational Companies: Implications for Mexican Subsidiaries, The National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Spring 2010.

Co-author, Cross-border jurisdiction of US bankruptcy law, Global Financial Crisis:  Navigating and Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Aspects, 2009 Globe Business Publishing Ltd

Co-author, Recent Changes in Mexican Law May Affect Loan Sales, Securitizations, Latin American Law & Business Report, Volume 16, Number 7,  June 31, 2008

Co-author, The Financial Crisis and Implications for U.S.-Mexico Bankruptcies and Restructurings, Latin American Law & Business Report, November 2008.

Co-author, Private Equity Investments in a Mexican “SAPI”: Implications for Shareholder Agreements and Exit Strategies, North American Free Trade & Investment Report, January 15, 2007.

Co-author, Mexico looks forward to era of public-private deals, IFLR, November 2005

Co-author, Theory vs. Practice: Creditor Rights in Mexico since Creation of Non-Possessory Pledge and Guaranty Trust, Latin American Law & Business Report, December 31, 2005.

Co-author, Mexico Looks to Denmark on Mortgage-Backed Securities, Global Banking and Financial Policy Review (2004-2005).

Maximizing Creditor Recovery in Corporate Restructurings. Mexico: Some Legal Issues, Creditor Types, and Case Studies, LatinFinance Conference (Miami, Florida, November 2003).

The Challenges to Bondholders and Their Trustees Under Mexico''s Bankruptcy Regime, International Financial Law Review (September 2003). 

Buying a Mexican Transportation Company, Transportation Lawyers Association Annual Conference (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, May 2002).

Critical Financing and Credit Issues for Businesses Operating in Mexico Today, Strasburger & Price, LLP Fall 2001 Corporate Counsel Series (Dallas, Texas).

Co-author, Foreign Banks in Mexico: On the Verge of a New Era?, 7 U.S.-Mex. L.J. 11 (Spring 1999).

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Fluent in Spanish.

Member of the Board of Directors of The United States-Mexico Law Institute, Inc.

Mr. Rogers is listed in Euromoney’s Expert Guide for Banking Lawyers.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Inter-American Bar Association; American Bar Association (Co-Chair, Mexican Law Committee 1999-2002); Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Chair, Committee on Inter-American Affairs, 1984-86); New York State Bar Association; International Bar Association.

Admitted, New York. Not admitted in Mexico.

EDUCATION

Columbia University School of Law, J.D. 1969
Columbia University School of International Affairs, M.I.A. 1969
Harvard College, B.A. (magna cum laude) 1965