Jaime M. Senior

Practice Areas

Senior Partner at Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández and member of the Firm’s Management Committee. Mr. Senior concentrates his practice on matters of civil, commercial and business organizational laws generally, with an emphasis on mergers & acquisitions, banking and financial transactions and foreign investment.

Mr. Senior’s practice has been recognized by several international publications. Chambers & Partners 2024 distinguishes Mr. Senior as among the top lawyers in the country in its most recent Corporate/Commercial guide, noting that clients state that “Jaime Senior is very pragmatic and solution-oriented. He is extremely responsive” and other clients go on to add “Jaime Senior is excellent. He boasts a deep knowledge of the regulatory environment in the Dominican Republic, coupled with a keen commercial sensibility.” Chambers & Partners 2024 also ranks Mr. Senior in its Real Estate & Tourism guide, noting that he “has great qualities, including attention to detail, strategic vision, systemic thinking and great experience.”

The IFLR 1000 – Financial & Corporate 2023 guide cites client feedback on Mr. Senior in distinguishing him as the only “Market Leader” in the Dominican Republic in banking and mergers and acquisitions, noting that he was “one of the most professional lawyers that I have work with. Knows the business very well. Excellent human relations.” The IFLR 1000 – Energy & Infrastructure guide praises that Mr. Senior’s energy and infrastructure practice, noting that client feedback such as “he was always available, he took on a very complex transaction in a unique area of law and showed himself very willing to learn new material in order to apply his advice. He was quite commercial in his approach in addition to providing strict legal advice which was useful.”

The Legal 500 – 2024 praises Mr. Senior as a “Leading Individual” in the Banking and Finance space and in the Corporate and M&A area, and notes several transactions which he has led, noting his practice in Banking and Finance (a “well regarded for his strength in foreign investment and energy-related transactions”) and Corporate and M&A (“a game changer. He gives you security in the decisions you are making and helps to examine negotiations from all angles”). Likewise, The Legal 500 recommends Mr. Senior in various other areas, such as Real Estate and Tourism (“a key figure for mandates related to the tourism and industrial free zone investments”), Energy and Natural Resources (“prolific in complex financial and corporate transactions in the energy industry”) and Tax matters (“his practice covers the tax elements of corporate, financing and energy matters”).Finally, LatinLawyer 250 – 2024 notes that Mr. Senior is “active in mergers and acquisitions as well as foreign investment” and notes that “his experience in energy transactions ensures the team works a lot on project finance transactions”.

In his practice, Mr. Senior regularly counsels foreign and domestic clients in mergers and acquisitions, the negotiation of all types of commercial agreements, tax matters, financings, corporate reorganizations as well as tourism and industrial free zones investments. Additionally, Mr. Senior is experienced in the supervision and strategy of dispute resolution matters, with an emphasis on disputes related to foreign investment.

Career

Mr. Senior holds a law degree of Doctor en Derecho, Summa cum Laude, from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo, and a Juris Doctor (with a concentration in Business Law and Regulation) from Cornell University Law School, and is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Prior to joining Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández as a partner, Mr. Senior worked for six years as an associate in the New York office of Sidley Austin LLP. Mr. Senior was a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions, Latin America Practice, Private Equity and Investment Funds practice groups. During his time at Sidley, Mr. Senior’s practice was focused on counseling international firms and investors in mergers and acquisitions in the United States and in Latin America. Mr. Senior also represented financial institutions and sponsors in the organization, operation and investment-related aspects of private equity funds, with a focus on Latin America. He also served as creditor’s counsel in a number of restructuring and distressed transactions in all regions of the world. Finally, he has had experience in capital markets transactions, loan origination transactions and structured finance matters.

Work Highlights

Counsel to CIFI (Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura) and the Fondo de Inversión Cerrado Libre in a US$73 million loan, with a second phase of up to US$270 million, for the construction and development of the SIBA Energy thermal plant. Finalist for the “Latin America Banking & Finance – Project Finance Deal of the Year 2023 – Latin Lawyer.”

Counsel to The Bank of Nova Scotia and other lenders in a US$463 million project finance loan extended to Phoenix Tower International. Awarded the “Latin America Energy and Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2023 – Latin Lawyer.”

Counsel to Vinci Airports SAS in the acquisition of Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI, S.A. (Aerodom), operator of 6 airports in the Dominican Republic, including the airport in Santo Domingo.

Counsel to Centro Financiero BHD in its merger with Grupo Financiero León, one of the largest and most important transactions in the history of the Dominican financial sector. The transaction involved assets of over US$4 billion. Finalist for the “Latin America M&A Deal of the Year – Latin Lawer”.

Represented Maverick Foods in its acquisition out of bankruptcy of Munne SRL, the first such acquisition in the Dominican Republic.

Counsel to Banco BHD, as lender, in a US$73 million Dominican Peso denominated loan extended to Inversiones Jabaque for the construction and development of the W Hotel in Punta Cana.

Represented CIFI (Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura) and the Fondo de Inversión Cerrado Libre para el Desarrollo de Infraestructuras Dominicanas I in a landmark Dominican Peso denominated loan in the amount of RD$3.7 billion extended to the owners of Blue Mall (a high-end shopping mall) and the JW Marriott Santo Domingo.

Represented FinDev Canada and Triodos Investment Management in a US$10.2 development finance loan to Maranatha Energy Investment for the development of a 10 MW solar energy plant in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Counsel to the sellers of Red Dot Tech, S.A.S., a Dominican Fintech company, in the sale of a majority interest to ITGES, and the corresponding joint venture transaction entered into among the parties.

Counsel to Inversiones Popular and Banco Popular Dominicana, as arrangers and underwriters, and EGE Haina, as issuer, in the first of its kind issuance of “green bonds” in the Dominican securities market, for a total amount of US$100 million.

Represented STOA Infrastructure and Energy, a French renewable infrastructure investment fund, in its investment in a 100MW wind farm project, called Los Guzmancito, including for its expansion, valued at US$128 million, and the multilateral financing associated with the project.

Counsel to CIFI (Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura) and the Fondo de Inversión Cerrado Libre para el Desarrollo de Infraestructuras Dominicanas I on a US$37 million secured project financing facility to Emerald Solar Energy S.R.L. finance the operation of a 25.0 MW photovoltaic power plant.

Represented Imperial Brands PLC in its reorganization, spinoff and sale of its premium cigar business in the Dominican Republic, in a transaction valued at US$208 million.

Counsel to Integer Holdings in its US$220 million acquisition of Oscor Caribe, a medical device company with extensive operations and manufacturing facilities in the Dominican Republic.

Counsel to Grupo Cisneros in the financing (through a multilateral loan agreement for up to US$170 million) and the development of the tourist project Tropicalia – Four Seasons.

Counsel to Banco BHD León and the Bank of Nova Scotia in a project finance loan extended to Haina International Terminals.

Counsel to the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) in its issuance of US$50 million in bonds as a differentiated issuer in the local securities market.

Counsel to Royal Gold, Inc., in a US$610 million minerals streaming transaction entered into with Barrick Gold, Inc., with reference to the Pueblo Viejo mine.

Counsel to Third Point and Discovery Land Company in their acquisition and project development of the Playa Grande Golf Resort.

Counsel to The Bank of Nova Scotia in a US$50 million project finance loan extended to Coastal Petroleum Dominicana.

Acted as Dominican Republic legal counsel to Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. for the restructuring of its local business operations, carried out in connection with the acquisition by Energizer Holdings, Inc. of Spectrum´s global battery, lighting and portable power business.

Represented MercaSID, S.A., in the acquisition of Unilever’s domestic manufacturing plant and related assets with respect to the cleaning and detergent business.

Counsel to Citiinversiones de Títulos Valores, S.A., as underwriter and structuring agent, in two US$100 million bond issuances by EGE Haina.

Counsel to Citibank, N.A., Sucursal República Dominicana, as administrative and structuring agent of a US$80 million syndicated loan extended to Consorcio Minero Dominicano.

Counsel to Grupo BHD in the purchase of shares in Centro Financiero BHD held by Banco de Sabadell in a transaction with a value of over US$150 million.