Reichard & Escalera LLC

Managing Partner: Rafael Escalera-Rodríguez
Partners & Counsels: Héctor Reichard de Cardona, Rafael Escalera-Rodríguez, Carlos E Serrano, Juan Carlos Méndez, Rafael Alonso-Alonso
Number of capital partners: 4
Number of other professionals: 22

Contacts:
Litigation, Franchising, Distribution, Civil Rights, Regulated Markets: Rafael Escalera-Rodríguez
Transactional, Real Estate, Communications, Notary Law, & Labour: Héctor Reichard De Cardona
Corporate & Government Affairs: Juan Carlos Méndez
Taxes: Carlos E Serrano

Firm Overview:
Reichard & Escalera LLC is a 37 year old full-service law firm of 26 professionals including tax consultants, law clerks and paralegals, with a state, national and international law practice. The firm concentrates on the representation of business interests in all areas of commercial law.

The firm’s offerings include counselling, especially in corporate, tax and real estate fields, as well as general and business litigation, including products liability, business torts, bankruptcy, environmental, discrimination and employment related issues, antitrust, RICO and an extensive practice in the area of special litigation, emerging from the Puerto Rico distribution and sales representation laws (laws 75 and 21) and complex general litigation.

The firm handles regulated market litigation and other constitutional business matters. The firm has developed a niche practice in the area of local and federal appeals.

The firm’s corporate, taxation, human resources, environmental, energy, banking, government affairs and intellectual property groups have been instrumental in assisting clients with the organisation and the furtherance of their business interests, while affording the opportunities to maximise the advantages offered by the Puerto Rico Industrial Incentives Act, the Tourism Development Act and other statutes that offer unique tax and investment advantages for certain industries in Puerto Rico. As an additional service to its clients, the firm assists in representing before governmental and legislative bodies those issues of interest to clients. The firm also provides, on a regular basis, information as to the movement of bills filed before the legislature, or before the different municipal assemblies.

Main Areas of Practice:
Commercial Litigation-Defence: 50%
Corporate: 25%
Labour-Management: 5%
Taxation: 15%

Government Relations: 5%
Reichard & Escalera LLC has developed a powerful corporate practice with a wide network of related law firms with which it has worked to structure complex international transactions.

Reichard & Escalera LLC has been instrumental in securing financial facilities for its clients and provides advice to International Financing Entities. The firm’s litigation practice counts with Mr Rafael Escalera Rodríguez, the designated country expert in franchising, distribution and sales representation law for the International Distribution Institute in Torino, Italy. Mr Escalera is also the only Puerto Rico Supreme Court certified lecturer on these subjects for the local Continuing Legal Education Program. Lastly, the firm counts with Carlos Serrano and some of the premier tax practitioners on the Island spanning most areas of tax exempt and taxable cross border planning, to state and local audit support and tax disputes.

Recent Examples:
■ The firm’s lawyers have been lead counsel in several cases before the US Supreme Court during the past years
■ Presently, the firm is lead counsel for the major fresh milk producer in Puerto Rico in a precedent setting regulated market case
■ Representing one of the world largest fast food franchisors in a multi-layered dispute against the majority of the franchisees in Puerto Rico
■ Represents an international bank in a major securities fraud case
■ Representing a major insurer in a complex RICO case claim and in a multi-district class action litigation case in Alabama
■ Representing the Association of International Banking Entities
■ Representing the Association of Automobile Importers
■ Represents a major local bank in several lenders’ liability related cases
■ Providing advice to high net worth individuals relocating to Puerto Rico under Act 22-2012, on tax, estate, trust and business matters
■ Counselling for local management and headquarters of MNEs doing business in Puerto Rico
■ Assisting US and foreign business in setting up export operations under Act. 20-2012
■ Represents a coalition of bondholders in disputes related to Puerto Rico’s municipal debt

Clients:
The firm’s client base includes major international and US pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, financial institutions, construction and development entities, energy companies, telecommunications companies, and multinational technology and insurance firms. Reichard & Escalera LLC has a strong client base in the advertising area, the food business, principals and major franchisors, major retailers, lottery, automobile, pharmaceuticals, manufacturers and liquor companies.