Leopoldo Olavarría
Leopoldo received his law degree from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (cum laude) in 1987 and his Master of Laws, with honours, from Georgetown University Law Center, in 1988.
In September 2004, Leopoldo joined Macleod Dixon as a partner. Prior to joining the firm, he practiced at another international firm for a period of twelve years. He mainly specializes in the areas of oil & gas, with emphasis on major projects and mergers and acquisitions. He also has significant experience in the areas of competition and commercial law, and international trade and investments.
Leopoldo serves as counsel in major oil and gas project transactions, and has advised project sponsors with regard to development, financing and operations. His experience includes drafting and negotiations in respect of agreements to acquire equity participations in oil and gas producing interests in Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and other Latin American countries, and associated due diligence reviews, joint venture agreements (such as earn-in and farm-in agreements, and joint operating agreements), project development agreements, long-term oil and natural gas supply agreements, and engineering, procurement and construction contracts.
In Venezuela, he specializes in regulatory issues and requirements for the conduct of oil and gas operations, governmental bidding processes and government procurement contracts.
In addition to oil & gas and infrastructure projects, Leopoldo has significant experience in a wide range of other transactional work, including mergers and acquisitions.
Leopoldo was chosen by Latin Lawyer as one of the top twenty five Venezuelan lawyers under forty and is included in the list of leading lawyers in the Venezuelan energy field, published by Chambers Global “The World’s Leading Lawyers.”.
- Georgetown University Law Center, Master of Laws, 1988
- Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, law degree (cum laude), 1987
- Caracas, 1988
- Spanish
- English
- Member of the Miranda State Bar Association
- Coauthor of Venezuelan Chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Gas Regulation, 2008, published by Global Legal Group.
- Coauthor of Reflections on the Venezuelan Regulatory Framework and Projects to Exploit Coalbed Methane. XVIII International Gas Convention, May 2008.
- Speaker of A Comparative Review of the Regulation of CBM Projects. AIPN Conference on CBM, Bogota, November, 2007.
- Coauthor of Analysis of the New Royalty Calculation Rules for Non-associated Natural Gas Projects contained in MEP Resolution 244. XVII International Gas Convention, May 2006
- Coauthor of Impact of PDVSA’s Social Production Enterprises Program and of the new Buy-Venezuelan Decree on the Venezuelan Oil and Gas Industries. XVII International Gas Convention. May 2006
- Speaker of Analysis of the provisions on Unfair Competition of the Bill of Antimonopoly, Anti-Oligopoly and Unfair Competition Law, FEDECAMARAS, Caracas, April 2006
- Coordinator of the Venezuelan Chapter of the Gas Processors’ Association (AVPG) 20th anniversary’s publication entitled Integral Development of the Venezuelan Natural Gas Industry, a Historical and Legal Review. November, 2004
- Author of Conditions for the Development of the Venezuelan Natural Gas Industry – Emphasis on Transportation, Distribution and Commercialization Businesses. November, 2004
- Co-author of Venezuelan Legal Considerations on the Venezuela-Colombia Bi-national Gas Interconnection Project. November, 2004
- Speaker of Measures for the Promotion of National Capital in the Venezuelan Gaseous Hydrocarbons Industry, XVI International Gas Convention (AVPG). May, 2004
- Coordinator and co-author: Legal Regime on Prices and Tariffs of Gaseous Hydrocarbons in Venezuela. XVI International Gas Convention (AVPG). May, 2004
- Author of the Venezuelan Chapter on Agency and Distribution Agreements. Yorkhill Law Publishing publication on International Agency and Distribution Law. February 2001
- Coordinator and co-author of The Venezuelan Gaseous Hydrocarbons Opening: was the regulatory framework properly designed?. 18th World Energy Congress, Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 2001.
- Coordinator and co-author of The Regulation of the Gaseous Hydrocarbon Industry in Venezuela. 2000.
- Chambers Global 2008 Ranking for Energy & Natural Resources
