Mariana S. Avendaño | Houston | Hogan Lovells

Mariana S. Avendaño

Associate Corporate & Finance

Languages

English, Spanish

avendano-mariana

Mariana S. Avendaño
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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights and events

Mariana’s practice encompasses a wide range of issues affecting energy companies, and she provides clients with strategic advice on a variety of corporate and finance matters. She has handled cross-border negotiations of commercial and non-commercial contracts in both English and Spanish. Her areas of focus include domestic and international corporate projects and transactions, complex commercial agreements, and risk management. Mariana also has experience with the use of INCOTERMS 2020 in international trade. She is trained as a lawyer in both civil law and common law systems. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Mariana served for 7 years as in-house counsel for an international commodities trading company headquartered in Houston.

Mariana’s years of hands-on experience working in-house afford her valuable insights into energy client business priorities and needs. She provides strategic counsel to clients on a variety of matters. She has significant experience drafting and negotiating multinational and multimillion dollar agreements, and provide related legal advice and counsel on contracts for the purchase and sale of commodities, offtakes, distribution, charter party terms, risk and profit sharing, merger deals, asset and equity acquisition agreements, financing agreements, logistics, storage and packaging, guarantees, nondisclosure agreements, among others. 

She has counselled companies in connection with contracts impacted by unforeseeable events, including force majeure events; and identified legal exposure, exit strategies, risks, and mitigating options. 

Representative experience

Represented Japanese petroleum company JX Nippon in the buyout of its partner in a joint venture which developed a CO2 processing facility, a CO2 pipeline, a gas fired peaker plant in Texas.

Managed review, drafting, and negotiation of cross-border transactions, including off-takes, supply, distribution, storage, risk sharing agreements, join ventures, among others.

Advised energy companies on domestic and international corporate projects and M&A transactions.

Advised energy companies on disruptions caused by unforeseeable events, such as force majeure.

Credentials

Education
  • LL.M in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources law, University of Houston Law Center, 2012
  • J.D., Universidad Rafael Urdaneta, Summa Cum Laude, 2009
Bar admissions and qualifications
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Venezuela