Practice Areas
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Salvador Antonetti-Zequeira has served as a commercial arbitrator or mediator on a number of complex disputes including, among others, Distribution Law (Law 75) matters. Salvador’s experience and temperament make him a trusted resource in this ever-growing trend in the commercial sector.
Antitrust
Our attorneys have advised and represented clients in antitrust matters both before state and federal courts as well as before government agencies such as the Puerto Rico Department of Justice’s Office of Monopolistic Affairs. AMRC’s attorneys have successfully participated in or litigated some of Puerto Rico’s largest antitrust disputes. See, for example, Sterling Merch., Inc. v. Nestlé, S.A., 656 F.3d 112 (1st Cir. 2011); Ramallo Bros. Printing v. El Día, Inc., 490 F.3d 86 (1st Cir. 2007).
Appellate Practice
In addition to having excellent trial skills, AMRC’s attorneys have handled appellate work on a number of matters involving a whole host of legal issues, before the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico and the Supreme Court of the United States. Whether defending a favorable judgment, challenging an agency determination or seeking review from the grant or denial of an injunction, AMRC’s attorneys have ample experience in this crucial stage of the litigation process.
Aviation Defense
AMRC’s attorneys have vast experience representing airlines and aviation insurers in Puerto Rico. Some of the relevant players in the industry previously represented by AMRC’s attorneys include American Airlines, Global Aerospace, Spirit Airlines and USAIG, to name a few. AMRC’s attorneys attend seminars to keep current in aviation law developments and have the expertise to represent clients in a cost-effective manner.
Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization
AMRC’s attorneys have represented banks, corporations and individual creditors, both secured and unsecured, through all phases of a bankruptcy case, including, among others pre and post-petition negotiations, filing of claims, lifting of the automatic stay, objections to confirmation of plans, assumption or rejection of executory contracts, adversary proceedings and dismissal of bankruptcy cases. AMRC’s lawyers know how to work with their clients in a cost-efficient but aggressive manner to maximize the value of their claims.
Creditor Rights and Lender's Liability
AMRC’s attorneys have successfully defended local as well as national lending institutions in actions involving claims of negligence, misrepresentation, fraud, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duties, among others. Our attorneys have also represented lending institutions against claims involving the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as well as Puerto Rico’s Unfair and Deceptive Practices Acts and Regulations, among other special staututes.
Construction Law
AMRC’s attorneys have represented a whole host of clients in this area of the law, including developers, general contractors, architects, engineers and financial institutions providing financing for construction projects. Disputes in which AMRC’s attorneys have been involved include claims for construction defects, damages, breach of contract, claims before the Department of Consumer Affairs of Puerto Rico and lenders liability disputes, among others.
Distribution Law (Law 75)
AMRC’s attorneys have been involved in all sorts of disputes related to the Puerto Rico Dealer’s Act, commonly known as Law 75. In particular, Salvador Antonetti-Zequeira has been involved in dozens of such cases, some of which have generated leading jurisprudence in our jurisdiction, and has written various articles on the subject. See, for example, “Puerto Rico’s Dealer Act”, Commercial Law Journal (1987); “The Measure of Damages Under Law 75”, UPR Law Review (1989). José L. Ramírez-Coll has also represented high profile clients in Law 75 matters before federal and state courts.
Estate Law
AMRC’s attorneys can offer assistance in this important field of the law, in matters of estate planning as well as the prosecution of probate cases. AMRC’s attorneys have represented clients in this field from diverse backgrounds and with different needs, from executives of corporate clients with significant assets to individuals of more modest means who are just looking for some peace of mind. AMRC’s attorneys have also successfully represented corporations brought into probate court disputes.
Foreclosures
AMRC’s attorneys have efficiently handled all aspects of residential and commercial foreclosures, from default through judicial sale and thereafter, and have assisted clients such as banks, asset managers, in-state and out-of state investors in state and federal proceedings. AMRC’s attorneys have represented lenders in large-scale foreclosures involving numerous guarantees, cases with multiple parties, claims and counterclaims, construction cases involving lending institutions, receivership proceedings, lender liability matters and a whole host of other legal issues in this area of the law.
Government Contracts and Procurement
AMRC’s attorneys have represented government contractors and suppliers in their dealings with agencies of the central government and municipalities. For example, AMRC’s attorneys have successfully challenged or defended government bidding awards and have successfully litigated contract disputes between private and public entities.
Health Law
AMRC’s attorneys have provided legal representation to a vast array of clients in this field, including insurance companies, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies as well as individual physicians, in a wide range of controversies, including contract disputes, class action litigation, RICO and antitrust claims, securities claims, product liability claims and general tort claims, among others. AMRC’s attorneys have also represented clients before the Health Department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in proceedings related to the issuance, renewal and amendments to certificates of need and convenience.
Insurance
For years, AMRC’s attorneys have successfully represented local and stateside insurance companies in the prosecution and defense of a multiplicity of claims, including personal injury matters, health insurance matters, ERISA, fraud claims, officers and directors’ liability, derivative actions, coverage issues, class actions and antitrust disputes involving insurance companies, among others.
Intellectual Property
The field of intellectual property, which incorporates trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and patent law, is an area of the law that literally changes on a daily basis, as technological advances generate new legal questions. AMRC’s attorneys are up-to-date in this ever-changing field, particularly in the areas of trademarks and copyrights. AMRC’s attorneys have represented clients in a number of trademark disputes, both in commercial and labor settings. José Luis Ramírez-Coll has successfully tried bench and jury trials involving copyrights, on behalf of plaintiffs as well as defendants. María L. Montalvo-Vera and José L. Ramírez-Coll have offered a number of seminars in this field, particularly involving fair use.
Product Liability Defense
AMRC’s attorneys have litigated a whole host of product liability disputes, from cases before administrative agencies involving low exposure claims to Multi District Litigation (MDL) involving hundreds of parties and issues. Some of the clients previously represented by AMRC’s attorneys include Nissan and Daimler, among others.
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)
The RICO Act is a federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO also has a civil component, usually invoked in cases where extortion, mail or wire fraud are alleged. The RICO Act is a very complex statute that has generated diverse jurisprudence across the judicial circuits of the United States. AMRC’s attorneys have successfully defended clients in some of the largest RICO cases on the island, involving multiple plaintiffs, usually in a class action setting, as well as a large number of defendants. See, for example, Sánchez v. Triple-S Mgmt., Corp., 492 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2007) (RICO class action).
Telecommunications
AMRC’s attorneys have represented telecom clients from all major segments of the telecommunications industry in a broad range of legislation, general litigation, regulatory affairs, administrative appeals, antitrust, contract drafting, negotiations, and business and transactional work in this ever-changing sector. For example, María L. Montalvo-Vera has extensive experience representing clients such as the Puerto Rico Telephone Company in administrative cases as well as large class action lawsuits.