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Editor’s note: This article is published as part of Smith Gambrell’s sponsorship of Global Atlanta.
A prominent Atlanta law firm has launched an updated Latin America practice, building on its experience in the region while seeking fresh opportunity in the city’s deep business links across the Western Hemisphere.
Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP highlighted the new initiative during a reception at its Midtown rooftop terrace, where some 130 people, including influential members of the city’s Hispanic and Latino business community, gathered to network and share strategies for success.
The refreshed practice is spearheaded by Javier Gonzalez, a Venezuela-born attorney with more than 20 years of experience involving corporate deals and commercial transactions across Latin America, Europe and the U.S., including a decade in Georgia, where he has carved a niche in the Latin America lane.
After gaining a degree from the University of Georgia law school in 2017, Mr. Gonzalez served on the boards of the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association and the international law section of the Atlanta Bar Association. He joined Smith Gambrell from another local firm in January.
Mr. Gonzalez sees Georgia and the United States as connected not only logistically to Mexico, Central America and South America, but also culturally and commercially: More than one-tenth of Georgia’s 11 million people claim Hispanic origin. Multinationals in the state, from Delta and Coca-Cola to Genuine Parts and Newell Brands, have steadily grown in the region, and Mexico has emerged as the state’s largest trading partner.
“Over the past decade, economic ties between the United States and Latin America have strengthened significantly, driven by strategic trade partnerships, migration flows and the expansion of near-shoring, offshoring, and outsourcing strategies across the region,” Mr. Gonzalez told Global Atlanta. “At the same time, the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic/Latino population now represents more than $4 trillion in economic output, making it a critical driver of both the U.S. and global economies.”
The refreshed practice also comes as the city prepares to welcome the FIFA World Cup, a validation of its role as a soccer hub in the U.S. That development in part has been driven by its growing Hispanic population.
With more than 350 lawyers, a robust international practice and offices in key hub cities for the U.S. Hispanic population, Mr. Gonzalez said Smith Gambrell is positioned to seize the moment, especially considering its own experience serving large companies in economies like Colombia.
“For decades, the firm’s Latin American practice has played a key role in supporting cross-border transactions between Atlanta and Latin America,” Mr. Gonzalez said. “Building on these capabilities, my experience and background bring additional depth and perspective that expand our value proposition for clients, strengthening the firm’s Latin American practice and its service to U.S. Hispanic/Latino businesses.”
With U.S. policies reshuffling trade relationships along with long-held conventional wisdom about what’s possible in the region, Mr. Gonzalez foresees a new wave of business activity, from mergers and acquisitions to strategic partnerships and cross-border investments.
Mr. Gonzalez has worked on transactions in industries ranging from manufacturing and distribution to franchising, food and construction, experience seen as “instrumental as we continue to expand our international capabilities and support clients throughout Latin America,” Smith Gambrell international practice leader Michael Kraus said when the firm welcomed Mr. Gonzalez earlier this year.
The firm also used the occasion to announce the launch of its new Venezuela strategic advisory team.
“As a Venezuelan, I want to help my country to resuscitate. Atlanta is the center right now of a lot of business trying to go back to Venezuela, and we want to be part of that,” Mr. Gonzalez said.
Throughout 2026, Smith Gambrell is set to work with Global Atlanta and other organizations to restart Latin American Crossroads, an events platform aimed at surfacing and celebrating Atlanta’s unsung trade and investment ties in the region while fostering tangible opportunities for results-oriented networking.
Interested in deepening business ties with Latin America? Learn more about the Latin America practice here or Contact Mr. Gonzalez here.
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