Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Manuel Rocha, has rejoined the firm's Miami office as a senior international business advisor in its Government Solutions Practice Group. Ambassador Rocha, who previously served as a special advisor on international business at Foley from 2009 to 2012, will assist clients with immigration matters and international business opportunities.
A recognized authority on Latin America, Ambassador Rocha's distinguished career includes over 25 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. He held numerous positions in the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and in Bolivia, Mexico, Argentina, and Cuba. He served in the White House as the director for inter-American affairs for the U.S. National Security Council from 1994 to 1995 and held other posts in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Italy.
"The addition of Ambassador Rocha to the Miami office comes at a most opportune time. As Foley continues to expand its presence in the Florida market with the addition of top lateral talent, his geopolitical renown will bolster our reputation for unparalleled client service across the state and into Latin America," said Mary Leslie Smith, managing partner of Foley's Miami office.
"Ambassador Rocha's decades-long track record and high-profile experience handling international relations will be a tremendous resource for our clients – both in Miami and across the globe," said Edward Burbach, chair of Foley's Government Solutions Practice. "His multinational company experience will bolster Foley's existing relationships in Latin America and continue to reinforce and expand the firm's international business offerings."
Ambassador Rocha transitioned to the private sector in 2002 following his retirement from the U.S. Foreign Service. Most recently, he served as senior vice president for global corporate affairs for Xcoal Energy & Resources, a worldwide supplier of U.S.-origin metallurgical coals, and before that, he was a senior vice president at Barrick Gold Corporation, a mining company that produces gold and copper in 18 countries. Ambassador Rocha also brings extensive insight into the hospitality and leisure, private equity and family office, and lobbying and strategic communications industries across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
"I'm thrilled to be rejoining Foley's dynamic and growing Miami office," said Ambassador Rocha, "I look forward to drawing on my unique experience in global business and policy to advise both domestic and international clients. Knowing that the firm's exceptional capabilities and dedicated legal team have only strengthened, I'm excited to return."