Jonathan Edward Adams
Biography
Jonathan heads Baker McKenzie's compliance team in Mexico and is the Latin America regional coordinator for the Firm's Global Investigations, Compliance & Ethics Practice. He has extensive experience in compliance, commercial and pharmaceutical law, having worked seven years in the US and 18 in Mexico and Central America. Jonathan combines a US-based perspective on legal implementation and compliance issues with years of on-the-ground experience in Latin America. He works closely with client business and legal teams to implement innovative solutions to legal challenges. He is admitted to practice law in Mexico, as well as in Illinois and Arizona, USA.
Practice Focus
Jonathan advises domestic and multinational clients from various industries on compliance issues in Mexico and other Latin American jurisdictions. His work focuses on internal investigations in government-related corruption cases and employee white-collar crime. With substantial experience as in-house and external counsel, he has participated in negotiations to access historically restricted sectors of government procurement as well as the establishment of compliance policies for interactions with healthcare professionals and health-sector government officials. Jonathan also assists clients in investments and transactions across Latin America.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advising clients from the pharmaceutical, infrastructure and manufacturing industries on their interaction with government officials as regulators, purchasers, public service providers, and private sector employees or consultants.
- Represented various multinational companies in criminal investigations and other proceedings involving fraud, embezzlement and bribery.
- Led US-Europe-Mexico team investigating suspect payments to a Mexican government-owned entity for a European engineering services client. Involved data from custodians in six jurisdictions, numerous interviews and remediation recommendations.
- Led Latin America team in South America investigation into high-level corruption on multiple public-works programs for an Asia Pacific engineering services client. Included review of data, participation in disclosure made to the US Department of Justice, implementation of remedial actions and counsel on alternatives for withdrawal from investment.
- Counseled a US-based manufacturing company on potential export-control violations based on sales by its Mexican subsidiary to jurisdiction subject to US Export Controls. Led the investigation to determine responsible parties and take remedial actions.
- Led the Mexico team in an internal investigation on the diversion of massive quantities of a narcotics precursor for a Fortune 100 global pharmaceutical company.
- Counseled a US pharmaceutical leader in renal care on an internal investigation regarding price-fixing collusion with competitors.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Mexican Bar Association (Mexico City) - Member
Admissions
- Mexico (2016)
- Illinois~United States (1996)
- Arizona~United States (1995)
Education
- Universidad Latina de Costa Rica (M.B.A.) (2004)
- University of Arizona (J.D.) (1995)
- Grove City College (B.A.) (1992)
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Previous Offices
- Chicago