Overview

George Mencio Jr. is a partner in Holland & Knight's Miami office and serves as the firmwide co-leader of the Corporate, M&A and Securities Practice Group and serves as chair of firmwide International Initiatives. He practices principally in the areas of corporate and international law, with emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions, cross-border transactions and dispute resolution, commercial contracts, international trade and commerce with industry specialties in the agribusiness, mining and transportation sectors. His clients include multinational concerns in the fragrance, medical equipment, transportation, tourism, mining and agricultural sectors, major airlines, cruise lines, software and technology companies, operators and managers of hotel projects, and providers of goods and services in the international arena. Mr. Mencio has extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures; international commercial transactions, such as franchising, distribution and licensing agreements; and is accustomed to working with foreign counsel on cross-border transactions and disputes. Mr. Mencio has conducted multiple international arbitrations in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Credentials

Education
  • University of Miami School of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • Florida International University, B.S., Political Science
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Florida
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Memberships
  • Inter-American Bar Association
  • Maritime Law Association
  • Florida Bar
  • Miami-Dade County Bar Association
  • Cuban-American Bar Association
  • International Bar Association
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Banking and Finance Law, 2006-2008, 2013-2025; Securitization and Structured Finance Law, 2007-2011, 2013-2025; Transportation Law, 2007-2025; International Trade and Finance Law, 2003-2025; Corporate Law, 2013-2025; International Mergers and Acquisitions, 2018-2025; Mergers and Acquisitions, 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Miami Securitization and Structured Finance Lawyer of the Year, 2016, 2025; Miami International Trade and Finance Lawyer of the Year, 2017; Miami Transportation Lawyer of the Year, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2024
  • The Legal 500 USA, M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Middle-Market (sub $500M), 2021-2024; M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Private Equity Buyouts: Middle-Market (up to $500M), 2024
  • Who's Who Legal Florida: Litigation, 2020
  • IFLR1000, The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms, Notable Practitioner, M&A, 2020, 2021, 2023
  • Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business guide, Corporate M&A: Latin America-wide, 2018, 2019; Corporate/M&A (Experts Based Abroad) 2013-2016; Corporate/M&A (Foreign Experts), 2013-2016
  • Who's Who Legal: Transport, Aviation Finance, 2017; Litigation: Global Leader
  • Chambers Latin America – Latin America's Leading Lawyers for Business guide, Corporate/M&A, 2015-2019
  • Latin America's Top 100 Lawyers, Latinvex, 2015, 2016
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide, Latin American Investment, 2009-2018
  • The Legal 500 Latin America, International Arbitration, 2016; Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, 2012, 2019
  • Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2006-2009, 2017-2019
  • Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend magazine
Spoken Languages
  • English
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

Speaking Engagements

News