White & Case lawyer goes solo in Mexico

Thomas Heather, a ­former banking partner and head of restructuring for Latin America at White & Case, left the firm at the beginning of January to set up Heather & Heather
with his sons Andrew and Thomas.

The firm includes five more fee-earners, including former Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton lawyer Mariana Campos Clasing.

“I really wanted to set up my own boutique firm again. I wanted to avoid the conflicts of interest that often come with global ­practices and I thought it was now or never,” said Heather. “It’s thrilling to see my boys so enthused. The Mexican legal market allows people the chance to have a family firm, but I want to go beyond that.”

The new firm will focus on restructuring and ­insolvency, banking, M&A and arbitration.

“I’ve been involved in five restructurings now worth over $100m (£61.5m) and have developed a recognised expertise in the area,” said Heather. “I’ve also developed reasonably well in arbitration and conciliation.

White & Case set up its arbitration practice in ­Mexico 19 years ago under the leadership of partner Jonathan Hamilton. It now has six partners in its ­Mexico City office acting on arbitrations, led by partner Juan Pablo Rico.

While at White & Case Heather was appointed as conciliator in the $800m restructuring of Satélites Mexicanos (Satmex).

Before joining White & Case Heather was a partner at Mexican firm Ritch Heather & Mueller (now Ritch Mueller).