Luis G. Fortuño

Partner

Washington

+1 202 429 8015

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Areas of Work

Corporate, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Infrastructure & Project Finance, Qualified Opportunity Zones

Languages

Spanish

Overview

Former Governor of Puerto Rico Luis G. Fortuño represents investment funds and Fortune 500 companies in regulatory, public policy, public-private partnership (P3) and project finance, finance, and other corporate matters in the United States and throughout Latin America.

Clients benefit from Luis's ability to combine practical, business-savvy advice with an understanding of how legislative and regulatory policy can affect their business operations. His 12 years of government service includes serving as Puerto Rico’s governor and as its sole representative in the US House of Representatives. Under his leadership as governor from 2009 to 2012, Puerto Rico implemented the largest tax cut in the territory’s history, right-sized its government, reined in deficit spending, and developed new sources of government revenue, resulting in the island’s only period of economic growth in over a decade. Additionally, Luis's signature public-private partnerships law paved the way for two of the largest recent infrastructure investments in the US, one in Puerto Rico’s highway system and the island’s main international airport. Other P3 transactions during his tenure included schools, energy projects, and ferry services.

Luis served from 2005 to 2008 in the US House of Representatives, holding the roles of vice-president of his House Republican freshman class and later as vice-chair and then chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference during the 109th and 110th Congresses, respectively. Additionally, he served as co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Spain Caucus. In 2007, he was appointed as the Republican minority's ranking member on the Natural Resource Committee's Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs. He also served as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure, International Relations, and Education and Workforce committees.

District of Columbia
Puerto Rico
US Court of Appeals, First Circuit

J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1985
B.S.F.S., Georgetown University, 1982

Speaking Engagements

Delegate, Republican Convention, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Panelist, "Economic Liberty in Puerto Rico," Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association Annual Convention, June 1, 2019
Keynote Speaker, 2018 Puerto Rico Investment Forum, Shanghai, China, November 14, 2018
Panelist, "Economic Policies that Work in our Region," Relial 2018 Congress, Dominican Republic, October 12, 2018
Panelist, "The Mother of Exiles: Immigration Reform," UVA Center for Politics, September 27, 2018
Panelist, "The 2016 Presidential Race," Georgetown University, October 8, 2016
International Observer, Jordan's Parliamentary Election, Joint IRI-NDI Delegation, September 1, 2016
"Republican Principles in American Global Engagement," International Republican Institute panel, Republican National Convention, Cleveland, OH, July 19, 2016
"We Run, We Vote, We Decide: Latinos and Election 2016," NALEO panel, Republican National Convention, Cleveland, OH, July 19, 2016
"Latino Voters at Risk: Assessing the Impact of Restrictive Voting Changes in the 2016 Election," NALEO Educational Fund, Washington, DC, May 11, 2016
Guest Speaker, "Financial Crime Series - The US Perspective," Deloitte, May 16, 2016
Puerto Rico Faces $70B Debt Bill, CNN Money interview, May 2, 2016
What's Next for Puerto Rico, CNBC interview, May 2, 2016
"Public-Private Partnerships: Stories of Success," Georgetown University's Baker Center for Leadership & Governance, April 18, 2016
"Leadership Lessons From an Ambassador, Governor, Secretary, and Senator," George Washington University, Washington, DC, March 2016
"Puerto Rico on the Brink: Energy, Economy, Security," The American Security Project, Washington, DC, March 2016
Panelist, Election Year Seminar, Media Research Center, February 2016
"Swing States and Wildcards," American University's 2nd Annual Latino Public Affairs Forum: The Role of the Latino Vote in the 2016 Presidential Election, Washington, DC, February 29, 2016
Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis Causing Concern for Citizens, Al Jazeera America News interview, July 2, 2015
Puerto Rico Faces Historic $72B Default, CNBC Power Lunch interview, July 16, 2015
Puerto Rico: The Other Debt Crisis, Bloomberg Business, Bloomberg Markets interview, July 17, 2015
Puerto Rico's Current Debt Crisis, CNBC Squawk on the Street interview, June 30, 2015
"Examining Procedures Regarding Puerto Rico's Political Status and Economic Outlook," House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian, Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs, June 24, 2015
"What's Next for Puerto Rico," National Federation of Municipal Analysts' 32nd Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, May 14, 2015
National Review’s Post-Election Discussion, November 2014
“The Role of Hispanics in America,” Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Washington, DC, October 2014
“Impacting Economic Development in the Hispanic Community,” Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and the Libre Initiative, Valencia College, October 2014
“Knowledge Economy in the 21st Century,” Universidad Metropolitana, September 2014
“The Status of Puerto Rico Dilemma,” George Washington University’s Elliott School, September 2014
“Role of Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Development,” Associated General Contractors Conference, Washington, DC, June 2014
“P3s: A Government Perspective from Outside the Fence,” Associated General Contractors of America, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC, June 2014
"Development Agenda for the Caribbean," Iberoamerican University and Central Eastern University, Dominican Republic, May 2014
"Puerto Rico Fiscal Situation," Boston Municipal Analysts Forum, March 13, 2014
"The Market Potential of Latin America," Conservative Political Action Conference, March 8, 2014
"Constitutional and Legal Implications of the Status of Puerto Rico Discussion," Georgetown University Law Center, January 29, 2014
"Business Opportunities in Latin America," Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, October 28, 2013
“The Free Trade Agreement Between the US and the EU,” Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, October 9, 2013
Keynote speaker, “Can-Do States: A New Era for Infrastructure Investment,” Brookings Institution, July 12, 2013
“The Use of P-3s in Social Infrastructure Projects,” High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus (US Congress), July 10, 2013
“Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Projects,” International Transportation and Logistics Conference, May 7, 2013
“Infrastructure Financing for Cities,” Clinton Global Initiative & US Chamber of Commerce, April 19, 2013
Keynote speaker, “Public-Private Partnerships in Puerto Rico,” Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s Annual Transportation Finance and Mileage-Based User Fee Symposium, April 15, 2013

News & Publications

Press Releases

Video Series to Explore Financial Services Legal, Business and Regulatory Matters

October 21, 2020

Client Alerts

June 16, 2020

By: Matthew B. Kulkin, Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, James D. Barnette, Luis G. Fortuño, Jason Abel, George Callas, Kate Jensen, Josh Oppenheimer

Media Mentions

June 8, 2020

Media Mentions

April 20, 2020

Client Alerts

April 3, 2020

By: Jason Abel, Scott A. Sinder, Alan Cohn, Luis G. Fortuño, Leslie A. Belcher

Client Alerts

March 18, 2020

By: Scott D. Fisher, Luis G. Fortuño, William E. Turner, II

Media Mentions

June 4, 2019

Press Releases

December 13, 2018

Media Mentions

November 28, 2018

Media Mentions

November 20, 2018

View All

Resources

Financial Services University

Financial Services Group Advisory

March 29, 2020

By: Matthew B. Kulkin, Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, James D. Barnette, Luis G. Fortuño, Jason Abel, George Callas, Kate Jensen, Josh Oppenheimer

Financial Services Group Advisory

March 25, 2020

By: Matthew B. Kulkin, Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, James D. Barnette, Luis G. Fortuño, Jason Abel, George Callas, N. Hunter Johnston, Kate Jensen, Josh Oppenheimer

Financial Services Group Advisory

March 24, 2020

By: Matthew B. Kulkin, Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, James D. Barnette, Luis G. Fortuño, Jason Abel, George Callas, Kate Jensen

Events

Webinars

Steptoe Covers the Election and Its Impact on You

November 19, 2020

Speakers: Luis G. Fortuño, Micah S. Green

Webinars

July 21, 2020

Speakers: Luis G. Fortuño, Jeffrey M. Reisner

Webinars

Policymaking Agenda for 2019

November 8, 2018

Speakers: Jason Abel, James D. Barnette, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, George Callas, John T. Collins, Luis G. Fortuño, Micah S. Green, Kate Jensen, N. Hunter Johnston, Darryl Nirenberg, Scott A. Sinder

Webinars

Post-Election Recap

November 10, 2016

Speakers: Jason Abel, James D. Barnette, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, Christopher Caron, David H. Coburn, John T. Collins, Richard O. Cunningham, Ambassador Susan G. Esserman, Luis G. Fortuño, Micah S. Green, N. Hunter Johnston, Douglas Kantor, Darryl Nirenberg, Allison Nyholm, Scott A. Sinder, Amanda Pedvin Varma

Noteworthy

UVA Lawyer, "100 Change Agents" (2019)
The Hill, "Top Lobbyists" (2017-2018)

Previous Employment

Governor, Puerto Rico (2009-2012)
Representative, US House of Representatives (2005-2008)
Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce for Puerto Rico (1994-1996)
President, Puerto Rico's Hotel Development Corporation (1993-1996)
Executive director, Puerto Rico Tourism Company (1993-1996)

Professional Affiliations

American Law Institute
Puerto Rico's National Committeeman at the Republican National Committee (2001-present); member of the RNC's budget committee
President, Council of State Governments (2011-2012)
Chairman, Southern Governors Association (2011-2012)
Board of Directors, Center for Best Practices of the National Governors Association (2010-2012)
President Obama appointee to the Council of Governors (2010-2012)
Advisory Board, International Republican Institute
Board of Advisors, SeaOne Holdings, LLC
Board of Directors, Republican State Leadership Committee
Board of Directors, American Action Network
Board of Directors, Congressional Leadership Fund
Board of Directors, Abertis Infrastructuras, S.A. (2015-2018)
Georgetown University's Latin American Board
Fellow, Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service, Fall 2015 semester