Carmen I. Sánchez, Esq.

 

(787) 430-3854

PO Box 800425

 

SUMMARY

Legal and managerial professional with extensive specialized experience in the private and public sectors, in real estate, contracts and financing, for residential, industrial and commercial properties, that includes supervision of personnel, maintaining interpersonal business relationships at the various corporate levels, and executing diverse transactions as bond issues, loans, warranties,  purchase and sale, leasing and administration of condominiums, closed communities and professional buildings and, participating as board member at associations of homeowners from Representative to President.

 

·         Understand and interpret laws, rules, policies, regulations, case law, alternative method determinations, including government procedures and public policy of federal and state jurisdictions and competencies.	·         Perform legal research, investigations, studies and evaluations with the corresponding recommend-dations, and write legal documents, contracts, opinions, reports, manuals, memorandums, minutes and other documents.
·         Create, develop and implement standard documents, forms, systems and procedures to standardize tasks and duties, implement new procedures or improve existing.	·         Supervise, train and develop employees, coordinate work, create and lead work teams to a successful outcome; able to interview and identify personnel competencies.
·         Explain information to appropriate parties and personnel in order to ensure compliance with applicable statutory, regulatory requirements, court and administrative orders.	·         Communicate effectively to ensure understanding of work, expectations and goals, including what, when and how, work status, changes, good and bad news, to all levels of staff.
·         Detail-oriented, able to recognize and solve issues quickly, determine the impact of each detail, task and issue, review progress and assess performance.	·         Negotiate and deal with people with diversity of, different or conflicting interests, and at the different corporate or hierarchic levels.
·         Work under pressure and at highly regulated environments.	·         Manage contracts, budget, understand and analyze financial information.
·         Manage multiple matters, track and prioritize issues on a daily basis.	·         Conduct meetings, orientations and presentations. ·   Quick learner, flexible and a facilitator.
·         Proficient in Microsoft Office.	·         Bilingual: English and Spanish.

EXPERIENCE

PUERTO RICO HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY                                         

Deputy Director - Area of Property Acquisitions                                                                      2012-Present

·               Assist in directing and supervising the work and personnel of the Area and its units: Right of Way, Assessment and Revision, Negotiation, Relocation and the Legal Office. 

·               Advice on local and federal laws and regulations, negotiate, conduct meetings, participate in committees, write reports and memoranda, develop standard documents, including contracts, and oversee administrative matters, among other responsibilities.

·               Presently reviewing the procedures manual of the area, consolidating functions and reorganizing responsibilities for a better use of resources and compliance with federal laws and regulations.

 

CARMEN I. SANCHEZ RIOS, ESQ., Guaynabo, PR                                                                 

Sole Practitioner                                                   2002 – 2003 & 2007 - 2012

Associate Attorney at developer’s law firm                                                                              2003 – 2007

·               As Associate at Francisco Pujol Meneses, Esq. - Served as Notary Public with an intense practice in contracts, real estate development and commercial leases, drafting and authorizing documents and deeds of commercial and residential condominium regimes, easements, covenants, loans, mortgages, leases, purchase and sales, among other agreements; trained personnel; developed compliance legal procedures and writs as per local and federal laws and regulations; managed and conducted relationships and services with clients, including other developers, engineers, residential and commercial realty customers, staff from financial institutions and government agencies.

·               As Sole Practitioner - Worked for Francisco Pujol Meneses, Esq. at the practice described above; served as legal advisor and Notary Public for various clients in areas of civil law, notary matters, condominium and closed neighborhood procedures, conducting transfers of administration, homeowners’ meetings and advising administration personnel as well as board members.

·               Completed conversions to the condominium regime for various residential and commercial developments ranging from 14 to 447 units that included transactions as easements, restrictive covenants and mortgage subordination.

 

CITY OF SAN JUAN, San Juan, PR                   

Director – Legal Office                                                                                                               2001 – 2002

·               Supervised, coordinated and directed the all the work and personnel of the Office and its units: Administration, Litigation, Opinions, Legislation, Contracts and Legal Aid; managed the budget.

·               Counseled and rendered opinions to the Mayor, the executive staff and all departments.

·               Represented the City and the Mayor at negotiations, legislative and administrative proceedings.

·               Actively participated in the determination, monitoring and evaluation process for the development of public works and housing developments.

·               Wrote and conducted presentations and conferences to employees and other mayors, specifically, about government contracting procedures and public works development.

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK FOR PR, San Juan, PR 

Executive Vice President – Operations                                                                                       1999 – 2000

·               Supervised, coordinated and directed the work and personnel of the following units: Management of Property, Human Resources, Administrative Services and MIS; managed the corresponding budget.

·               Decided on matters relative to the operations activities and support services of the Bank pursuing completion of projects in accordance with budget, regulations and public policy, among which the following are included: maintenance, leasing, management, acquisition and disposition of property, and all human resources matters.

·               Successfully conducted team efforts to identify and sell properties, lease available space and establish a cafeteria for the employees and general public.

 

PR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CO. (PRIDCO), San Juan, PR

Corporate Secretary and General Legal Counsel                                                                        1995 – 1999

·               Supervised and directed the work and personnel of the Legal Division, managed the budget.

·               Counseled and rendered opinions to the Executive Director and departments, primarily in the areas of real estate, contracts, including leasing, debt collection, labor law and government procedures.

·               Represented the Company and the Executive Director at negotiations, legislative and administrative proceedings, including but not limited to the negotiation of lease and construction contracts for the expansion of multinational and local companies, government bond issues and the merge of the PR Development Administration with PRIDCO.

·               Wrote and maintained minutes, resolutions and orders for the Board of Directors and the former PR Industrial Investment Committee and provided legal counsel to their members.

·               Organized the Division into two main areas corresponding to legal and corporate matters, trained and created specializations among personnel, both legal and clerical, standard documents and procedures, successfully conducted and completed the review of the main lease contract for industrial properties.

 

HOUSING PROMOTERS, INC., San Juan, PR         

Legal Counsel                                                                                                                            1993 – 1994

·               Counseled executive and management personnel on low income housing regulations, general contracts and real estate matters.  Litigated breach of contract and torts claims.

·               As first in-house legal counsel, organized a legal office, developed legal procedures and writs, and trained personnel.

 

PR PORT AUTHORITY, San Juan, PR 

General Legal Counsel                                                                                                                1993 – 1993

·               Supervised, coordinated and directed the work and personnel of the Legal Division.

·               Counseled and rendered opinions to the Executive Director and departments, primarily in the areas of contracts, debt collection, real estate and public corporations procedures.

·               Represented the Authority at negotiations, legislative and administrative proceedings.  Actively participated in the evaluation of claims and contract negotiation for the maritime and aviation departments, including bond issues for construction at the international airport.

 

FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK (FIRSTBANK), Santurce, PR       

Assistant Legal Counsel                                                                                                            1990 – 1992

·               Counseled all central departments, branches and the Board of Directors on contracts, legal proceedings and practice, interpretation and application of banking laws and regulations.

·               Actively participated in contract negotiations for the leasing of real property, and the sale and acquisition of assets such as loan portfolios and property.

·               Developed standard, administrative and legal documents for said activities.

·               Monitored cases referred to the company insuring the bank and to the external law firms, and assisted in the determination of strategy and legal proceedings.  Handled and counseled claims at local and federal regulatory agencies.

·               Conducted training seminars for bank personnel on negotiable instruments and offered orientation to legal secretaries on pertinent legal proceedings and practice.

 

BROWN, NEWSOM & CORDOVA, San Juan, PR                                     1989 - 1990

TRIAS, DOVAL, MUNOZ, ACEVEDO & OTERO, San Juan, PR                                 1988 - 1989

Associate Attorney

·               Researched and litigated in areas of corporate, banking, bankruptcy, real estate and contracts law, with emphasis on collection and mortgage law cases.  Drafted commercial and financial contracts.

·               Served as Notary Public; as such, drafted and authorized deeds of mortgage, purchase and sale, and other agreements such as letters of credit, pledges and assignments.

·               Conducted relationships and services directly with banking clients: Royal Bank, Scotiabank, Citibank, Banco Popular, among others.

 

EDUCATION

·               LL.M., Banking Law Studies - BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Boston, MA

·               J.D. - INTER AMERICAN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Juan, PR

·               B.B.A., Finance - UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO, San Juan, PR

 

BAR ADMISSIONS

Puerto Rico Supreme Court; United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico; United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; Puerto Rico Notary Public

 

HOMEOWNERS BOARD MEMBER ACTIVITIES

Participated in the Board of the Homeowners Association as Representative, Secretary and President for following three condominiums: Astralis Club & Residences, Isla Verde, Carolina, PR, El Bosque de la Villa de Torrimar, Guaynabo, PR and The Falls, Guaynabo, PR.

 

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