Since commencing his legal career Luis Alcalde has successfully pursued difficult and innovative legal challenges. As a U.S. Army JAG attorney stationed in West Germany, he tried three murder cases as well as over thirty other serious felony cases by the age of 30. As an Ohio Assistant Attorney General, he tried scores of administrative cases on behalf of the state of Ohio, was named the first Chief of the Attorney General’s prevailing wage section, and served as an Assistant Chief of the Division of Medicaid Fraud working with auditors, investigators, and special grand juries to indict and prosecute of health care fraud.

Among his many endeavors in private practice, Luis has tried numerous federal and civil state trials, including representing large corporations in complex tort and commercial litigation matters, and automobile and heavy equipment manufacturers in products liability litigation. As outside counsel to a private investigations firm, he worked on behalf of many trademark owners in difficult and legally complex anti-piracy/anti-counterfeiting operations throughout the world. Litigating on behalf of plaintiffs, he has won millions of dollars in negligence and product liability cases for injured parties.

Since obtaining his LLM in business and tax midway through his legal career, Luis has worked on many business matters both large and small, including helping with the establishment and shutdown of brownfield and greenfield manufacturing projects in Mexico and numerous other business matters throughout Latin America, Cuba, and Ohio. He also serves as outside counsel for several Latino businesses in Central Ohio.

Since 2017, Luis has been heavily involved in representing clients in the legal medical and adult-use marijuana industry, including obtaining licenses and handling all other regulatory and business matters related to the marijuana industry, such as mergers and acquisitions of licenses and/or ongoing marijuana operations.

Luis is a native Spanish language speaker born in Havana, Cuba, but raised in the United States since the age of nine. Luis’ hobbies include motorcycles, sports cars, fitness, literature, music, films, domestic and world affairs and traveling.

Business

Advising clients at every stage of the business lifecycle, Alcalde assists with initial entity formation, structuring and capital raising including private placements, convertible instruments, and warrants. He also assists with the negotiation and drafting of contracts such as licensing, supply, agency, distribution, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisition agreements. Alcalde provides counsel on strategic planning and risk management issues, assisting with project management and risk assessment to help clients establish procedures that drive their business goals.

Global Business

Luis offers strategic advice to the firm’s clients in developing global markets, with a specific emphasis in Latin American markets. With over 25 years of experience in Latin America, he counsels organizations of all sizes regarding business establishment, international trade, strategic alliances, and contracts respecting joint ventures, acquisitions, mergers, licensing, agency and distribution, as well as compliance with the FCPA and other regulatory matters. Alcalde is equally comfortable working in English or Spanish and can work with local counsel throughout Latin America on the drafting of English and Spanish language agreements. Luis also has experience obtaining various licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), is knowledgeable concerning its sanction programs and regulations, and has provided counsel to a variety of U.S.-based clients on Cuba-related activities authorized by U.S. law.

Corporate Investigations

Alcalde strategically manages and offers advice and solutions regarding domestic and international corporate investigations involving FCPA and other regulatory matters, business due diligence, anti-piracy and counterfeiting.