Monica Benavides

 Bogota - Colombia  Ph-  -Monica Benavides Objective Position in a progressive Organization where my experience, education and skills can be fully utilized in a growth-oriented environment. Profile Bilingual Attorney specialized in commercial law, international business, labor and social security, with experience in corporate law, hydrocarbons – oil and gas industry, immigration and labor law in Colombia, and in legal immigration procedures in the United States. Creative and analytical leader, oriented to work teams of high performance and results achievement. Experience 05/2014 to present Legal Advisor – New Business Area – Upstream – Legal Vice-presidency Drafting of legal documents (Contractual, Corporate, claims, among others) in the oil and gas area. Drafting and negotiation of Joint Operating Agreements (JOAS) with national and foreign partners (cross border transactions, public private partnership, responsible to minimize risk dealing to Ecopetrol – millionaire contracts). Drafting and negotiation of Farm-in and Farm - Out Agreements with national and foreign partners (Cross Borders transactions, public private partnership, responsible to minimize risk dealing to Ecoptrol – millionaire contracts). Drafting of contracts and E & P contracts. Legal support in the different negotiations carried out by the Ecopetrol (oil and gas multinational) - New Business Management (E & P). Drafting of confidentiality agreements. Drafting of legal concepts in commercial, corporate and oil and gas matters. Procedures before the National Agency of Hydrocarbons - ANH. Drafting corporate documents in exploration and production (E & P) topics. Advisory in partnership contracts. Advice and drafting of the Agreements signed with the National Agency of Hydrocarbons - ANH. Legal advice to the New Business in matters related to legal compliance and ethics matters. Ecopetrol/PSC Bogota, Col 02/2012 to 05/2014 Drafting of legal concepts in migratory and labor issues. Business Immigration Matters Drafting of different corporate and legal documents. Responsible for migratory and labor procedures before the corresponding public and private entities. Responsible for conducting interviews and procedures with clients. Begal Asociados Bogota, Col 02/2010 to 02/2012 Drafting of legal concepts in migratory and labor issues Responsible for Business Immigration Matters. Drafting of different legal documents. Responsible for migratory and labor and employment procedures before the corresponding public and private bodies. Responsible for conducting interviews and procedures with clients. SFA Bogota, Col 02/2007 to 10/2009 Legal Advisor Legal Advisor and Research Assistant in Immigration Issues. Responsible to prepare applications and documents for immigration purposes. Conduct Client’s interviews. Responsible for business immigration matters. Responsible to research and prepare legal documents related to integration of regional markets and business law. Responsible to prepare analysis of Latin- American commercial laws. Olano & Associates Miami, FL 01/2006 to 08/2006 Gulfcoast Legal Services St. Petersburg, FL Legal Advisor Legal Advisor and Research Assistant in Immigration Issues. Legal Advisor for VAWA – Violence Against Woman Act Responsible to prepare Client’s Affidavits Responsible for immigration matters. Conducted client’s interviews Responsible to prepare applications and documents for immigration purposes 09/2005 to 06/2006 Stetson University College of Law St. Petersburg, FL Legal Research Assistant Responsible to research different academic legal topics. Analyzed documents pertaining to academic research. Responsible for Analysis of integration of regional markets (NAFTA, MERCOSUR, CAFTA) and Business Law. 06/2002 to 06/2005 Superintendency of Corporations Legal Analysis Group Bogotá, Colombia Legal Advisor Responsible to review documents to grant approval for mergers, spin-offs, capital reduction of domestic and foreign corporations. Responsible to review articles of association transformation and transformation of domestic corporations. Responsible to authorize the voluntary liquidation process for domestic and foreign corporations. Supervised company’s involvement with extinction of ownership proceedings. Served as legal advisor to users of the superintendence of corporations. Attended meetings with high level corporate executives. Verified legal documents coming from overseas. Education June 2013 Rosario University Bogota,Col Specialization in Labour Law and Social Security Labour Law May 2006 Stetson University, Gulfport FL Master Degree in International Law, LLM LLM Business and International Law (Scholarship granted by Stetson University) June 2005 Rosario University Bogotá, Colombia Specialization in Commercial Law Commercial Law (In depth study of the Colombian Commercial Code and Business Law) June 2002 Javeriana University Bogotá, Colombia Juris Doctor in Law (Attorney-Licensed to practice law in Colombia) Languajes Spanish: 100% (Native) English: 100% (reading, speaking, listening) Portuguese: 40% *References are available on request.