Our People

photo of Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja

Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja

Partner

Margarita.Oliva@dvmlaw.com

+1 646-536-3480

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Education

Senior Executive Program (SEP), Women in Business Scholarship, IESE Business School, 2013

LL.M., Harvard Law School, 1995,
Fulbright Scholar, honorary scholarship from Real Colegio Complutense

J.D., Universidad de Granada, 1992

Bar Admissions

New York

Memberships

Chair, Women’s Council, Spain-US Chamber of Commerce (2021 – present)

Director of the Board, Andean Association (2016 – 2019)

Founder and Chair, Women in Leadership in Latin America (WILL) New York Chapter (2015 – 2017)

Chair, Board of Directors, Spain-US Chamber of Commerce (2009 – 2010)

photo of Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja

Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja

Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja advises financial institutions and corporations on complex financing and commercial transactions across Latin America and other emerging economies around the world, with a particular focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors. She also regularly assists European investors in connection with their capital deployment in the United States, as well as broader cross-border infrastructure transactions.

Margarita has over 25 years of experience in project finance, advising major multilateral agencies, development financing institutions, commercial lenders, sponsors, project companies, and export credit agencies (ECAs) on the structuring and negotiation of sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Her practice spans the full lifecycle of projects, from development and financing through to refinancing and restructuring.

In addition to her project finance work, Margarita advises on a wide range of banking and corporate matters, including general lending transactions, capital markets issuances, project bonds (including international and US private placements), cross-border mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and outsourcing arrangements. She also brings significant experience acting as external general counsel, advising clients on both strategic and operational legal matters, being known for her ability to navigate complex legal and commercial issues across jurisdictions and deliver pragmatic, business-oriented solutions.

LANGUAGES

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • French
  • Italian

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, Project Finance, (2025)
  • Recommended, Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power, (2025)

The Legal 500 Latin America

  • Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Projects and Energy, (2023 – 2024)
  • Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Banking and Finance, (2022 – 2024)

Latin Lawyer 250

  • International Counsel, Banking and Finance, (2023)
  • International Counsel, Project Finance & Infrastructure, (2023)

ADDITIONAL RECOGNITIONS

  • Named among the Top 100 Female Lawyers in Latin America, Banking, Energy, and ProjectFinance, Latinvex, (2013 – 2025)
  • Women in Business, 100 Top Latinas in the US, Hola USA, (2020)

PUBLICATIONS

Co-author, “Navegando el futuro de la transición energética ante la incertidumbre política,” Expansión, November 1, 2024

SEMINARS

  • Speaker, “Energy and Infrastructure Latam Meeting 2024 Annual Event,” IJ Global, March 2024
  • Moderator, “Latin America, the United States, and Spain in the Global Economy Forum,” Spain-US Chamber of Commerce, September 2024

MEDIA MENTIONS