Biography

Mr. Cabañas assists clients in structuring corporate, real estate and tax incentive driven transactions in Puerto Rico, including complex tourism, energy and infrastructure projects.

He also represents clients before Puerto Rico taxing authorities, including negotiating closing agreements and private letter rulings with the Puerto Rico Treasury Department on various tax matters; among others, the structuring and restructuring of Puerto Rico operations, the distribution of earnings and the taxation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, trusts and nonresident investors.

He participated in the conceptualization and drafting of various Puerto Rico tax and tax incentive laws and their regulations, including the recently enacted Tourism Industry Support Act of 2016, the Puerto Rico Tourism Development Acts of 1993 and 2010, the Puerto Rico Development Act of 1993, the Timeshare and Vacation Club Act of 1988 and  and the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Codes of 1994 and 2011.

He is ranked as one of Puerto Rico’s Leading Attorneys in the Tax field by the renowned international publication Chambers & Partners in its Latin America Guide. He was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Puerto Rico 2016 in the Tax Law field.

He regularly lectures on various tax matters, including the Puerto Rico tourism incentives program and partnership taxation. Mr. Cabañas, who is a Certified Public Accountant, served in the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Society of Certified Public Accountants and also served as president of various of its committees. From 1990 to 1994 he was an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business Administration at the University of Puerto Rico.

Mr. Cabañas is a former member of the firm's Policy Committee.

Representative Transactions

Some of Mr. Cabañas’ recent engagements involve the structuring of several major hospitality developments, public private partnership projects and renewable energy projects, including:

• Leading the tax and tax exemption teams in the transactions for the establishment of the six-star Dorado Beach Ritz Carlton Reserve, the Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve Residence, as well as the Hyatt Place Bayamon & El Tropical Casino and the Manatí Hyatt Place & Casino.
• Leading the team that addressed Puerto Rico tax considerations for Autopistas Metropolitanas de Puerto Rico LLC, an Abertis/Goldman Sachs consortium that was awarded a concession to operate and maintain two major toll roads in Puerto Rico, This is the first public-private partnership project developed under the Puerto Rico Public Private Partnerships Act of 2009.
• Leading the tax and tax exemption teams in the creation and establishment of Puerto Rico’s first and largest renewable energy project.

Practices

News & Publications