Jonathan Cole

He regularly advises on matters related to real estate acquisition and development, structuring mixed use resorts including timeshare and fractional components, negotiation of hotel management agreements and leases, joint venture agreements, consumer finance receivables, and private investment funds, among other areas of corporate and commercial law. He developed a broad contact base throughout the global hospitality and leisure sectors during his 13 years in the Law Department of Marriott International primarily based in London and joined the firm of Soares & Avila in 2014.

Jonathan began practicing law in Barcelona with Bufete Mullerat in 1991 representing foreign investors in Spain and edited The Businessman’s Guide to Spanish Law. During his tenure at Marriott, Jonathan was promoted to Vice President & Assistant General Counsel as well as Group Leader of the resort division’s International Practice Group supervising a team of 5 attorneys and 5 legal support staff located in Orlando, London, Dubai, and Singapore. While based in London (1996-2005), Jonathan participated in the creation of the pan-European Resort Developers Organisation, chaired its Legislative Council, and sat on its Executive Committee and Board prior to becoming the trade body’s Vice Chairman in 2002.  

In April 2007 Jonathan was appointed Senior Vice President & General Counsel of Stein Group International in Barcelona responsible for leading all corporate transactions, including mergers & acquisitions, investor and shareholder relations, development activities, management contract negotiations, strategic alliances, asset management and legal support for what was once Europe’s leading boutique hotel company with 16 hotels in 7 European countries.

Since 2011 Jonathan has been a principal in the Brazilian resort company, International Residence Club, which offers eco-resort accommodation in Northeast Brazil and international resort travel opportunities to the national market throughout Brazil. This entrepreneurial experience has provided hands-on expertise in finding solutions to the challenges that international entrepreneurs face with the Brazilian legal environment.

Education: 

Princeton University, A.B. 1986

University of Virginia, School of Law, J.D. 1991

Admitted to practice: 

New York

Languages with Legal Proficiency: 

English, Spanish, French, Catalan, Portuguese

To contact Jonathan Cole: