Carol Barnhart

Carol Barnhart, Co-Chair of the Miami Corporate Practice, has broad cross-border experience throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Carol focuses her practice on mergers, acquisitions, and other complex, strategic negotiated deals, advising clients on a wide range of regulatory compliance, financing, and general commercial issues. She provides pragmatic legal advice for client operating in markets lacking predictability and susceptible to fraudulent activity. Having led multi-jurisdictional, complex structured deals from both firm-side and client-side has uniquely positioned and afforded her with the experience required to lead and navigate complex transactions while providing the business insight and corporate awareness necessary to prioritize client’s legal needs underlying each transaction. Carol also has significant experience working closely with her clients in the development and implementation of corporate governance and compliance programs.

Carol Barnhart rejoined Greenberg Traurig from packaging manufacturer Grupo Phoenix, where she served for several years as general counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief human resources officer. Carol, who directly managed the company’s corporate, litigation, and regulatory strategy, and advised c-suite and senior management on legal, strategic, transactional, supply chain, manufacturing, financing and general commercial transactions, also served Grupo Phoenix as corporate secretary for its Board of Directors.

Prior to her position with Grupo Phoenix, she was general counsel & chief compliance officer for BTG Pactual-owned, GlobeNet Cabos Submarinos, where she was responsible for leading the legal, regulatory and compliance agenda for the international subsea telecom cable owner and operator. Prior to that, she held various positions at Diageo, the global drinks company, where she was vice president and assistant regional counsel for the Latin American region and subsequently was in charge of M&A for Diageo’s Latin American region. In that capacity, she led the regional acquisition agenda for Diageo, structured numerous strategic acquisitions and ventures throughout the Americas, redefined the company’s compliance program to address issues on global trade, supply chain and operational efficiencies, participated in third party logistics and freight negotiations along with a host of other responsibilities. Carol also worked with several local law firms before her position with Diageo.

Carol conducts business in both English and Spanish and has experience in civil law jurisdictions throughout the Americas.

Concentrations

•Corporate governance and ethics
•Route-to-market changes
•Border and free trade zone issues

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•The Legal 500 Latin America Guide, 'Latin America: International,' 2023-2026
•'Corporate and M&A,' 2023-2026
•'City Leaders: Miami,' 2025
•'City Focus: Miami,' 2023
•Listed, Latin Lawyer, 'Latin Lawyer 250,' 2020-2026
•Practice Recognition: Anti-Corruption Investigations and Compliance,' 2020-2026
•Practice Recognition: Corporate - M&A,' 2020-2026