Letvia Arza-Goderich, Partner

Direct: (310) 464-0354
Mobile: (562) 310-0776
Fax: (310) 943-1701

letvia@prestonarza.com

Letvia concentrates her practice in the real estate and resort areas. Her experience includes real estate commercial development and financing; shopping center development, financing and leasing; international hotel and resort development and financing; zoning and planning; commercial leasing; acquisition and sales; international transactions; distribution and dealerships; and commercial litigation.

Letvia has a diverse background and legal career. Originally from Cuba, she has practiced law in several states and Puerto Rico. She is multilingual and experienced in both the common law and civil law systems and has developed a broad background in the areas of real estate, admiralty, litigation, international, and commercial law. She actively handles matters in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean and maintains a law office in Puerto Rico.

She serves as a Chairman’s League Member of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). She is a member of the Asociación Mexicana de Desarrolladores Turísticos (Mexican Tourism Development Association) and the Canadian Resort Development Association. She also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Hotel Investment Forum and is on the Program Steering Committees of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference and The Americas Lodging Investment Summit. She is the chairman of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, California Regional Chapter, and has been a member of the bi-national board of that organization since 2005.

Letvia is an active member of the State Bar of California, District of Columbia Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, Puerto Rico Bar Association, and the U.S.-Mexico Bar Association.

Letvia is a graduate of the University of Louisville (B.A., summa cum laude, 1972), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (M.A. 1976), and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D. 1980).

Prior to forming Preston Arza LLP in the fall of 2009, Letvia was Of Counsel at Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles, California, and previously had been Of Counsel at Baker Hostetler LLP in Los Angeles, California, and an Associate and Latin America Business Consultant at Greenberg Traurig LLP in Santa Monica, California.

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1980

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, M.A., 1976

University of Louisville, B.A. in International Studies (summa cum laude), 1972

Admitted to Practice

California 2006

District of Columbia 1981

Puerto Rico 1983

Recent Speaking Engagements:

“Dealing with Distressed Hotels – What Are the Options, Strategies and Tactics for the Troubled Hotel Owner, From Workouts, Restructuring through Bankruptcy?,” Caribbean Resort & Hotel Investment Summit, Miami, Florida, February 2010

“Ask the CHRIS Experts: How Do You Package, Negotiate, and Attract Money to Your Deal?,” Caribbean Resort & Hotel Investment Summit, Miami, Florida, February 2010

“Central America: Economic Health, the Advantages It Offers Over Other Latin American Regions & Where the Smart Money is Going in Hospitality and Residential,” Latin American Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing Forum, Hollywood, Florida, April 2009

“How Do You Put the Timeshare and Fractional Deal Together?,” Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, Southampton, Bermuda, April 2009

“Creating the Successful Mixed-Use Resort with a Focus On The Residential Component, and What Works In Today’s Market – When Do Second Homes, Villas, Timeshare, Fractional and Clubs Make The Most Economic Sense and Why?,” Central America Tourism and Hotel Investment Exchange, Managua, Nicaragua, March 2009

“Branded Residential Opportunities and the Luxury Level,” Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, May 2008

“Doing Business in Puerto Rico” (panelist) and “The Hottest Trends in Mixed-Use Development in Puerto Rico” (moderator), Puerto Rico Tourism Investment Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 2007

“Sustainable Development in Mexico,” Eleventh Annual U.S.-Mexico Congressional Border Issues Conference, June 2007

“Creating a Successful Public/Private Partnership—The Role of the Government and the Role of the Private Sector,” Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, May 2007

“Follow the Leader: Vacation Ownership Properties—The Profitable Option” and “Arizona Sales Registration Requirements—The Property Report,” Ventana de México Investment Summit, May 2007

“Understanding the Complex Intertwined Legal and Operating Issues Around Mixed-Use Development,” International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin, March 2007

“Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Environment,” Vacation Ownership Investment Conference, October 2006

Foreign Investment in Mexico: The Importance of Tourism Real Estate Development,” Binational Meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Mexico City, October 2006

“Condo Hotels are HOT HOT HOT,” Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Forum, April 2006

“Real Estate Development,” Hotel and Tourism Investment Baja, California, Meeting, October 2005

Moderator: “The Outlook for Transactions—Who’s Selling? Who’s Buying? Do the Deals Make Sense?” Bolsa Mexicana de Inversión Turística, September 2005

“Strengthening NAFTA’s Competitiveness,” NAFTA Conference & Good Neighbor Awards 2005, June 2005

“The Red Hot Condo Hotel Trend: When Does It Work and Why?” Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference, May 2005

“Resort Transactions in the Caribbean and Latin America,” Chicago Association of Realtors International Transaction Forum, October 2004

“Successful Hotel Renovation and Repositioning Strategies,” Caribbean Hotel Tourism Investment Conference, May 2004