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Luis E. Bacó

Luis Bacó heads McConnell Valdés’ Washington, D.C. office, and co-chairs the Firm’s San Juan-based Government Affairs practice. He has more than two decades of experience successfully representing government and private clients in Puerto Rico and our Nation’s Capital.

He focuses his practice on regulatory, legislative, international, higher education, and health law, providing strategic planning and government and public affairs counseling to national and international clients.

Prior to joining McConnell Valdés, Mr. Bacó served as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Luis G. Fortuño in the U.S. House of Representatives. During this time he was also the Staff Director of the Congressional Friends of Spain Caucus and a Board Member of the House Chief of Staff Association.

From 1999 to 2005 he was Counsel in the Legislative and Government Relations Practice Group of McDermott, Will and Emery, a 1,200 lawyer international law firm in Washington, D.C. Before that, he was Deputy Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, where his responsibilities included advising the Governor on legislative and federal policy matters, supervising the overall operation, and the development of grassroots strategies for the nine regional offices of the Government of Puerto Rico in the continental U.S.

Between 1993 and 1997, Mr. Bacó served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Congressman Carlos Romero-Barceló in the U.S. House of Representatives. In that capacity, he was responsible for the development and implementation of legislative strategies in areas of health care, transportation and infrastructure, economic development, general appropriations, international relations, veterans’ affairs and Puerto Rico self-determination. From 1993 to 1994 he also served as a Member of President William J. Clinton’s National Health Care Reform Task Force.

He is a 2006 Fellow of the U.S. - Spain Council's Young Leaders Program and, in 2009, was awarded with the Officer's Cross - Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I of Spain for his "notable contribution towards the strengthening of the relationship of Spain with the rest of the International Community."

He has served as member of the Executive Boards of the National Puerto Rican Coalition and the Center for Puerto Rico Equality and Advancement and is an active participant in the Lex Mundi Government Affairs Practice Group and the American Grant Writer’s Association.

Luis Bacó possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico (Mayaguez Campus), a Juris Doctor degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. Mr. Bacó is a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association and remains active in Scouting. He is married and is the proud father of three children.