Biography: Aviation

Gonzalo Yelpo and his partner, Julio Facal, founded Yelpo & Facal Abogados in December 2007 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Originally as a small boutique firm, Yelpo & Facal focused in air transport and tourism with Gonzalo heading the aviation team. However, due to the recognition of the market for its services, it expanded to all areas of corporate matters (labour, tax, commercial, infrastructure, energy and environmental law).

The aviation team advises and represents foreign airlines, financers, lessors, insurers and other companies with interest in the aviation sector. Mr Yelpo has been involved in most major aircraft transactions in Uruguay representing financers, lessors and lessees. The firm represents several airlines before the civil aviation authority for regulatory and aeropolitical matters and also in passengers, labour, commercial and other fields within the aviation industry.

Prior to founding Yelpo & Facal, he headed the legal directorate at Pluna, the Uruguayan carrier, for more than eight years and was also president of the Uruguayan Chamber of Aeronautic Commerce.

As well as being a partner of Yelpo & Facal, he is the legal director and general counsel of ALTA, the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association.

In addition to a JD, he holds an executive MBA from IAE Business School, and a diploma in air law from IATA with specialisation in international air law, airline contracts, aircraft purchase, financing and operational leasing. Gonzalo has lectured at several conferences and seminars for ICAO, IATA and the International Bar Association among others. He is chair of the ALTA Aviation Law Americas Conference.

He is fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese.