Milton Montoya

Of Counsel
Milton Montoya

Overview

Milton Fernando Montoya Pardo is a mining and energy attorney in Holland & Knight's Bogotá office. Mr. Montoya has more than 20 years of experience handling matters within the mining, energy and environment sectors.

Mr. Montoya has in-depth experience with due diligence in mining transactions, acquisitions of assets in the mining and energy industries, mining litigation, renewables regulation in Colombia and compliance with obligations before environmental agencies in mining and energy projects.

In addition, Mr. Montoya handles a variety of corporate transactions in mining projects (sale of shares, foreign investments, new branches, corporate acts and assemblies), assisting mining companies in community relations and obtaining the social license to operate (LSO), and legal assistance to mining authorities and international institutions, such as the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), National Mining Agency (ANM), Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and National Agency for Legal Defense (ANDJE), among others. He also has vast experience with transfer of mining titles, sale of mining companies, preparation of mining operation subcontracts, administrative injunctions, subrogation of mining rights, integration of mining titles, mining formalization processes, mining litigation and support in the formulation of the public policy and regulation of hydrogen in Colombia.

Mr. Montoya also serves as research director and professor for the Mining and Energy Law Institute at Universidad Externado de Colombia and director of the university's Energy Transition Observatory. He is a lecturer on energy policy and regulation at the Centre for Energy Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) at the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Montoya was founder and owner of a boutique law firm that focused on advisory services in the mining and energy sector.

Representative Experience

  • Handled due diligence of gold and coal mining contracts in Colombia
  • Participated on the team appointed to formulate Colombian Hydrogen Public Policy
  • Assisted with transfer of mining assets in Colombia
  • Assisted with transfer of mining rights in Colombia
  • Provided legal support to Ministry of Mines and Energy in the design of public participation bill (coordination and concurrence)
  • Participated on the legal team appointed to update the mining law in the Dominican Republic
  • Handled litigation in wind power projects and bidding rights structure
  • Obtained awarding of mining contracts by the Ministry of Mines and Energy for energy companies
  • Secured approval of fuel permits before the Ministry of Mines and Energy
  • Helped with structuring of social management plans for mining industry

Credentials

Education
  • University of Dundee, Postdoctoral Studies Certificate
  • Complutense University of Madrid, Ph.D., cum laude
  • Instituto Superior de la Energía, Master's Degree, Energy Law
  • Universidad Externado de Colombia, J.D.
  • Universidad Externado de Colombia, Diploma, Electricity and Gas Regulation
Memberships
  • International Bar Association (IBA) Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL), Biennial Conference, Co-Chair, 2024
  • Latin-American Network of Mining Law (REDMIN), President, 2020-Present
  • Regional Centre for Energy Studies (CREE), Board Member, 2019-Present
  • IBA SEERIL, Academic Advisory Group (AAG), 2013-Present
  • Colombian Mining and Oil Attorneys Association (CAMPE), Board Member, 2012-Present
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in Colombia, Mining Law, Litigation, 2024
  • British Council, Newton Fund Scholarship, 2016
  • Universidad Externado de Colombia Scholarship, 2003-2010
  • Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation Scholarship, 2003-2004

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News