Puerto Rico's federal control board appoints general counsel
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A federal control board that oversees Puerto Rico's finances has hired an attorney who was once a partner at a law firm that the new governor got rid of when he took office.
The board named Jaime El Koury as its general counsel on Thursday. He is to oversee litigation and debt restructuring efforts, among other things.
El Koury is from Puerto Rico and was a partner at the New York-based law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton until he retired in 2014. The firm worked for Puerto Rico's previous governor, but was dismissed last month by Gov. Ricardo Rossello.
The board however said El Koury himself never provided legal counsel to the Puerto Rican government. It said he was on a team based in Argentina from 2011-2014.
