José Antonio Zabala César Petrino

He was born in Córdoba, Province of Córdoba, on September 25, 1964. He graduated from UBA [University of Buenos Aires] in 1988 as an attorney and paralegal. He is married and has three children.

Practice Areas
Attorney specialized in Labor and Social Security Law, with a solid practice in business reorganizations (outsourcing, corporate break-ups, mergers, purchases), design of labor relations and staff compensation and benefit policies. As far as his professional practice is concerned, he has established a permanent and solid relationship with the most representative unions in the country derived from his participation and handling of collective bargaining processes (food, mining. metallurgy, health, fast food, automotive, gastronomy, railway, commerce, truck drivers, electricity and gas, among others).

Professional Experience
As from 1988 and up to the formation of “Adrogué, Marqués, Zabala & Asociados” he provided comprehensive counseling services to corporations and employers organizations. In 1994 he was appointed head of a professional team and later on Director in a specialized law firm.

During 1993 and 1994 he enlarged his professional activity in the area of labor relations in Metrovías S.A. and participated in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with the Unions that ruled the company´s business (Unión Ferroviaria, la Fraternidad, Señaleros, Unión Tranviarios Automotor.)

Special Activities
In 1995 and 2000 he attended Labor Relations Congresses held in the cities of Montreal (Canada) and Tokyo (Japan).

College Activity
Instructor of Labor Law at the School of Business Sciences of the UCA [Argentine Catholic University]. Visiting Professor to the Chair of Collective Labor Law at the School of Law and Social Sciences, UBA. Visiting Professor at the ITBA [Technological Institute of Buenos Aires]. He has lectured a great number of courses related to his area of expertise.

Publications
Chapter on “Modalidades de contratación” [Hiring types], in AAVV, La Reforma Laboral [The Labor Reform], Buenos Aires, Abeledo Perrot, 1998. Chapter on “Suspensiones y Despidos por Falta de trabajo y Fuerza Mayor” [Suspensions and dismissals due to lack of work or Act of God], in AAVV, Crisis en la Empresa: Procedimientos y medidas laborales aplicables [Corporate crisis: applicable labor procedures and measures], Buenos Aires, Errepar, 2002.