Month: January 2022

Colombian member firm Gómez-Pinzón announced the appointment of three new partners to take on the challenge of continuing to position the firm as a leader in the Colombian legal market. With Paola Larrahondo, Nicolás Potdevin and Carolina Bobillier, from the Administrative, Constitutional and Insfrastructure, Customs and Tax practices, respectively, Gómez-Pinzón now has 22 partners in its team.

Nicolás Potdevin, specialized in Customs Law, has more than 18 years of professional experience in customs and international exchange matters, focused on foreign trade operations. He has advised national and international companies in customs and foreign exchange consulting, customs planning, free zone regime, business structuring, customs and foreign exchange auditing, as well as in litigation in these matters, both in administrative and contentious administrative proceedings.

“With this appointment, we have, in the customs practice, great challenges because we must continue to position it in the market and continue to grow our team. And, on the other hand, as a partner, my challenge will be to continue leading the practice so that it is possible to face, in an outstanding way, the investigations of the authorities, as well as the growing national and international consultancy“, says Nicolás.

In the Tax area, Carolina Bobillier was appointed as a new partner, thanks to her experience of more than 18 years in handling matters related to tax planning and structuring of projects, mergers and acquisitions and corporate reorganizations; international taxation in projects and business operations; attention to judicial and extrajudicial cases in tax matters, among others.

“The fact that with our appointment a 30 year old firm already has 22 partners, is a confirmation of the bet made by a company that grows and renews itself every day, where there is room for young professionals who will continue with the legacy of the lawyers who founded and believed in this cause, training new leaders to maintain what characterizes us as the quality, closeness and DNA of the firm, but recognizing that innovation and leadership of new professionals trained within Gómez-Pinzón are a guarantee and the way to continue growing and positioning ourselves in the market as a leading firm for many years to come“, says Carolina.

Carolina is a lawyer from Universidad de la Sabana and a specialist in Tax Law from Universidad del Rosario and has been part of important transactions and advisories in the country such as the reorganization of Bavaria, tax planning and restructuring of Avianca, tax planning and restructuring of companies in the hydrocarbon sector, tax advice in merger of Stock Exchanges and comprehensive advice to Metro de Bogotá – First Line.

On the other hand, Paola Larrahondo has more than 15 years of professional experience in the public and private sector and was appointed as partner of the Administrative, Constitutional and Infrastructure practice at Gómez-Pinzón.  During her career she has focused on administrative law, government contracting, design and monitoring of public policies, public-private partnerships (apps), litigation, advice on the creation of rules and regulations.

Paola is a lawyer from Universidad de los Andes and holds a Master in Arts in Law and Economics from Universitá di Bologna and a Master in Law, Economics, Management, Business Law and Economics from Université D’Aix-Marseille and led the inter-institutional team that drafted and carried out the legislative process of the Infrastructure Law (Law 1682 of 2013), in addition to being an advisor on public law matters for Aguas de Bogotá, IGT and Metro de Bogotá – Primera Línea, in the acquisition of SF Convias by Ashmore, the concession of the Briceño-Tunja-Sogamoso road and the public tender for the provision of a fleet for Transmilenio.

“In this new role, the goal will always be to find innovative solutions for our clients especially at a time like the present, where the country in matters of development of large infrastructure projects and public contracts is moving forward and where our clients, with our advice, must remain as protagonists in their development with transparency and timely compliance“, says Paola.

These 3 lawyers, who have been part of Gómez-Pinzón for more than 5 years, have the challenge of uniting and strengthening their practice in order to continue to highlight the firm in the market.

Chilean member firm Barros & Errázuriz advised Globalvía in the acquisition of a 34% stake in Brookfield Americas Infrastructure Holdings Chile I S.A., owned by Brookfield Americas Infrastructure Holdings I S.L. This transaction was considered “Deal of the Month” in the most recent edition of the Latin America Monthy Report by Transactional Track Record (TTR).

The objective of the purchase consisted of indirectly acquiring 34% of Sociedad Concesionaria Vespucio Norte Express S.A. and Sociedad Concesionaria Túnel San Cristóbal S.A. The advisory included a due diligence process of the concessionaire companies, the structuring of the transaction and the drafting and negotiation of the share purchase agreement.

The team that advised Globalvía was composed of partners Nicolás Balmaceda and Bernardo Simian, as well as senior associates Diego Ovalle, María Olga Rivera, Andrés Rodríguez, and associates Axel Ewert, Magdalena Rojas, Isidora Cavallini, María José Bordalí, Sebastián Zaror and Valentina Muñoz.

 

Peruvian member firm Miranda & Amado announced the appointment of five new partners of the Firm, promoted from different practice areas to consolidate the value proposition of comprehensive service offered to its clients: Fiorella Zumaeta (Regulatory-Competition Area), Luis Alonso Navarro (Disputes Area), Álvaro del Valle (Financial Area), José Luis Velarde (Criminal Area) and Rafael Díaz (Criminal Area). Their appointments will become effective as of January 1, 2022.

With this appointments, Miranda & Amado reaffirms its commitment to young talent, a fundamental pillar of its culture. At the same time, it confirms our commitment to offer top-notch comprehensive advice to clients, drive by knowledge, professionalism and experience.

Fiorella Zumaeta has been a senior associate at Miranda & Amado since 2018. Her professional practice focuses on legal advice on competition matters, with special emphasis on the elimination of bureaucratic barriers, as well as consultin on regulatory and administrative law issues.

Luis Alonso Navarro interned at the Firm and became an associate in 2011. His practice focuses on litigation and arbitration, primarily on representing and advising clients in international and domestic commercial and investment arbitration, complex regulatory disputes, infrastructure projects, construction, corporate disputes and other matters.

Alvaro Del Valle has been an associate at Miranda & Amado since 2010. His professional practice focuses on designing, providing advice on, negotiating and structuring various financing transactions, representing both local and international financial institutions and corporate borrowers or securities issuers. Moreover, Álvaro boasts significant experience in advising investment funds.

José Luis Velarde joined the Firm as counsel in January 2021 to set up the new criminal practice area. His practice focuses on preventive advice on criminal compliance and on the defense in highly complex criminal investigations and litigation, with particular strengths in economic criminal law cases. He has been responsible for advising on and developing systems relating to compliance and the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism, as well as anti-corruption systems for corporate clients.

Rafael Díaz also joined Miranda & Amado as counsel in January 2021 to implement the new criminal practice area. He specializes in criminal and criminal procedural matters. His legal practice focuses on the defense of highly complex cases, representing companies and their executives in criminal litigation related to corporate activity and consulting on liability and criminal contingencies.