Cuatrecasas > Lima, Peru > Firm Profile

Cuatrecasas > The Legal 500 Rankings

Peru > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

While maintaining a focus on private equity and energy clients, the corporate and M&A team at Cuatrecasas has recently expanded its client portfolio and has handled transactions in the infrastructure, healthcare and agribusiness sectors, among others. Key strengths include joint ventures, distressed M&A deals, corporate restructuring, and asset and business transfers. Managing partner Oscar Trelles, who is experienced in leading complex international M&A transactions, oversees the practice alongside Diego Carrión, who is skilled in private equity and complex corporate advisory work. Kiomi Osorio is noted for her expertise in financial transactions, corporate law, capital markets and financial regulation. At associate level, seniors Guido Maeda and Mariano Peró - who arrived from Santiváñez Abogados and Miranda & Amado (in August 2023 and July 2024), respectively - are the names to note.

Peru > Banking and finance Tier 3

With offices across Latin America, the expanding banking and finance practice at Cuatrecasas is well positioned to handle cross-border work, including refinancing, direct lending, real estate and corporate finance. The department is led by Aldo Reggiardo, who offers know-how in complex project finance deals within the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. Kiomi Osorio is a notable practitioner within the team and concentrates on investment funds, financial regulation work and M&A transactions. The team was further strengthened in August 2024 with the hire of senior associate Wilfredo Cáceres, formerly a principal at Rubio Leguía Normand.

Peru > Dispute resolution: Arbitration Tier 3

The arbitration team at Cuatrecasas is active in local and regional proceedings, particularly within the infrastructure and transport industries. The group also advises clients from the agriculture, mining and construction sectors. Domingo Rivarola oversees the practice and is well versed in commercial and international arbitration, often defending clients in proceedings concerning concession contracts. Senior associate Rodrigo Rabines handles construction-related arbitration, while associate Elody Malpartida‘s scope of work extends to disputes arising from M&A deals. Since publication, the practice has been substantially boosted with the November 2024 hire of Ramiro Portocarrero, formerly co-head of the disputes practice at Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uria.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 4

Cuatrecasas has significantly enhanced the capabilities of its Lima-based mining team with the July-2023 appointment of specialist practitioner Ina Drago (from Estudio Echecopar member firm of Baker McKenzie International) as head of the firm’s natural resources and environmental practice. Drago advises clients on all stages of mining projects - including acquisition, development and operation - and is accustomed to acting for mining service providers, financial entities and private equity funds, as well as mining majors. The team provides comprehensive regulatory, administrative, and transactional advice, including advice on permitting, administrative and sanctioning procedures, and transactional counsel regarding M&A, service agreements, NSR royalties, and financings. Oscar Trelles heads the corporate, M&A and private equity practice at the firm and is a key component in the handling of complex cross-border and domestic M&A transactions in the mining sector. Key associate support is provided by Milagros Cacho, a September-2023 arrival from Rubio Leguía Normand.

Peru > Tax Tier 4

In the tax arena, Cuatrecasas is experienced in issues pertaining to tax optimisation and structuring procedures, often for clients in the engineering, private equity and utilities sectors. Known for its expertise in tax compliance, the firm also handles audit procedures and advanced VAT refunds. The experienced Juan Pablo Porto oversees the practice, and is ably supported by principal associate Giorgio Balza, who advises private clients on wealth management, and associates Stephanie Torres and Alisson Gálvez, who concentrate on tax litigation and M&A-related tax concerns, respectively.

Peru > Dispute resolution: Litigation

Peru > Labour and employment

Peru > Capital markets

Energy and natural resources > Electricity

Peru > Public law and regulation

Latin America: International firms > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Cuatrecasas combines its long association with Latin America from Madrid and other international offices, with a rep office in New York and its physical presence in Latin America provided by offices in Bogota, Lima, Mexico City and Santiago. The Latin America team regularly handles significant cross-border transactions, including investments, acquisitions and disposals by private equity funds and other financial sponsors. One recent headline mandate saw the group advise Patria Investments on the sale of Odata, an operator of data centres in Latin America, to Aligned Data Centers. It also advises a range of multinationals and Latin American corporates on inbound and outbound transactions. Alfonso Ugarte relocated from Santiago to New York in 2022, where he remains focused on Latin America M&A matters, distressed debt and corporate restructuring. Antonio Baena is head of the international practice, and continues to work on transactions in Spain and Latin America, including acquisitions and disposals by financial sponsors. Diego Pérez-Yarza is another senior figure in the Latin America team, along with Madrid-based Alfonso Reina, who is primarily focused on the Colombia market having been previously located in the Bogota office. Lima partner Oscar Trelles heads the Latin America M&A team, which includes Santiago’s Roberto Guerrero, Juan Felipe Vera in Bogota, and Mexico City-based Santiago Ferrer. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Colombia > Energy and natural resources

Equally adept at transactional and regulatory matters, Cuatrecasas’ energy and natural resources practice provides a ‘unique combination of strong legal experience and deep understanding of energy market dynamics’. Its broad regulatory expertise is a key differentiator and the team advises major global names, particularly in the renewable energy space, on the full range of regulatory compliance, administrative law and environmental law issues. The group is also a strong performer in transactional matters, including M&A, joint ventures and financings. Key partner Ana María Sánchez brings together skill sets in energy, infrastructure, finance and public law; she is noted for her experience in structuring energy projects. Senior associate Manuel Gómez leads the energy and regulated industries practice and is widely lauded for his ‘very deep knowledge of Colombian regulation’; he advised Canadian Solar on regulatory matters connected to the construction and operation of a battery-energy storage system in Barranquilla. The team also includes finance specialist Manuel Quinche and ‘very business-oriented’ senior associate Fabio Ardila. Since publication, the practice has been further strengthened with the hire of projects and finance specialist, Nicólas Arboleda, who arrived from his own boutique in Janaury 2025.

Colombia > Projects

Lawyers in Cuatrecasas’ projects team ‘don’t just scratch the surface, they dive into every aspect’, according to clients. The group houses a thriving project finance offering, where it is a popular choice to represent domestic and global lenders on financing large-scale infrastructure projects. The team additionally contributes extensive experience in acting for sponsors, concessionaires and others on project financing, development and maintenance matters. Manuel Quinche is a go-to finance specialist, whose sectoral projects expertise encompasses roads, ports, airports, public transport, energy, and telecoms, among other spheres. Quinche recently advised the lenders on the $642m refinancing of the 4G concession for the Pamplona-Cúcuta toll-road project. Other key names include Ana María Sánchez, whose practice spans infrastructure, energy and public law; finance partner Juan Carlos Puentes; and finance-focused Natalia Arango, who was promoted to the partnership in April 2024. Since publication, the practice has been further strengthened with the hire of Nicólas Arboleda who arrived from his own boutique in Janaury 2025.

Colombia > Public law

Cuatrecasas’ public law practice continues to gain traction in the market, following the arrival of department head and infrastructure specialist Ana María Sánchez, who joined in February 2022 from Peru’s Rebaza, Alcázar & De Las Casas. The team is mainly oriented towards advising concessionaires and construction companies on bidding processes and project development, but it also has a growing presence in contentious work, including sanctioning proceedings and constitutional litigation. The group further includes senior associates Diana Rueda and Manuel Gómez Fajardo, both of whom specialise in infrastructure and public law.

Latin America: International firms > Banking and finance

Cuatrecasas operates multiple offices in Latin America, notably Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile; all house considerable banking and finance expertise. This is coupled with Latin America-facing banking and finance expertise in Madrid, a rep office in New York and other international offices. It represents a range of corporate borrowers, financial institutions and funds in a variety of financings, notably in leveraged and acquisition finance, along with corporate finance, structured finance, derivatives, asset finance, projects and infrastructure finance, real estate finance, and export and trade finance. The firm also remains active in DIP financings and debt restructurings. In 2023, the firm advised on a series of headline acquisition financings, including advising a syndicate bank on the financing for SK Capital Partners’ acquisition of Apotex Pharmaceutical and its subsidiaries. Refinancing and debt restructuring have been important elements of the practice, along with project finance and real estate finance. Bogota partner Manuel Quinche is an experienced figure in structured finance and project finance. Roberto Guerrero is a key name in Santiago, along with León López in Mexico City and Aldo Reggiardo in Lima. Madrid’s Carlos Lasarte has extensive experience in representing international lenders in Latin American financings.

Latin America: International firms > Projects and energy

Cuatrecasas has made a considerable investment into its Latin America practice, with established offices in Bogotá, Lima, Mexico City and Santiago. The firm advises a range of sponsors and lenders on project financings across the region, notably public-infrastructure projects under concession contracts and other public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements. It has a significant record in energy, transport and other forms of infrastructure, such as social and community infrastructure. The firm continues to standout for its work on road and renewable energy projects. Bogota partner Manuel Quinche has advised on a series of landmark projects in Colombia, especially highways. Lima’s Aldo Reggiardo is another established lawyer in energy and infrastructure matters, as is León López in Mexico City.