Mr Juan David Velasco > Baker McKenzie S.A.S. > BOGOTÁ, D.C, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

Baker McKenzie S.A.S.
CARRERA 11 NO. 79-35 PISO 9
6TH FLOOR
110221
Colombia

Work Department

International Tax, Private clients

Position

Partner

Career

Juan David is a Transactional Tax Partner and Wealth Management Practice Group Leader at Baker McKenzie Colombia. Juan’s practice focuses on International Tax, Transactional Tax, Merger and Acquisition Tax, Taxation of Private Equity and Venture Capital, Taxation of Digital Economy, Taxation of Compensation & Benefits, and Wealth Management for private clients.

As a leading transactional tax practitioner, he has actively advised numerous public and private companies, as well as private equity and venture capital firms on multi-jurisdictional tax-related aspects of investment, project finance, mergers, acquisitions and disposition of business interests and corporate reorganizations.

He also works with high-net-worth individuals on private wealth management, tax-efficient estate planning strategies and cross-border asset-protection structures.

Rankings:

  • Band 1, Private Wealth Law, Chambers High Net Worth, 2024
  • Band 5, Tax, Chambers Latin America, 2024
  • Band 5, Tax, Chambers Global, 2024
  • Next Generation Partner, Tax, Legal 500 Latin America, 2024

Languages

Spanish - English

Memberships

  • International Fiscal Association (IFA), Honorary Member and Former President Colombia Chapter, Member of the Latin American Regional Committee and Vice President of the Global YIN Committee.
  • Member of the Colombian Institute of Tax and Foreing Trade Law.
  • Member of the International Bar Association (IBA).

Education

  • University of Oxford, Saïd Business School, Oxford, UK (MBA) (2021)
  • Boston University School of Law, USA (Tax LL.M) (2012)
  • The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA (LL.M International Law) (2013)
  • Harvard Law School, USA (Program on Negotiation) (2013)
  • Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia (Tax Specialization) (2010)
  • Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia (J.D.) (2007)

Personal

Publications and Events:

  • Velasco Kerguelen, Juan David and Lozano, Eleonora et al. “Taxation of International Transactions”. International Fiscal Association (IFA) – Universidad de los Andes. (October 2022).
  • Velasco Kerguelen, Juan David., Gonzalez, Andrés “Group approach and separate entity approach in domestic and international tax law”. International Fiscal Association (IFA) Cahiers de Droit Fiscal International, ISSN 0168-0455, Vol. 106A, Nº. 1, 2022), pages. 267-281
  • Velasco Kerguelen, Juan David and Fernández, Pablo. The Multilateral Instrument and double tax treaties signed by Colombia: effects and challenges regarding treaty shopping. Revista Instituto Colombiano de Derecho Tributario 80. Julio de 2019. At. 19
  • Velasco Kerguelen, Juan David. “Assessing BEPS: origins, standards, and responses”. International Fiscal Association (IFA) Cahiers de Droit Fiscal International, ISSN 0168-0455, Vol. 102, Nº. 1, 2017), pages. 239-262
  • Velasco Kerguelen, Juan David. Book Chapter “BEPS Acción 12: Hacia la implementación global de mecanismos de revelación de planeaciones tributarias agresivas” in “Resultados del Plan de Acción BEPS y su aplicación en Colombia”. International Fiscal Association Capitulo Colombia and Instituto Colombiano de Derecho Tributario. (2016).

Lawyer Rankings

Colombia > Tax

(Next Generation Partners)

Juan David VelascoBaker McKenzie S.A.S.

The Colombian branch of Baker McKenzie S.A.S.’s formidable global tax group stands out for being ‘sensitive to the needs of the business’. The full-service practice demonstrates strong capability across all key pillars of tax law, with its recent experience spanning tax planning and wealth management, transactional support work, regulatory issues, dispute resolution and transfer pricing. The team is additionally recognised for its ability to plug into the wider firm’s international platform, which marks it as a popular choice to advise major multinationals on local issues, including Amazon, Chevron, and Public Sector Pension Investment Board. Among the names to note, high-profile tax expert Ciro Meza is sought after for his expertise in tax planning and consulting, and litigation. Meza co-heads the department together with transfer pricing specialist Gustavo Sánchez, and transactional tax partner Juan David Velasco, who joined from Posse Herrera Ruiz in April 2022. At associate level, Laura Durán and Andrea Jimenez are recommended. In November 2022, associate Carlos Gómez left to join Kuehne+Nagel.