Baker McKenzie advises clients on contentious public law matters and regulatory risk mitigation strategies, with the team particularly noted for its work in the areas of public procurement and state expropriation. Other niche lines of expertise include pharmaceuticals, where the group represents clients in administrative and judicial procedures related to orphan drugs and clinical research regulation; and social network liability and regulation issues. The team also assists with permitting, environmental and compliance matters. Practice lead Luis Dates is a respected public and administrative law expert and works closely with dispute resolution partner Santiago Maqueda, who covers regulatory assessments, complex litigation and arbitration. Following the September 2024 departure of Agostina Spizzo (commercial and investment arbitrations), Juan José Catalán (transactional matters) is the main associate contact.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The Team is made up of excellent professionals. The organisation and implementation of procedures is impressive.’

  • ‘Lawyers who perfectly understand their client's needs. They are always available to assist and put forward innovative proposals.’

  • ‘Their technical knowledge is good and they approach issues with practical solutions.’

  • ‘A very solid team in public law issues. There is plenty of experience in the field and the team is always ready to address urgent issues.'

  • ‘What sets Baker McKenzie's public law team apart is its comprehensive approach and deep commitment to delivering impeccable service.'

  • ‘A team of passionate and dedicated professionals. They are always willing to collaborate with us and have a high degree of expertise in the area they work in.'

  • ‘The public law department has a diverse and interdisciplinary team, which adapts to what the client requires. They know the applicable regulations perfectly and always look for efficient solutions to unblock conflicts and problems that the business may have.’

Key clients

  • Carrefour
  • Celanese
  • Hitachi
  • Biogen
  • Merck
  • Honeywell
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Booking.com
  • Unisys
  • Shell CAPSA
  • China Triumph International Engineering Co.
  • FedEx
  • Twitter
  • DuPont
  • Boston Scientific

Work highlights

  • Provided Carrefour with a complete legal management service for handling all the administrative procedures initiated by national, provincial and local authorities due to alleged breaches of regulations and price controls in its more than 600 stores across the city and province of Buenos Aires.
  • Advising Celanese, an American technology and speciality materials company, on existing regulatory and inherited environmental liabilities related to an industrial plant.
  • Representing Naviera Chaco, a Paraguayan subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland, in assessing potential courses of action to annul and collect damages arising out of the national government’s decision to set a fee for the standard use of the Paraguay-Argentina waterway.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Luis Dates