Maintaining its upward trajectory, Cuatrecasas’ Bogotá office continues to make strides following its 2021 launch. The group enjoys a particularly prominent position for lender-side transactions, where it acts for an impressive raft of major domestic and multinational banks. Project finance is another strong suit and the team is routinely involved in many of the most high-profile transactions in the market — for both lenders and borrowers. Go-to finance expert Manuel Quinche spearheads the department and recently advised a group of international lenders (the Bank of Nova Scotia, BNP Paribas, JPMorgan Chase Bank, SMBC, and Bank of New York Mellon) on a $750m loan to Argos North America Corporation. In another headline-grabbing mandate, Quinche acted alongside the Santiago office to advise the lenders (the Bank of Nova Scotia, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Goldman Sachs Bank USA) on amending a revolving credit facility of up to $120m granted to Andean Telecom Partners. The group also includes structured finance specialist Ana María Sánchez, who advised the lenders on a $50m loan to several of the Vitalis Group companies, and Juan Carlos Puentes, who was elevated to partner in April 2022. Natalia Arango is a capable senior associate.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘It is a fairly complete team, with a clear understanding of the technical aspects and which permanently seeks the best solution to reach agreements between the parties.’
‘In Cuatrecasas, people respond promptly and always seek to protect the interests of the parties. Likewise, they are very rigorous in the review of the documentation.’
‘The entire team demonstrates knowledge of the industry, which is essential to provide client-centred advice. Additionally, it makes available to the client advice from the different practices of the firm, and does not focus solely on the contracted practice. It is a team highly committed to the transaction.’
‘The people on the team stand out for their commitment, excellence in work, and understanding of the business.’
‘The commitment of the lawyers and the quality of its deliverables are perfect. The team is pro-business and customer focused. It maintains a good balance to mitigate legal risks without preventing the closure of a deal.’
‘It stands out for its teamwork, the way it handles negotiations, and the quality of its work.’

Key clients

Bancolombia
Itaú Corpbanca Colombia
Banco Davivienda
Banco de Bogotá
Banco de Occidente
Banco Popular
Concesionaria Rutas del Valle
Transmisora Colombiana de Energía
ScotiaBank
MUFG Bank
Metro Línea 1
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
The Bank of Nova Scotia
BTG Pactual Colombia
Plurall Capital Colombia
Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management
Unión para la Infraestructura
Klym
BID Invest

Work highlights

Advising the Bank of Nova Scotia, BNP Paribas, JPMorgan Chase Bank, SMBC, and Bank of New York Mellon on a $750m loan to Argos North America Corporation.
Advising the Bank of Nova Scotia, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, on the amendment to a revolving credit facility of up to $120m granted to the Andean Telecom Partners group.
Advising The Bank of Nova Scotia, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria New York Branch, BNP Paribas, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation on the $700m transaction to manage the public debt of Empresas Públicas de Medellín.