Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas houses a full-service banking and finance practice, which stands out for its comprehensive industry coverage as well as its broad international outlook. With experience acting for lenders and corporate borrowers, the group is a popular choice to advise global and domestic clients on a wide range of financing matters, including subordinated loans, acquisition finance, project finance and structured finance. Managing partner Bernardo Cárdenas is a transactional specialist who leverages expertise in both banking and corporate deals; he recently acted as local counsel to First Abu Dhabi Bank, as lender, on two senior secured credit facilities granted to Nugil and JGDB Holding to fund the $1.3bn acquisition of Grupo Nutresa and the $780m acquisition of Grupo Sura. In another bank-side matter, Catalina Pinilla advised Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina (CAF), as lender, on $650m worth of unsecured credit facilities provided to Banco de Occidente, Bancoldex, BBVA Colombia and Davivienda. Rounding out the key partners is corporate head Eduardo Cárdenas, who recently advised the lenders (Banco de Occidente, Banco de Bogotá and Corficolombiana) on a project financing of up to COP$550bn to infrastructure concessionaire, Concesión Sabana de Occidente. Pablo Jaramillo, who has a focus on project finance, is also noted. Senior associate Felipe Molano left the firm in February 2023. Since research concluded, the practice has been further strengthened with the hire of next generation partner Felipe Alarcón from Brigard Urrutia – effective as of September 2023. Since publication, and in a notable boost to the practice, September 2024 saw the firm welcome back former senior associate Daniela Mejia Mariño (from Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría), as a partner; effective as of September 2024.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘The banking and financial law team at Dentons Cárdenas & Cárdenas is comprised of a team of professionals who understand the background of the business they are dealing with. Rarely have we seen such precise, practical documentary advice that captures all the fronts of a transaction.’
‘Catalina Pinilla is a great lawyer, who understands the scope of the risks that financial institutions are willing to assume. She knows her industry and the details of what the counterparties are looking for in an operation. She is a very capable, intelligent lawyer with excellent relationships.’
‘It is a team with very high technical knowledge, which allows you to feel safe when negotiating a contract. People are always available to respond to needs in a timely manner.’
‘Lawyers are excellent professionals, willing to move transactions forward. Good client management. We highlight, the participation of the partners in the transactions and the quality of the team in terms of deliverables and knowledge.’

Key clients

First Abu Dhabi Bank
Corficolombiana
Puerto Bahía Colombia de Urabá
Puerto Antioquia Holding
Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina – CAF
Coöperatieve Rabobank
Gran Tierra Energy Colombia
Gran Tierra Colombia Inc.
Banco de Occidente
Banco de Bogotá
PIO
International Finance Corporation
MUFG Bank

Work highlights

Acted as local counsel to First Abu Dhabi Bank, as lender, in two senior secured credit facilities.
Acted as local counsel to Puertos, Inversiones y Obras, Puerto Bahía Colombia de Urabá, and Puerto Antioquia Holding on the financial closing of the Puerto Antioquia project.
Acted as local counsel to a syndicate of ten European, Asian and South American banks, led by Coöperatieve Rabobank, on a two-year sustainability-linked loan facility to multinational coffee merchant, Sucafina.