Baker McKenzie S.A.S.’s corporate and M&A practice in Bogotá forms a key part of the global firm’s wider Latin America offering, serving as a strategic hub for cross-border work across the region. Commended for its ability to provide ‘solutions from a practical and legal point of view’, the sizeable group handles the full range of corporate, M&A and restructuring work, with particular experience in multi-jurisdictional transactions involving multiple countries and regulatory issues. In a recent example, go-to corporate heavyweight Jaime Trujillo acted together with Clare Montgomery (who fronts the companies, restructuring and investment practice) and the New York office to advise Sanofi on the sale of Genfar — its generics business in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — to Eurofarma Laboratorios. The ’outstanding’ Andrés Crump spearheads the M&A and private equity practices and teamed up with the Palo Alto office to advise Snowflake on its indirect acquisition of the Colombian subsidiary of Mobilize.Net. Rounding out the senior names is dual-qualified (Colombia/New York) partner Natalia Ponce de León, who had leading roles on a string of matters during 2023/24, with a focus on the healthcare and energy industries. The department additionally draws on a deep pool of associates including senior Alexandra Montealegre, who has strong international experience gained during an earlier career stint at a New York firm; and intermediates Karen Santamaría, Paola Gonzalez and Juliana Gómez. Senior associate Adriana Combatt moved in house at Altra Investments in March 2023, while senior associate Isabel Torres departed for Geopark in October 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Baker's corporate and M&A team is a great team. It manages to collaborate with the client in an integral way. Its advice is complete and in line with the company's needs. It has excellent response times and, in addition, an incredible human team.’

  • ‘Lawyers have knowledge about our industry and manage to provide a comprehensive service.’

  • ‘It is a very complete and quite commercial team. It identifies what are the really important issues and transmits suggestions and solutions from a practical and legal point of view.’

  • ‘Andrés Crump is outstanding. Very practical, responsive and capable. He is a star.’

  • ‘In the case of the advice for which I hired the firm, what makes it special is that it has relevant expertise in various areas that are important to our company. It can anticipate our future needs and look for solutions.’
  • ‘Paola González works proactively on the work that has been entrusted to her. She alerts us when, in her opinion, a more detailed analysis is required or action is required concerning matters that are not within her competence. She knows how to establish priorities, so that urgent matters are attended to in a timely manner.’
  • ‘On the occasions that I have worked with Clare Montgomery, she has been very collaborative and decisive.’

Key clients

  • Akzo Nobel
  • Ecopetrol
  • Aris Mining
  • Isagen
  • Promigas
  • Mondelez
  • EDF (Electricité de France)
  • Aimbridge
  • Inspired Group
  • Accor Invest
  • Tous
  • Sanofi
  • Groupe SEB
  • Mitsui
  • Total Eren

Work highlights

  • Advised Sanofi on the sale of Genfar — its generics business in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — to Eurofarma Laboratorios.
  • Assisted Snowflake with its indirect acquisition of the Colombian subsidiary of Mobilize.Net.
  • Advised OCIM Metals and Mining on the indirect acquisition of a majority stake in Comercializadora Internacional ESLOP.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
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.

Andrés Crump, Clare Montgomery, Jaime Trujillo, Natalia Ponce de León