Brigard & Urrutia Abogados

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Founded in 1934, Brigard & Urrutia enjoys a global reputation as one of South America’s leading business law firms. The firm’s size gives it the ability to offer an unparalleled range of first-class legal services and allows it to offer bespoke legal solutions to its global client base, which includes leading domestic and foreign financial institutions, multilateral agencies, local and foreign private equity/venture capital funds, insurance and reinsurance companies, state-owned enterprises, domestic and international corporations, pension funds and governments. The firm’s integrated practice group approach ensures that its attorneys work seamlessly across the firm’s various practices to handle the most complex legal challenges. Due to its excellent reputation, the firm frequently advises on significant inbound and outbound foreign direct investment, an area that derives strong benefits from its far-reaching relationships with elite law firms across Latin America, the United States, Asia and Europe.

Brigard & Urrutia attorneys are recognised as leading practitioners in their respective fields and many of them have earned postgraduate degrees from leading American and European universities. Several attorneys have practised overseas with prominent international law firms and are admitted to practise in other jurisdictions, including the State of New York. The firm’s substantial capabilities and legal experience covering all areas of law allow it to regularly handle some of the largest and most complex transactions in Colombia. Throughout the firm’s long history, its attorneys have advised clients on groundbreaking landmark transactions and played a central role in developing the practice of corporate law in Colombia.

The firm’s representations cover every facet of corporate law and include clients such as ABN AMRO Bank, American Airlines, Barclays Bank, British Airways, Munich Re, Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Suisse, Danone Groupe, Endesa Internacional, Eton Park Capital Management, General Electric Company, Hewlett-Packard, HSBC Securities, McDonald’s Corporation, SABMiller Brewing Company, The World Bank Group and Votorantim Metais.

Main areas of practice

Banking and finance: The firm’s banking and finance team advises domestic and foreign financial institutions in a wide variety of bank regulatory and financing matters, including bank credit transactions, cross-border financial transactions, banking regulations, large-scale project finance transactions and Colombian peso loans in the local market.

Capital markets and private equity/venture capital funds: The firm represents clients in domestic and offshore securities/debt offerings, securitisation transactions, structuring of private equity and venture capital funds as well as REITs, and corporate governance matters.

Mergers & acquisitions: Having advised on some of the largest and most complex M&A transactions in Colombia’s history, the firm’s M&A team has extensive experience assisting clients in mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, stock sales, asset divestitures, recapitalisations and reorganisations of both public and private companies. The firm’s M&A practice is complemented by its highly regarded antitrust practice.

Mining and natural resources: The firm occupies a leading position in the mining and natural resources realm in Colombia, counseling some of the world’s largest multinational conglomerates with respect to significant investments in the mining sector as well as oil and gas.

Infrastructure projects: Drawing on Brigard & Urrutia’s strength in the areas of administrative law and banking and finance, the firm’s infrastructure practice has played a leading role in many of the most significant private and public project finance transactions in Colombia, across virtually all infrastructure sectors, including energy and gas, telecommunications, transportation, water and sewage.

Litigation and arbitration: The firm has a very experienced team specialised in helping its clients effectively and expeditiously resolve disputes, including representing clients in complex commercial litigation matters, as well as significant capabilities in alternative dispute resolution, including representations before local and international arbitration panels.

Legal alliances: Brigard & Urrutia is an active member of Lex Mundi, Pacific Rim Advisory Council, World Services Group, the Bomchill Group and Club de Abogados, through which its clients have access to the expertise of more than 400 top law firms in virtually every jurisdiction of the world.

Awards: Each of Brigard & Urrutia’s practice areas is highly regarded and several of its partners and practice groups consistently rank in the top tiers of various global law firm rankings.

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