Cárdenas & Cárdenas

This content can only be accessed by Latin Lawyer subscribers

Cárdenas & Cárdenas is primarily recognised for its commitment to understanding the needs of its customers. Since 1913, the firm has worked with domestic and international customers, under standards of high ethical commitment, seriousness and professionalism. Today, the firm’s prominent lawyers respond effectively to clients’ demands.

Constant contact with major local and international companies gives the firm the experience to provide outstanding professional services. The firm’s clients include a large number of international companies doing business in Colombia. The firm has successfully participated in several national and international transactions representing Colombian clients.

The firm’s structure gives it broad international support through correspondent firms in over 150 cities in the world. The firm has 10 partners worldwide: Darío Cárdenas, Eduardo Cárdenas, Bernardo P Cárdenas, Luz Helena Adarve, James Valdiri, Juanita Acosta, Lorena Arámbula, Camilo Cortés, Andrés Fernández and Roberto Borrás. The firm employs 37 lawyers worldwide.

Main international areas of practice: The firm holds a general practice at both the national and international level, including: commercial, civil, banking, financing, leasing, trusts, corporate, corporate governance, mergers, acquisitions, foreign investment, intellectual property, administrative law, litigation and arbitration, securities, environmental law, immigration, consumer’s protection, labour law, mining and oil, privatisations, taxes and antitrust.

Banking and finance: The firm and its partners have specialised in this area of practice for many years. Considered as leaders in banking and finance, the firm actively participates and has represented banks, foreign financial institutions and multilateral agencies in diverse international loans, trusts, structuring syndicated loan facilities, and capital market transactions.

Corporate: The firm provides clients with a detailed and specialised analysis of corporate law aspects to assist in determining the best structure to do business effectively.

Labour: The firm provides high-quality and personalised professional related services, including advice regarding Colombia’s labour regime and social security laws, due diligence, counseling and representation in claims and labour related lawsuits, negotiations, compensation plans and wages, assistance to foreign personnel in obtaining visas, drafting labour contracts and related legal advice during their stay in the country, termination and settlement agreements.

M&A: Mergers, corporate reorganisations and acquisitions of companies, including extensive and detailed due diligence work and antitrust filings are areas that the firm has vast experience in.

Mining, oil & gas: Representing the most important multinational mining companies, the firm has contributed to the development of large nickel and coal mining projects. It has also represented international oil companies in association contracts with the ANH and ECOPETROL, the nation’s entities responsible of the oil and gas sector, including supporting oil-related services, construction of refineries and pipelines.

Tax: The firm’s consolidated tax practice provides specialised and quality services in creating novel business structures. Designing and implementing sophisticated tax structures and tax planning, for present and future projects, tax litigation before tax and administrative authorities and estate planning are areas the firm specialises in.

Litigation and arbitration: The firm provides counsel to its clients in litigation before courts and arbitration (local and international). Actions seeking protection of infringement of intellectual property is also among the firm’s areas of particular expertise.

Intellectual property: The firm has a complete department covering trademarks, patents, copyrights, unfair competition as well as sanitary registrations, licensing agreements and orchestration and control of intellectual property matters outside Colombia.

Languages: English, French, Italian and Spanish.

International clients: The firm’s international clients cover a wide array of sectors, including oil and mining, services, manufacturing and distribution, telecommunications, banks and other financial institutions such as the US Ex-IM Bank, multilateral agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank and IFC, among others. Notable international clients include Xstrata Coal, Pacific Rubiales, CB Gold, NeoGas, Calyon, Pluspetrol, Barclays Bank, Rio Tinto, Alcatel, Ford Motor, Banco Federal, Hertz, Delta Air Lines, ISA, Colombina, SAB Miller, Kellogg Company, Farmatodo, Morgan Stanley & Co, Facebook Inc., Unicharm Corporation, Merck, Baxter International, Ferrero, Harsco Corporation, Reichhold Química, Omnimex Resources, Leawood Investments, Newell Rubbermaid, Sunbeam-Oster, Saint-Gobain, Microsoft, Repsol, Prisa, Technip, McGraw-Hill, Telesat, Fluor, Lincoln Electric, Kimberly Clark, Frugosa, Accenture, Assa Abloy, Mastercard, Grupo Salinas, Cabot Corporation and DEG.

www.cardenasycardenas.com