International trade is a mainstay at Araújo Ibarra and the boutique is widely lauded for its ‘great experience and deep knowledge of trade matters’. The deep and broad practice offers comprehensive coverage of trade law and related issues, with extensive expertise in trade strategy, free zones, free trade agreements and customs law — both advisory and contentious matters. Managing partner Martín Gustavo Ibarra Pardo is a 50-year veteran expert in trade law and demonstrates ‘excellent management of foreign trade issues and free zones’. Other key names include Olga Lucía Salamanca, who fronts the trade remedies and commercial policy department. Juan David Barbosa left the firm in November 2022 to establish his own practice, LegalB; and former international trade practice head Lina Ocampo and Ricardo López departed in August 2023. Since publication, the firm has hired Andrea Caicedo from Goh as IT&C practice director - effective as of November 2023.

Lawyers at Ibarra Abogados Rimon Law are roundly praised for their ‘expert knowledge’, with sources asserting that ‘the team’s experience makes it stand out over its competitors’. The international trade and competition boutique fields an interdisciplinary practice, which is equipped to provide full-spectrum coverage of trade remedies, trade policy, customs law and related litigation. Founding partner Gabriel Ibarra Pardo has a 30-year track record in advising domestic and multinational companies, multilateral agencies, and public sector entities on trade and customs work, including sensitive WTO dispute settlement matters. Other key contacts include Ana Lucía Parra, whose practice spans customs, competition, consumer protection and administrative law; and Alejandro Ibarra, who advises corporate and public-sector clients on foreign trade, customs law, and free trade zones, among other issues. Director Natalia Torres left in May 2022 to become a senior consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Brigard Urrutia’s international trade team scores highly for its ‘very unique vision that is focused on the client and finding practical solutions’. The practice encompasses a broad scope of trade and customs matters, with strong recent showings in anti-dumping investigations, customs disputes, free trade zones, and transactional support matters. A ‘benchmark in his field’, key partner Jose Francisco Mafla sits in the corporate and M&A, and international trade and customs teams; he specialises in advising on regulatory and transactional matters intersecting customs and foreign trade law, including trade remedies and WTO regulation. The group also fields two up-and-coming rising stars in associate director Camilo Castrillón (‘extensive knowledge of the law’) and intermediate associate Gerardo Chadid (‘thinks of innovative solutions for different problems’).

Posse Herrera Ruiz’s international trade group stands out for its ‘combination of legal and economic knowledge’. Among its other key attributes, the team’s ability to lean on other departments from across the full-service firm stands as an asset in larger matters. Director and practice head María Paula Sánchez ‘generates trust and facilitates teamwork’; she is particularly recommended for her activity in anti-dumping investigations. Other key contacts include experienced tax and foreign trade counsel Ramiro Araujo Segovia; tax — including customs tax — specialist Juan Guillermo Ruiz; and tax, customs, and transfer pricing litigator Juan Camilo De Bedout. At associate level, Ana María Vega is highly regarded for her focus on customs and international trade law; while Daniela Lozada concentrates on tax, customs, and international trade litigation. Since publication, Sánchez has been raised to the partnership - effective as of March 2024.

CMS Rodríguez-Azuero is noted for its ‘quick reactivity in the face of continuous last-minute requests’. The group’s experience encompasses a varied mix of trade work, including trade remedies and dispute resolution, with an emphasis on customs matters such as customs compliance audits and customs tax. Key contact Santiago Arbouin heads both the tax practice and the customs law and trade department and is recommended for his customs tax planning expertise. The team was strengthened in January 2022 with the hire of Nicole Ríos, as associate practice director, from Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría. Ríos joins a team that includes associate Natalia Recio, who also splits her time between tax and trade work, is valued for her ‘extensive knowledge of customs issues’, and was promoted to practice coordinator in April 2023.

Gómez-Pinzón Abogados (GPA)’s international trade practice is particularly weighted towards customs work, including customs planning, free trade zones, port filings and litigation. The team also has experience in advising on foreign trade transactions and free trade agreements. Department head Nicolás Potdevin Stein is widely recognised as a specialist in customs law, with strong expertise in disputes as well as general advisory work. Associate Andrea Mora Ramírez provides dedicated practice support, with a focus on free zones, tax, and customs law.

The multidisciplinary international trade practice at Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría is distinguished by its ability to draw on the wider firm’s top-tier tax offering to pack a punch in customs tax planning. Other strong skill sets include free trade zones, foreign exchange law and customs-related litigation. The department is led jointly by managing partner and prominent tax expert Martín Acero, together with tax specialist Carolina Rozo, and director of the Barranquilla office, Héctor Ramírez, who also focuses on tax law.