Martín Acero > Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

Ranking among Colombia’s most dominant corporate practices, Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría earns plaudits for its ‘specialised lawyers committed to corporate issues’. The international-facing group combines a formidably deep domestic bench with a strong regional network that takes in offices in Chile and Peru; it also benefits from platforms in Europe through its partnership with Iberian powerhouse, Uría Menéndez. Despite being managing partner, M&A heavyweight Martín Acero remains highly sought after by sources for his ‘personalised attention’; he recently advised Ferro and Gema de Inversiones on the acquisition of a 17.64% stake of Hojalata y Laminados. Claudia Barrero is also a go-to corporate specialist and recently teamed up with the firm’s Peru and Chile offices to advise Latam company, Quelaris Internacional, on its acquisition by IMCD Group. In another multi-jurisdictional highlight, Felipe Cuberos advised Inversiones Kaufmann on the acquisition of the Mercedes Benz truck and bus division in Colombia from Daimler. Other key partners include: Juan Carlos Rocha, who blends strength in corporate and real estate matters; Hernando Padilla, who sits in the banking, capital markets and corporate practices; and up-and-coming corporate and restructuring specialist Nicolás Tirado, who recently advised Kaufmann Ventures on the seed round it led in Colombian start-up, Velocity-X. Among the group’s sizeable band of associates, principals Luz María Mercado, Juan José Castaño, David Beltrán and Juan Guillermo Nur all stand out for their broad corporate and M&A activity. Senior associates Paula Buriticá and Alejandro Medina left in May 2022 and November 2022, respectively.

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.

The tax team at corporate powerhouse Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría is ‘creative and makes use of all possible resources’, according to sources. As the third-largest practice in the firm by turnover, the thriving group stands out for its activity across the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious matters with transactional tax — where it routinely teams up with its top-tier corporate unit — standing as a sweet spot. Clients also benefit from its standalone transfer pricing practice, which specialises in advising on cases concerning Chile, Colombia and Peru. Managing partner Martín Acero is distinguished by his focus on tax law, and corporate and M&A work, which uniquely positions him to provide comprehensive advice on transactional tax. Carolina Rozo is sought after for her strength in tax planning, corporate tax structuring, and litigation. Barranquilla office head Héctor Ramírez co-heads the department alongside Acero and Rozo and is noted for his recent activity in cross-border tax matters. At associate level, principals Leonardo Cote and Verónica Barone are names to note.

Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría’s multidisciplinary practice is highly active in representing technology and media companies in transactional and regulatory matters. The group also advises clients from a diverse range of industry sectors on data privacy and consumer protection-related issues. The team is led jointly by corporate heavyweight Martín Acero; competition and TMT partner Diego Cardona; and IP and regulatory specialist Mauricio Patiño.