Bruchou & Funes de Rioja > Buenos Aires, Argentina > Firm Profile

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja > The Legal 500 Rankings

Argentina > Banking and finance Tier 1

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja provides gold-standard counsel to a premier banking and finance client base and is a consistent presence on the biggest, most complex and most innovative banking and capital markets transactions in Argentina. The ‘consistently excellent’ practice is known for the quality and breadth of its offering, providing distinctive expertise and deep market know-how across loans, debt and equity capital markets, structured finance, acquisition finance, project finance, securitisation and liability management. Acting for both debtors and creditors, the team boasts an impressive roster of local and international banking clients and is also a go-to adviser for companies in the energy, natural resources and agribusiness sectors, among others. Influential banking lawyer and firm chairman Hugo Bruzone leads the team, with a practice covering banking, finance, capital markets and regulation. Founding partners Enrique Bruchou and Carlos Lombardi bring additional senior level experience to the practice’s heavyweight top bench, with impressive support from an ambitious cohort of younger partners that includes the ‘outstanding’ José María Bazán, Alejandro Perelsztein, Matías López Figueroa and Analía Battaglia. Bazán, who also sits on the firm’s executive committee, advises banks, private equity funds and corporations in local and international banking and capital markets transactions and is particularly active on infrastructure and energy matters linked to the government PPP programmes. Battaglia centres her practice on debt restructuring, project finance and infrastructure matters, while Perelsztein is best known for handling local and international capital markets transactions and project finance (predominantly in infrastructure and energy). López Figueroa advises on banking and corporate financing transactions, including trade financing. At associate level, experienced seniors Lucrecia von Petery and Leandro Belusci (who have both spent time in Milbank’s New York office) fronting a talented group of upcoming younger lawyers; clients highlight Ramón Poliche as a name to note. However, the well-regarded Sofia Gallo moved in house at Inviu in March 2023.

Argentina > Compliance Tier 1

Clients call on Bruchou & Funes de Rioja for support on the implementation of bespoke compliance programmes and legal and regulatory corporate risk mitigation strategies. The practice also has extensive expertise handling internal investigations and associated litigation, white-collar crime and compliance training. Veteran anti-corruption practitioner Guillermo Jorge, who is particularly well-regarded for his specialist asset recovery expertise, leads the practice with criminal law and anti-bribery partner Fernando Felipe Basch another key senior name. At associate level, specialist semi-senior Guido Valeriani is noted; former fellow semi-senior Manú Hersch García  moved in house at Mercado Libre in March 2023

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 1

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja provides specialised expertise across all mining-related legal and environmental matters at national, provincial and municipal levels. The team advises mining corporations across the full mining lifecycle, covering acquisitions, permits, financing, project development and commercialisation, as well as incident management and audits. The team is co-led by highly-respected mining practitioners Sergio Arbeleche and Sebastián Vedoya, who have been active in the space for more than 25 years and boast extensive mining contacts at corporate, federal and provincial level. Arbeleche’s expertise is focused on contractual matters and administrative, constitutional and international public law. Vedoya advises local and foreign companies on various mining, hydrocarbon and environmental topics. Environmental and mining law associate Dolores Cattaneo provides key support to the senior team.

Argentina > International trade and customs Tier 1

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja offers a comprehensive trade and customs service that handles tariff classifications, customs valuation, import and export licensing, unfair trade practices, foreign exchange controls and free trade agreements. Clients also turn to the practice for support across a broad range of contentious customs matters. Mining, agribusiness and oil-and-gas are areas of particular strength. Team lead Eduardo Mallea is known for his expertise in litigation, dumping and the foreign exchange aspects of foreign trade matters; with María Laura Bacigalupo a specialist in planning foreign trade operations, especially in the agro-export, mining, and hydrocarbon industries, providing high-level senior support. At senior associate level, Andrea C. Callegari focuses on customs litigation matters and Sebastian Lerner’s practice include international logistics and import regimes. Since publciation, Callegari has been promoted to 'expert consultant' - effective as of March 2024.

Argentina > Labour and employment Tier 1

Formed following the 2022 merger between blue-ribbon full-service firm Bruchou, Fernandez Madero & Lombardi and specialist labour boutique Funes De Rioja & Asociados, the Bruchou & Funes de Rioja labour and employment practice provides domestic and international clients with comprehensive labour and employment advice. An experienced team of more than 50 dedicated labour experts covers the full gamut of labour and employment law, including administrative and judicial court claims, complex litigations, mass trials, social security, collective bargaining and human resources. The practice also handles regulatory matters and the labour aspects of M&A transactions and restructurings. Stand out names on the practice’s formidable roster of experienced lawyers include individual and collective labour law expert Ignacio Funes de Rioja; the internationally-recognised Daniel Funes de Rioja; and Eduardo Viñales, who takes on a broad mix of national and international labour and employment work. Nilo Thomas covers labour due diligence and other M&A-related labour engagements, but is probably best known for representing clients in high-stakes judicial matters. Procedural specialist Pablo Barbieri, collective disputes expert Ignacio Eduardo Capurro , and Florencia Funes de Rioja, are among the other senior names on the market-leading practice’s deep bench. The merger also saw the departure of versatile labour partner Geraldine Moffat, who left the firm in November 2022; associates Luciana Abadin and Mariela Raczekowski left the same month. Since research concluded, Thomas has retired from the firm - effective as of mid-October 2023; and long-serving senior associate Lucila Tagliaferro has been raised to the partnership (March 2024).

Argentina > Tax Tier 1

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja provides a large client base of companies and families with a wide ranging tax service that covers all aspects of tax law, from tax planning and structuring through to tax litigation and representation in administrative and judicial proceedings. Other noted areas of expertise include helping clients to migrate tax residencies out of Argentina and assistance with the tax aspects of crypto-asset matters. The firm has a deep bench of senior talent covering both contentious and advisory aspects, and is led by outstanding tax litigation practitioner Liban Kusa. Further partner-level support comes from transactional tax and high-net worth specialist, Ezequiel Lipovetzky; complex corporate and financial tax lawyer, Daniela Rey; and Nicolas Nogueira Castellini, who handles customs and tax litigation at the national, provincial and municipal levels. The senior line-up has been further strengthened with the promotion of transactional tax lawyer Pablo M Muir to the partnership in mid-2023.

Argentina > Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja‘s blue-ribbon banking practice and deep lender and financial services network see it regularly sought out by creditors for support in bankruptcy and restructuring matters. Debtor-side work is also taken on by the experienced team, which covers complex judicial restructurings, liquidation proceedings, bankruptcy litigation and testing legal structures for potential dispute scenarios. Experienced commercial litigation and bankruptcy lawyer Martín Beretervide leads the practice with close support from well-regarded banking and finance expert Matías López Figueroa. The team was strengthened in January 2023 with the arrival of specialist disputes and bankruptcy partner Francisco Camauer from Estudio Matta y Trejo. Senior associates Martín Freier and Victoria Nadal are noted.

Argentina > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja advises local and international clients on large, complex domestic and cross-border transactions across a wide range of sectors, including energy, industrials, financial services and agribusiness. The team’s deep bench of talent is also regularly called on for day-to-day support on corporate matters. Veteran transactional lawyer Mariano Luchetti, who also has a notable energy practice, co-leads the department alongside respected oil-and-gas specialist Javier Galli and María Winschel, who focuses on corporate law and governance matters. Firm founder and chairman Enrique Bruchou continues to support the leadership team, drawing on more than three-decades' worth of high level experience. ‘Sharp and creative’ M&A lawyer Estanislao Olmos and real estate expert Exequiel Buenaventura bring further senior level expertise to the table, with an ambitious cohort of younger partners, including Santiago Balbi and Florencia Angélico (who was raised to the partnership in 2022) also prominent. While Pablo Falabella  left the firm to move in house at YPF, a high quality cadre of senior associates provide ample back-up, with Nicolás Dulce and Hernán Alal among the key names. Since publication, Dulce has been raised to the partnership - effective as of March 2024.

Argentina > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja’s fully-fledged dispute resolution practice covers contractual, bankruptcy and environmental insurance claims as well as criminal cases, company-law conflicts and torts. The team handles administrative and judicial court work, and is especially well-known for the depth of its arbitration practice, which clients call on for support in complex international arbitration proceedings under ICC, ICSID, and UNCITRAL rules, as well as the recognition and enforcement of international arbitration decisions before Argentine courts. Other work includes matters coming before the permanent tribunal sitting at the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange and advice on designing legal structures and preventative scenarios in the face of potential conflicts. Heading the practice, Martín Beretervide is a former commercial court official and experienced bankruptcy, international arbitration and corporate litigation lawyer; sophisticated senior support comes from litigation and arbitration veteran Carlos Rotman, a former judge who has vast expertise and previously led the department. Commercial and investment treaty disputes lawyer Ignacio Minorini Lima; experienced banking and financial services practitioner Matías López Figueroa; and recent (January 2023) lateral partner recruit Francisco Camauer, a disputes and bankruptcy expert, are other key partner-level contacts. Senior associates Victoria Nadal and Martín Freier front the second line.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity Tier 2

The ‘extremely kind and respectful’ Bruchou & Funes de Rioja electricity practice supports clients in the renewable and conventional power sectors with multidisciplinary advice covering regulation, project finance, corporate, M&A, tax and environmental matters. The team has been particularly active in public tenders for greenfield renewable energy projects, advising on bids, PPA negotiations, and financing. Mariano Luchetti advises major players involved in the generation, transportation, and distribution of electricity in Argentina, and co-leads the practice with the ‘outstanding’ Ignacio Minorini Lima, an experienced energy, public and regulatory law practitioner who also handles domestic and international arbitration proceedings. The practice can also call on the experience of corporate partner Exequiel Buenaventura, who advises a number of power sector clients. At associate level, seniors Nicolás Dulce (oil, gas and electricity) and María Laura Rozan (regulated industries; power generation, transportation and distribution) are the main contacts. Associate Dolores Cedrone moved in house at Citco Group in February 2023. Since publication, Dulce has been raised to the partnership - effective as of March 2024.

Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja’s regulatory and commercial oil-and-gas expertise sees it regularly called on to advise multinational and domestic industry players on big-ticket transactions in the sector. In addition to M&A and regulatory work, the team is also prominent in exploration and production, and has played a key role supporting large upstream operators on the development of the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas formation. Unconventional hydrocarbon development, liquefied natural gas infrastructure project work and energy transition are other active areas. Javier Galli, ‘one of the lawyers with the most knowledge and experience in the sector’, leads the practice and is recognised for his exceptional transactional and operational record. Corporate law and M&A-focused partner Santiago Balbi also has extensive industry experience, with senior associate Nicolás Dulce providing the next line of support. Since publication, Dulce has been raised to the partnership - effective as of March 2024.

Argentina > Environment Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja provides clients with support on the environmental aspects of corporate transactions; preventive environmental advice and the management of environmental conflicts and litigation. Environmental audits; project development and impact assessments are also areas of activity. Sebastián Vedoya, an expert in environmental issues arising on mining and hydrocarbon projects, co-leads the practice alongside Sergio Arbeleche, who handles environmental matters related to contracts, administrative regulation, and constitutional and international public international law. At associate level, senior Pablo Crimer -who focuses on environmental law and natural resources- is the contact of note. Additional partner-level expertise regarding Administrative and public law specialist Juan Zocca provides additional partner-level expertise regarding regulatory matters as required. Since publication, Crimer has been promoted to practice head and 'expert consultant'.

Argentina > Intellectual property Tier 2

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja brings together a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, engineers, chemists and trade mark agents to support local and international clients on a range of patent, trade mark, personal data protection, technology transfer and biotechnology matters. The practice is known for pulling together expertise across intellectual property, data privacy, new technology and advertising law, with trade mark prosecution and advice to start-ups particularly active areas. IP veteran Dámaso Pardo has more than three decades’ experience in the sector and maintains a practice that covers trade marks, patents, advertising and marketing law; he co-leads the team alongside established IP lawyer Alejandro Barrientos, who has a particular focus on life science and patent-related matters (and has also practiced in the US and Colombia). Key support is provided by semi-senior associate Franco Raffinetti, whose practice similarly encompasses IP, privacy, new technologies and advertising matters.

Argentina > Life sciences and healthcare Tier 2

Core areas of work for the Bruchou & Funes de Rioja life sciences practice include commercial agreements, strategic partnerships, litigation and M&A; as well as trade mark, patent and other IP matters. The practice covers the pharmaceutical, health, personal hygiene, cosmetics, biotechnology and medical device segments, and is co-led by corporate and M&A lawyer Estanislao Olmos (who focuses on transactional work and commercial agreements in the sector), and IP expert Dámaso Pardo. Promoted to the partnership in March 2022, public law specialist Juan Zocca advises on lifescience-related administrative matters - particularly regulatory issues related to medicinal cannabis, drugs, healthcare and health technologies, the registration of products and companies before the Argentine Health Authority (ANMAT), and the application of the Chemical Precursors Regime to pharmaceutical companies, among other matters.

Argentina > Public law Tier 2

Well known for the depth of its oil-and-gas and utilities expertise, Bruchou & Funes de Rioja supports clients in these and other sectors on a wide range of public law matters, encompassing regulatory advisory; concessions; expropriations; public procurement; complex disputes and litigation before administrative authorities, courts, and arbitral tribunals. The team strengthened its senior leadership with the April 2022 promotion of regulatory specialist Juan Zocca to the partnership. He now co-leads the practice with established dispute resolution and public law partner Ignacio Minorini Lima. The practice can also draw on the vast experience of administrative and regulatory law of counsel, Carlos De Kemmeter; while Maria Laura Rozan – whose practice encompasses various regulated industries – is the main contact at associate level.

Argentina > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja pools together expertise from its litigation and criminal law teams to support clients with fully-integrated coverage of cartel and individual conduct matters. The team also boasts extensive experience across merger-control reviews and conduct cases, and is called on to assist on all the antitrust aspects of M&A transactions and joint ventures. Competition law specialist Gabriel Lozano is sought out by local and international clients and leads the practice, with merger control and conduct investigations two of his most active market segments. Senior associate Dolores Cedrone moved in house in March 2023.

Argentina > Consumer law Tier 3

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja draws on its dispute resolution and banking and finance expertise to support clients in contentious consumer matters, most notably in the banking and insurance sectors, where it has handled numerous class actions. In addition to contentious consumer work, the team also advises a roster of retail clients on day-to-day corporate and dispute resolution matters. Experienced commercial litigator and bankruptcy lawyer Martín Beretervide co-leads the practice with Carlos Rotman, who also leads the firm’s litigation and international arbitration department.

Argentina > Real estate Tier 3

Developers, lenders, investment banks, real estate funds, real estate investment trusts and investors call on Bruchou & Funes de Rioja for assistance on the tax, regulatory and commercial aspects of real estate transactions. The team is active representing local and regional real estate developers, investors, and lenders on various development projects, with residential and office building projects particularly busy market segments. It also handles matters ranging from rural/agricultural land and border security zone regulations, to environmental law. Corporate lawyer Exequiel Buenaventura leads the team, primarily working on cross-border deals and real estate project and transaction structuring. Key associate Pilar Marcó exited to move in house, but the the firm has refreshed its second line with the January 2023 hire of senior associate Federico Vicente, who was previously at WeWork.

Argentina > TMT Tier 3

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja is known for its expertise in regulatory matters related to authorisations, permits and licenses for the provision of broadcasting and telecommunications services. Intellectual property is another strong area, with internet, IT, software licensing and fintech matters also covered, as well as class actions, copyright litigation and transactional matters in technology, entertainment, sports and broadcasting. Appointed practice head in 2021, young partner Juan Zocca is an administrative law specialist with a primary focus on TMT matters - particularly as regards telecommunications, media and broadcasting services; he co-leads the practice alongside IP, data privacy and new-technologies partner Alejandro Barrientos; IP specialist Dámaso Pardo; and corporate and M&A lawyer, Santiago Balbi.