Ximena Zuleta > Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

Distinguished by its formidable global platform, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas maintains a strong pipeline of merger review work, where it frequently advises on the Colombian competition aspects of cross-border M&A. The group also provides ongoing advice to several multinational corporations on day-to-day compliance and training matters, including Autodesk and BASF Química Colombiana. Key contact Ximena Zuleta is a litigator who steers both the public law and competition departments. Senior associate María Paula Macías splits her time between the corporate and M&A, and the competition and antitrust practices.

Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas’ multidisciplinary projects practice strikes a balance between transactional and contentious matters. The group acts for a range of industry participants — including sponsors, construction companies, banks and government entities — with particular activity in the roads, rail, airports, ports and energy sectors. Up-and-coming projects partner Pablo Jaramillo spearheads the group and is recommended for his transactional focus, with experience in the structuring, finance, and development of projects. Ximena Zuleta is the key contact on administrative and public law side and specialises in bidding processes and public contracts. Banking and finance partners Bernardo Cárdenas and Catalina Pinilla are also noted. In June 2022, associate Laura Streubel left to study abroad.

Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas finds favour for its ‘experienced and well co-ordinated team,’ which advises domestic and multinational companies on a range of bidding processes, government contracts, sanction proceedings, and related issues. The group also stands out for its ability to draw on the wider firm’s project practice for support on transactional matters. The ‘very methodical but also very practical’, Ximena Zuleta spearheads the department and advises on administrative law, government procurement and projects, including litigation. Other key contacts include public law litigator Andrés Fernández de Soto and projects head Pablo Jaramillo, while associate Nicolás Díaz supports on projects-related work. Associate Laura Streubel left to study abroad in June 2022.

Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas’ dispute resolution practice stands out for its ability to plug into the wider firm’s global network, which ensures it is routinely selected to represent multinational clients in domestic and cross-border disputes. Combining skill sets in commercial and administrative litigation, the team handles contentious matters involving many of Colombia’s key economic sectors, including recent activity in the energy, infrastructure, agroindustry, telecoms, technology, and food and drink spheres. Group co-head Andrés Fernández de Soto is an experienced litigator with a focus on commercial and public law disputes; he is representing the Colombian branch of FCC Construcción in administrative proceedings for patrimonial reparation initiated by Colombia’s Comptroller General. The team also includes: Ximena Zuleta, whose practice spans public law, competition, and dispute resolution; department co-head Paula Vejarano, who was promoted to director in July 2022; and senior associate Carlos Miranda, who advises on dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. In January 2023,  associate Daniel Jimenez Pastor left for beverage company, Postobón. Since publication, Vejarano has been raised to the partnership – effective as of April 2024.