Mr Oscar Tutasaura > Posse Herrera Ruiz > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

‘Concerned with understanding the real and specific needs of the client’, Posse Herrera Ruiz fields an increasingly broad practice in this sphere. Historically better-known for its robust compliance expertise, the group continues to strengthen its white-collar crime offering. Most notably, in September 2022 it added new associate and former prosecutor at the Attorney General’s Office Camila Páez, who is singled out as ‘an expert in criminal procedure and criminal justice’. Corporate partner Oscar Tutasaura remains the key contact for compliance matters and continues to co-lead the department together with infrastructure and public law head José Alejandro Torres. Other names to note include junior associate Jordi Buitrago, who is highlighted for his ‘excellent work’. Associate Luis Miguel Russi left to join Halliburton in September 2022.

Posse Herrera Ruiz’s insurance team scores highly for its ability to benefit from ‘the synergy between the different areas of law at the firm’, which sources say, ‘provides clients with a 360° vision’. In particular, the group routinely pairs up with the dispute resolution practice for additional firepower in contentious matters. The department is overseen by corporate specialist Oscar Tutasaura, who is noted for his experience in non-contentious insurance matters, and litigator Carolina Posada. The group additionally includes director Diana Salazar, who is highlighted for her ‘specialised and current knowledge’, and financial law and capital markets partner Natalia Escobar.

Posse Herrera Ruiz impresses sources with its ability to ‘combine the network, resources and sophistication of a top-tier firm, with boutique-level personalised service’. The comprehensive practice covers the waterfront on corporate and M&A issues and is active across all industry sectors, with particularly strong recent performances in the energy and natural resources, life sciences, and construction and infrastructure spheres. High-profile founding partner Jaime Herrera secures praise for his ‘dedication in every part of the process’; he recently acted as Colombian counsel to Cinven on the acquisition of Bayer Environmental Science Professional. José Alejandro Torres co-heads the team alongside Herrera, and also heads the infrastructure and public law groups; he advised Unilever Colombia on the sale of a food-processing factory and business located in Cali to the local subsidiary of Upfield. Jaime Cubillos ‘constantly explores alternatives for the client’ and paired up with recently promoted partner Susana Gómez (‘a tremendously skilled attorney’) to advise Better Schools, the majority shareholder in Redcol Holding, on an investment and strategic alliance with Cognita Holdings. Gómez also paired up with Gabriel Sánchez to act as Colombian counsel to CorpGroup on the share-purchase agreement to sell its stake in Itaú CorpBanca Colombia. Other senior names include Oscar Tutasaura, whose practice spans a mix of transactional, and compliance and white-collar crime work. The department additionally draws on the growing expertise of several corporate and M&A-focused associates, including Catalina Noreña, Christian Diaz Ordoñez and Camilo Lovera; Santiago Osorio left to undertake his LLM in August 2023.