Jorge Allende Destuet > CMS Carey & Allende > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

The six-strong group at CMS Carey & Allende advises creditors, investors and borrowers on bilateral and syndicated loan agreements, along with project financings involving energy and infrastructure. It also assists with financings for the acquisition of companies and assets, as well as debt restructuring, international expansion financings and capital markets deals. Practice head Fernando De Cárcer is a securities and corporate governance specialist, while the practice of senior associate Enrique Vergara incorporates syndicated loans, project financing, debt restructuring, credit transfers, and corporate bonds. Dual-qualified in both New York and Chile, Jorge Allende Destuet is working as a visiting partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP since August 2022.

CMS has become a considerable force in Latin America banking and finance with its integrated offices in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru. It has further enhanced this offering through a cooperation agreement with Brazilian law firm FAS Advogados, in cooperation with CMS in 2023.The established team has a fine record in financings and restructurings, and represents some of the biggest international and regional lenders – including multilateral development banks – that operate in the market. It is also noted for its links to private equity sponsors, corporates and government entities. The various offices have landed key roles in a series of headline acquisition financings, project financings and restructurings, including advising BBVA Colombia on a $200m loan facility to Akzo Nobel Coatings and its Colombian SPV for the acquisition of Grupo Orbis, a major Colombian chemicals and paint conglomerate. Fernando De Cárcer and Jorge Allende Destuet are the key figures in Santiago, along with Sergio Rodriguez-Azuero and Daniel Rodríguez in Bogota. Miguel Viale and Diego Peschiera are the practitioners of note in Lima.

CMS has a deep commitment to Latin America through its multiple offices in the region; it has local offices in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru, along with an office of international lawyers in Brazil. It augmented this with a cooperation agreement with Brazilian law firm FAS Advogados, in cooperation with CMS in 2023. The Latin America team continues to make an impression in private equity investments and exits, along with energy and infrastructure transactions; oil and gas, renewables and the digital environment are key fortes for the team. The group frequently works alongside some of the top law firms on Wall Street and across the US. Jorge Allende Destuet and Ramón Valdivieso are co-heads of the corporate and M&A team in Chile, and are noted for private equity and M&A transactions. Juan Camilo Rodríguez leads the group in Colombia, and Peru office managing partner Juan Carlos Escudero is also an experienced transactional practitioner. Ted Rhodes is a key figure in Rio de Janeiro and is noted for his expertise in energy transactions.