The Legal 500 > Latin America > Argentina > Bankruptcy and restructuring

Corporate boutique Estudio Alegría, Buey Fernández, Fissore y Montemerlo is widely recognised as the country’s leading debtor-side insolvency practice. A regular fixture on both contentious and out-of-court restructurings — be it for local or foreign companies — the team brings to bear deep and broad experience in complex files across all industry sectors. Pablo Buey Fernández is highly sought after for his comprehensive expertise in the area. Gabriel Fissore is another key contact and is well versed in complex domestic and cross-border restructurings.

Lorente & Lopez Abogados was established in late 2019 (following the group's departure from the former Naveira, Truffat, Martínez, Anido, Lorente & López Abogados), and focuses on insolvency and debt restructuring, corporate advisory (especially on company establishment and structuring), and litigation - both general and bankruptcy-related. The team is best known for its stand-out insolvency and restructuring capability. Here it represents both debtors and local and foreign creditors in all types of bankruptcy-related procedures. A pioneer in the bondholders' debt restructuring segment, the team also has experience representing the insolvency trustee. Senior partner Javier Armando Lorente is a figure of international stature in bankruptcy circles, a 30-year veteran whose practice centres on insolvency, complex litigation, domestic and international arbitration, partnership conflicts and corporate advisory; he is currently leading advice to Grupo Uno Medios Partners in relation to 10 distinct insolvency proceedings. Ariel Di Bártolo (insolvency, complex litigation, partnership disputes and corporate advisory), and Mariana Russo (insolvency, complex litigation, arbitration and succession planning) are also integral to the bankruptcy practice, where key insolvency, debt restructuring and litigation support comes from experienced senior associates Diego Fernando Madero and Mariana Mastrovincenzo. On the corporate side, both Diego López Ugolini and the recently promoted Martín Rozental also participate in partnership dispute matters.

Long a key pillar in the insolvency sector, Naveira Truffat Martínez Abogados (NTMA) saw the September 2019 departure of former name partners Javier Armando Lorente and Jorge López to establish Lorente & Lopez Abogados, and subsequently the early-2020 departure of Claudio Anido to become a sole practitioner. Nevertheless, this sophisticated boutique maintains a sizeable restructuring practice following the March 2020 arrival of new partners Oscar Ferrari and Rafael Mallo, who both joined from the former Ferrari Abogados. They join established market-figures Daniel Truffat, who has strong experience in both judicial and extrajudicial restructuring proceedings; and his fellow co-managing partner Oscar Martínez, a very well-known practitioner in the sector. The pair have been working together for 30 years and have vast experience representing primarily debtors in extrajudicial preventive agreements (APEs), traditional restructuring processes and in local and cross-border bankruptcy proceedings. The team also has experience acting as representative of the insolvency trustees. Valentín Tomás Martínez and Fernanda Soria, both appointed partners in September 2020, are also noted.

Aguirre Saravia & Gebhardt’s multidisciplinary team handles a comprehensive range of insolvency, bankruptcy and restructuring cases. The highly experienced group counts both debtors and creditors among its clients and is particularly well-versed in contentious cases. Marcelo Gebhardt’s bankruptcy expertise is supported by skill sets in corporate and arbitration matters.

Creditor-side specialist Bulló Abogados continues to advise HSBC Bank Argentina on a significant volume of restructuring matters. The team, which has strong experience in both judicial and extrajudicial restructurings, also regularly acts for corporate creditors. Financial services partner Esteban Gramblicka co-heads the group alongside Gustavo Torassa, who specialises in banking and corporate matters.

Equally adept in debtor and creditor-side work, Richards, Cardinal, Tützer, Zabala & Zaefferer is best known for its niche expertise in advising on restructurings involving public concessions. It also has recent experience in the energy, agribusiness and technology spheres. Key contacts Jorge Tützer and Sebastian Borthwick spearhead many of the multidisciplinary team’s most high-profile cases.

Salaverri, Burgio & Wetzler Malbran leverages its banking and finance practice to pack a punch in debt restructurings. The firm is typically engaged by creditors, lenders, trustees and financial agents, which it advises on judicial proceedings, out-of-court restructurings and preventive settlements. Dispute resolution partner Damián Burgio co-heads the department alongside Germán Wetzler Malbrán, whose practice is split between litigation and transactional matters.

The increasingly broad practice at Zang, Bergel & Viñes Abogados handles a spread of restructuring, insolvency and distressed M&A matters, with notable experience in the real estate, agribusiness and food sectors. The firm advises both debtors and creditors but is most active on behalf of financial institutions. Group head Francisco Roggero combines banking litigation and transactional experience.