Competition and antitrust in Argentina

The competition and antitrust practice of Marval O’Farrell Mairal ‘is excellent because they have a business vision and seek to provide pragmatic and useful advisory alternatives’. The team is further recommended for being ‘quick in response to inquiries, very solid in its subject matter knowledge, and always available to help’. The practice stands out for its cross-border competition expertise and the breadth of its merger-filing work, as well as its experience in antitrust investigations. Competition specialist Miguel Del Pino co-leads the team with Santiago del Rio, who is ‘an excellent company lawyer in antitrust matters’. Rising star associate Ignacio Mora is another key name in the group.

Known for its strong merger control practice and international presence, Allende & Brea’s well-earned reputation is partly due to participating in several of the most important cartel cases in Argentina. The firm also holds leadership positions in the Antitrust Committee of the International Bar Association, the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association, at Fordham Competition Law Institute, and the American Antitrust Institute. Julián Peña leads the practice and focuses on antitrust matters, dumping and international trade. A key name in his team is Federico Rossi who was promoted to partner in 2021 and who handles a range of competition and antitrust issues, including merger control proceedings, cartel investigations, dominance and sector enquiries.

Beccar Varela distinguishes itself by combining enforcement, merger control, investigations, counselling and compliance expertise to advise on precedent−setting cases, including the cement and automobile cartels matters and the credit cards investigation. The firm is active in the competition and antitrust space for traditional industries, notably banking and finance, as well as fast−growing industries such as pharma, technology and fintech; another key area of work is advising mass consumption companies. Practice head Agustín Waisman specialises in competition, antitrust, consumer protection and gaming law. He can call on the expertise of senior associates Mercedes Pando and Camila Corvalán, who handle a range of antitrust, consumer defence and unfair competition issues.

The Bomchil practice is built around the core areas of merger control, investigations, general advice and compliance. The firm is particularly known for handling cases arising from the media and telecommunications, oil and gas, energy, chemicals, retail, financial services and transportation sectors. Antitrust expert Marcelo den Toom leads the team that includes Francisco Gutiérrez, who specialises in administrative law and regulation, and senior associate Gabriela Castillo Areco, who focuses on antitrust and corporate issues.

The broad practice at Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen handles matters ranging from general competition advice and due diligence to audits and data protection issues, with particular expertise in economic concentration transactions and antitrust cases. The firm expanded into Chile in 2020, boosting its international footprint, and it also offers an innovative "swift-notification test", a tool facilitating a rapid first assessment as to whether the National Commission for the Defence of Competition requires notification of a particular merger operation. Practice head Luis Diego Barry handles complex antitrust and product liability cases. Key associate support comes from María Carolina Abdelnabe Vila, who specialises in competition and antitrust, data protection law, product liability and legal tech.

Providing clients with ‘security, calm and always superlative treatment’, Bruchou, Fernández Madero & Lombardi is well regarded for its merger-control and conduct-investigations expertise. The firm also has experience in day-to-day matters related to the maximum prices set by the authorities, professional associations meetings, distribution agreements, exclusivity, joint ventures, new products and contingency analysis. Practice head Gabriel Lozano specialises in competition law and has a ‘background is steeped in regulation’. Another key name in the team is Estanislao Olmos, who focuses on corporate law and advises on M&A and antitrust clearance matters.

Taking pride in its cross-border expertise, Mitrani Caballero & Ruiz Moreno Abogados' practice has experience in the competition and antitrust laws of a range of jurisdictions, including the US and EU. The firm provides antitrust and competition advice on commercial behaviour and avoidance of anticompetitive practices, as well as assisting clients to establish competition compliance programs and undertake internal investigations. Antitrust specialist Aixa Sureda advises on transactions and compliance in the sector, and co-leads the team with Cristian Mitrani, who has experience counselling on competition law infringement cases. Key associate support in the area comes from senior Evangelina González Soldo.

The multidisciplinary team at O'Farrell is known for its ‘very good, up-to-date knowledge of the law applied to business’, as well as expertise in public utilities, public procurement, energy, heavily regulated markets and tariff review proceedings. This broad experience makes for a well-rounded antitrust practice, that can also draw on the firm’s strengths in the energy, telecom, infrastructure, retail, public utility, entertainment and automotive sectors. Practice head Agustin Siboldi specialises in antitrust, energy and natural resources, and telecommunications.

Tanoira Cassagne Abogados provides a full service in the competition area, including antitrust behaviours, merger notifications and litigation. The firm is recommended for an ‘ability to simplify language to make its points', with another client commenting that ‘a very important added value... is the constant anticipation of legal developments’. In relation to merger-control filings, the team advises on national and cross-border transactions in a range of sectors, including oil and gas, pharma, agribusiness and credit cards. Practice heads Francisco Rondoletti and Bernardo Cassagne are ‘quick, reliable, well connected and up to date with the issues’.

Martínez de Hoz & Rueda assists local and international clients with a range of transactions, as well as representing companies before the Argentine antitrust authorities and assisting them in obtaining approval in connection with acquisitions. The firm is recommended as a ‘reference in energy matters' with clients noting that 'its competition and antitrust team is very remarkable’. Public law expert Juan Cruz Azzarri leads the group and has experience in administrative, constitutional and competition law.