Consumer law in Argentina

Marval O’Farrell Mairal

Known for large, complex claims and class actions, Marval O’Farrell Mairal advises clients across industries on the preparation for new product launches in Argentina in compliance with local regulations. Key areas of work include outlining compliant corrective-action strategies, providing advice on labelling requirements and assistance with adapting products, services and sales plans. As well as the group's experience in consumer liability claims, the firm also fields a strong and sizeable tobacco product liability practice. Leandro M Castelli specialises in product liability claims, with a background in complex litigation. He co-leads the team with Fernando Montes De Oca, who focuses on litigation in the automotive industry; and Facundo Viel Temperley, whose fortes are procedural law and civil, commercial, consumer and product liability cases - he also has particular expertise in class actions. Key support is provided by associate Alejo Gascón.

Practice head(s):

Leandro Castelli; Fernando Montes de Oca; Facundo Viel Temperley

Testimonials

‘They are extremely well prepared under the technical standpoint.

‘Easy to work with, ability to work with internacional counsels and to thing the issues strategically.

Key clients

Massalín Particulares

Peugeot Citroën Argentina (Grupo Stellantis)

Philip Morris International

The Walt Disney Company Argentina

General Motors

Banco Santander Rio

Hermès Argentina

Magneti Marelli Cofap

Apple

Booking.com Argentina

BNP Paribas

Lojas Renner

Banco Itaú

Círculo de Inversores (de Ahorro para Fines Determinados)

Globers (Globant)

Book Depository (Amazon.com Inc)

Work highlights

  • Representing Booking.com in mediation, administrative and judicial proceedings initiated by users of the website who made different hotel reservations through it.
  • Providing strategic advice and complete regulatory compliance assistance for the launch and operation of the Disney+ and Star+ platforms.
  • Representing Credit Suisse, as defendant, in a class action related to the world-famous Madoff fraud.

Beccar Varela

The ‘market leaders and trainers of local jurisprudence in the field‘, Beccar Varela ‘s practice encompasses consumer defence, dispute resolution and product liability advising local and international clients on consumer protection, administrative law, customs, compliance and associated intellectual property matters. Dispute resolution specialist Gonzalo García Delatour; Agustín Waisman, who co-leads both the consumer protection and competition/antitrust practices; and Federico Sosa, whose practice takes in complex litigation, class actions and bankruptcy, are the key figures. Sosa also has niche expertise in advisory regarding distribution and sales representative contracts. Senior associates Noelia de Belder (antitrust / consumer law) and Rocío Alejandra Labán (civil & commercial litigation), are also noted.

Practice head(s):

Gonzalo García Delatour; Federico Sosa

Testimonials

‘Beccar Varela’s team stands out locally among the top 2-3 in Argentina. Both in small cases and in complex and collective cases.’

‘The partners of BV’s Consumer and Litigation team are market leaders and trainers of local jurisprudence in the field.’

Key clients

Banco Santander Río

Citibank

Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires

BBVA Francés

Banco Itaú

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Unilever de Argentina

Western Union

Diners Club

Banco del Sol

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja

With its deep experience in commercial court work, Bruchou & Funes de Rioja's practice is primarily active on contentious consumer matters. While the team is active in a range of commercial dispute resolution cases, acting in trial and appellate courts throughout the country, its most striking specialism is class actions. With a track record of over 50 class action cases, it is particularly active in the financial sector, where it has handled cases for all the major international and domestic banks operating in Argentina. Martín Beretervide is an expert in commercial litigation, bankruptcy and corporate matters; he co-leads the practice with high-profile disputes specialist, Carlos María Rotman, whose strengths include litigation, international arbitration and bankruptcy matters. The practice also has a notable retail-sector client roster, to which it provides day-to-day advisory as well as administrative and litigation support.

Practice head(s):

Martín Beretervide; Carlos María Rotman

Testimonials

‘The intervening team of lawyers responds quickly, addressing all concerns with good predisposition and clarity.’

Key clients

Banco Macro

Banco Santander

BBVA

Banco Galicia y de Buenos Aires

Financial institutions

Brubank

Candy Electrodomésticos Argentina

Orbis Mertig SAIC

Banco de Servicios y Transacciones

Cetelem

Work highlights

  • Assisted Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires in a highly contingent class action case, among other matters, in which the reimbursement of alleged credit card life insurance premiums perceived to be in excess were sought.
  • Advising and representing ICBC in several class action cases filed against the bank involving analysis and interpretation of several banking credit issues from a consumer law standpoint (e.g., credit life insurance, interests, and fees, amongst other matters).
  • Provides day-to-day advice to Brubank, one of the few digital banks operating in Argentina, on all matters related to consumer law in pre-dispute matters and administrative claims.

Cerolini & Ferrari Abogados

Cerolini & Ferrari Abogados’ consumer law practice primarily advises client in the banking, financial services, fintech, consumer goods, insurance, travel and online-retail sectors. The team has considerable experience in class actions, litigation, torts, arbitration and administrative proceedings. Matias Ferrari leads the practice and focuses on advising banks and companies in complex civil and commercial lawsuits, contractual disputes and class actions. Key associate support comes from senior, procedural specialist Agustín Cerolini.

Practice head(s):

Matías Ferrari

Key clients

Banco Supervielle

Ike Asistencia Argentina

Banco Itaú

Banco San Juan

Waynicoin

Banco de Servicios Financieros

Assist Card de Servicios

Work highlights

  • Legal counsel to Grupo Petersen in a class action filed by the consumer association Usuarios y Consumidores Financieros (UCU), against Banco San Juan, Nuevo Banco de Entre Ríos and Nuevo Banco de Santa Fe.
  • Represent Banco Supervielle in a class action filed by the consumer group Asociación por la Defensa de Usuarios y Consumidores (ADUC).
  • Advises and represents Banco Itaú in a class action filed by the consumer association ADACU.

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen

Advising manufacturers, importers, distributors, retail companies and financial institutions, Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen has broad experience that includes representing clients in extrajudicial claims made by consumers, hearings before administrative agencies, claims portfolio management, the adaption of products and services to consumer protection regulations, product liability and class actions. Sectors of particular strength for the team include banking and financial services, communications, food and beverages, and the automotive industry. The practice is led by Luis Diego Barry , who focuses on competition, antitrust and consumer law. Key support comes from counsel María Carolina Abdelnabe Vila , who specialises in competition/antitrust, consumer protection, fair trade, data protection law, product liability and legal tech; and experienced associate María Carolina Abdelnabe Vila   (competition/antitrust, fair trade law and product liability).

Practice head(s):

Luis Diego Barry

Testimonials

‘I consider important when choosing external collaborators the openness of the study to work as a team with the internal legal department, which occurs without problems with the members of this team.’

‘His knowledge and practice in network/e-commerce issues is relevant to me. Flexibility is a quality of the people who make up the team. Dr. Luis Barry.’

Key clients

United Airlines

Honda Motor de Argentina

Lenovo Argentina

MercadoLibre

Havas Media Group

Marfrig Global Foods

Evandti

La Papelera del Plata

Life Seguros

Coppel

Work highlights

  • Advised Coppel so that the terms and conditions of the services it offers, the agreements and the documents through which it implements transactions with consumers comply with relevant consumer protection regulations and the legislation issued by the Central Bank concerning the protection of financial consumers.
  • Permanent advice to Honda Motor de Argentina on every potential security issue it detects regarding its cars and motorcycles, and handling ten recall campaigns undertaken by the company.
  • Advises Stubhub -an online platform through which brokers/producers and consumers sell/purchase tickets for different mass events- on the regulations in Argentina concerning its activity.

Abeledo Gottheil Abogados

Specialising in product liability claims, Abeledo Gottheil Abogados ‘always innovates in its collaboration and technical knowledge of the issues', thereby 'providing cutting-edge solutions’. The team represents companies in individual claims and class actions, providing clients with ‘high technical knowledge of the subject and an excellent human quality’. Complex litigation expert Rodrigo Blas Hernández co-leads the practice along with Federico Osvaldo Valiño, whose consumer law experience covers the automobile, retail, food and beverages, consumer-product manufacturing, financial services and industrial engineering sectors.

Practice head(s):

Rodrigo Blas Hernández; Federico Osvaldo Valiño

Testimonials

‘In the field of consumer law, Abeledo Gottheil has extensive knowledge and is one of the most important firms in the market. Likewise, it always innovates in its collaboration and technical knowledge of the issues, providing cutting-edge solutions.’

‘All the professionals of the Abeledo Gottheil have high technical knowledge of the subject and an excellent human quality, as well as a willingness to collaborate with all the needs of their clients.’

Key clients

Toyota Argentina

Yamaha Motor Argentina

Finning Caterpillar

Shell (Raizen Argentina)

Total (Total Especialidades Argentina)

Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA)

Softland

LG Electronics

Cepas Argentinas

YPF

Natura Cosmeticos

Club Med

Swarovski

Goodyear

Sika

Yamaha Plan de Ahorro

Work highlights

  • Advice to Yamaha Plan de Ahorro on establishing its operation in Argentina as a consortium plan, in accordance with the administrative law and instructions issued by the Superintendency of Corporations and Argentine consumer law.
  • Advice and exclusive representation of Yamaha Motor Argentina in several suits and claims filed in different jurisdictions; these claims have proved to be of utmost importance to the company, benefitting Yamaha’s reputation and the quality of its engineering products.
  • Advice and exclusive representation of Toyota in different consumer claims and class actions.

Brons & Salas

Led by consumer law and product-liability claims specialist Pablo Brusco , the practice at Brons & Salas brings together strengths in litigation and arbitration with experience in compliance and product liability regulations;  working across a broad range of industry sectors, it also handles a range of administrative claims. Key associate support is provided by seniors Mariana Laura Sierra  and Matias Foiguel , who both handle court and out-of-court consumer claims related to the automotive, chemical, food and other consumer product sectors.

Practice head(s):

Pablo Brusco

Key clients

Aerolineas Argentinas

Kimberly Clark Argentina Group

Laboratorios Andrómaco

Praxair Group

Grupo Linde Gas Argentina

Rayovac Argentina

Schaeffler Argentina

Clorox Argentina

TTC Auto Argentina

SKF Argentina

Citibank (Argentina)

Laboratorio Cuenca – Godrej Group Companies

Mercedes Benz de Argentina

Hyundai Motors Argentina

Mauri Hispanoamerica – Comapañía Argentina de Levaduras

General Motors de Argentina

Work highlights

  • Assisted and continues to assist Kimberly Clark –and its affiliates- as defendant, regarding various consumer and product liability claims in connection with products manufactured and sold by the company in Argentina.
  • Assisted and continues to assist Mercedes Benz regarding numerous consumer and product liability claims in connection with the company’s products in Argentina.
  • Assisted and continues to assist Laboratorios Andrómaco -as defendant- regarding different consumer and product liability claims.

O'Farrell

Representing clients across a range of industries, the team at O'Farrell has experience in the negotiation of claims and investigation of procedures related to consumer law, fair trade matters, advertising law and e-commerce - as well as assisting with the drafting of the legal undrepinnings of promotions and contests' terms-and-conditions. The practice is also active in class actions and the representation of clients in administrative proceedings. Spearheading the practice are experienced administrative law practitioner Jorge Muratorio and specialised senior associate Lorena Quiroz, who has been director of the firm's consumer law and e-commerce practice since 2012.

Practice head(s):

Jorge Muratorio; Lorena Quiroz

Key clients

Ford Argentina

Plan Ovalo de Ahorro para Fines Determinados

Naturgy Ban

Farmcity

Grupo Concesionario del Oeste

Turkish Airlines

AMX Argentina

Nokia Solutions and Networks Argentina

Work highlights

  • Advice to Ford Argentina on the development of its website and online sales, employing a regulatory analyis to ensure it remains compliant while aligning with the best options and strategies of the business.
  • Advice to a client on more than 650 administrative cases related to information duty, fee increases, vehile model changes, and the liquidation of saving plans, among other matters.
  • Advice to Naturgy Ban in relation to an action against Law 14.692 issued by the province of Buenos Aires which requires the opening of personal attention offices in each jurisdiction of the province.