The Legal 500 > Latin America > Argentina > Environment

The former Rattagan Macchiavello Arocena (RMA)'s merger into Dentons -announced in September 2019 and effected over the following months- has to some degree obscured the fact that the firm's top-tier environmental unit spun off into two firms, one half subsequently opening its doors in April 2020 as Estudio Gabriel Macchiavello (in memory of the group's former head). It houses an advisory practice covering safety & hygiene, regulatory matters and environmental law; an environmental litigation and enforcement group that handles all relevant contentious matters; and a 'related practices' area that handles negotiations, contracts and M&A with salient environmental aspects. While the 12-strong boutique remains to be fully 'market-tested' in its new format, there is little doubt as to its bench-strength. Managing partner and public law specialist Hugo Bunge Guerrico handles the strategic direction of environmental conflicts in conjunction with veteran environmental litigator Pedro L Zambrano. Ramón Santamarina  is, in turn, an environmental insurance specialist who also handles corporate, contractual and real estate matters with an environmental aspect. Juliana Salvucci and Belén Counduros, formerly of counsel and senior associate at RMA, respectively, round out the partnership: Salvucci is a contentious environmental specialist and co-directs the firm's judicial and administrative caseload in conjunction with Zambrano; Counduros, who has particular expertise in remediation work, heads up the firm's advisory-side practice, and also handles regulatory, due diligence and permitting matters, along with M&A transactions involving industrial sites with environmental liability. An experienced second line of senior associates includes the disputes-focused Leticia Kruls and Florencia Borsani; and on the advisory front, Andrea Gonda.

Boutique firm Franco Abogados concentrates exclusively on environmental and safety regulations, with standalone strength across a comprehensive range of consultancy issues, audits, administrative defence, litigation and training programmes. The team is particularly respected for its reputation in complex contentious work, with extensive experience in patrimonial reparatory actions and criminal actions. Founding partner Horacio Franco is recognised as a thought leader in the area and advises local and multinational companies on the full scope of contentious and non-contentious matters.

When Rattagan Macchiavello Arocena merged into Dentons in September 2019, it's famed environmental unit spun off into two firms, the smaller subsequently opening its doors in February 2020 as specialist boutique Venditti Hierro Quinteros (VHQ Ambiental). The four-strong team covers the spectrum of environmental matters, from environmental risk assessment, regulations and management, through contractual environmental issues, the transfer of environmental liability and representation before administrative agencies, to strategy design, audits, remediation and civil and criminal liability cases, among other matters. Despite the novelty of the firm, with some 60 years' environmental law experience between them, founding partners Magdalena Venditti, Mariana Hierro, Carolina Quinteros and Lucía Sesto constitute a consolidated team experienced in high profile cases - particularly those requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Recent work has seen the team active in environmental litigation, regulatory cases and remediation - principally with regard to the chemical, food, automotive and ports sectors. Current mandates include assisting the association responsible for the implementation of a nation-wide system for the management of empty pesticide-containers.

Baker McKenzie combines strength in environmental litigation with supplementary experience in environmental due diligence and compliance matters. The team represents a diverse mix of multinational clients, with notable activity in the chemicals, consumer goods and energy and natural resources sectors. Energy and natural resources specialist Adolfo Durañona jointly leads the practice together with M&A head Gustavo Boruchowicz and Luis Dates, who also leads the public law and dispute resolution groups.