The Legal 500 > Latin America > Uruguay > Tax

The ‘superb’ group at FERRERE finds favour for its ‘great knowledge and precise answers’. The team, which stands out for its longstanding institutional relationships with many multinational clients, provides comprehensive coverage of the tax area, with expertise in tax structuring, transactional support matters and complex litigation — it also benefits from a dedicated customs law unit. Department lead Gianni Gutiérrez is highlighted for his ‘unique quality of service and solution-oriented approach’; he advised Hidrovias do Brasil, as Uruguayan and Paraguayan counsel, on its $600m bond issuance — Isabel Laventure and impressive associate Marcelo Marchetti provided capable support. The same group also advised Uber on the structuring of its local operations. Senior counsel Alberto Varela and senior associate María Laura Caffera are other names to note.

The consensus is that Guyer & Regules’ tax group is ‘among the top two in the country’, with clients highlighting its ‘great depth of experience’ and ‘impressive client base’. The ‘market-leading’ department strikes a balance between contentious and non-contentious work, with tax planning, M&A issues, tax compliance and transfer pricing matters among its strong suits. Practice head Juan Manuel Albacete is widely regarded as a leading light and recently advised Agropecuaria del Litoral on the creation of a financial trust and the trust’s subsequent issue of $50m worth of mixed securities. Albacete also represented HSBC Uruguay on bringing a $5m VAT recovery claim before the tax authority. Senior associate Gastón Lapaz is another key contact for tax litigation. In 2019, highly rated senior associate Juan Bonet left to become a partner at LEXIN Legal & Business Consulting.

The ‘responsive and client-oriented’ group at BERGSTEIN is led by ‘tax expert’ Domingo Pereira and also benefits from the senior experience of Jonas Bergstein. The diverse practice, which is well versed in tax planning, regulatory issues, transactional support matters and tax ligation, counts Cisco Systems, Velcro USA and Visanet Uruguay among its key clients.

Hughes & Hughes’ tax team, which is comprised of both lawyers and accountants, brings to bear solid experience in both domestic and international tax issues. Associate Fernando Barrios, who handles both contentious and non-contentious matters, is recommended; he recently teamed up with associates Miguel Rocca and Magela Ramón to advise American Express on local tax issues. Other representative clients include Adidas Uruguay, BonaKemi USA and Surinor.

‘One of the most reputable teams in the country’, Posadas, Posadas & Vecino impresses with its strong international tax expertise, with clients commending its ‘solid cross-border know-how, which is extremely beneficial for multinational clients’. Zonamérica-based group head Raúl Vairo ‘knows the law inside out’ and recently advised BTG Pactual on cross-border funds issues. Since publication, Matías Rachetti -whose practice covers company law as well as tax advisory and planning- has been raised to the partnership. Montevideo-based associate Guillermo Sena also provides capable support.

The ‘professional, knowledgeable and committed’ group at OLIVERA Abogados ‘lacks the bureaucracy that slows down decision-making in some larger firms’, according to clients. The practice spans the full range of corporate and individual taxation, including tax planning, international tax and litigation. Andrés Hessdörfer recently advised Formula E Operations on tax matters.