Garrigues > Lima, Peru > Firm Profile

Garrigues > The Legal 500 Rankings

Peru > Banking and finance Tier 1

Garrigues fields a deep bench of experienced banking and finance practitioners, and acts for large international banks and financial institutions, as well as smaller domestic players. Its wide-ranging experience sees the practice handle deals in the energy, retail and consumer, banking services, heavy industry and mining areas. The team is led by Oscar Arrús, a finance-sector veteran with over 30 years’ experience acting for borrowers, and local and international financiers on a range of cross-border financings. Sergio Amiel and Thomas Thorndike are recommended for acquisition financings and project finance, and José Francisco Meier handles corporate finance and structured finance transactions. Diego Harman, in turn, acts for a roster of top international banks and has notable expertise in corporate and leveraged finance matters. A strong second line includes: counsel Héctor Zegarra and principal associates Jorge Fuentes and Miluska Gutierrez Vega (all three handle capital markets’ matters, along with project finance and M&A, corporate transactions, and project finance and financial-compliance matters, respectively; along with senior associate Jorge Calle, who undertakes both transactional and banking mandates.

Peru > Capital markets Tier 1

The capital markets team at Garrigues is experienced in a wide range of equity and debt capital markets transactions, including investment-grade bonds, project bonds, private placements, liability management and sovereign debt offerings. The team is led by Oscar Arrús who has over 30 years’ experience in the field; he is well versed in both cross-border and domestic deals. Sergio Amiel and José Francisco Meier act for both issuers and underwriters, with Amiel -in particular- having handled a sizeable number of Peruvian IPOs. Diego Harman is the name to note for asset-backed securities, structured capital markets work and high-yield debt issuances, and is experienced in the US, Latin American and Peruvian markets. Maria Grazia Vallejos joined as associate from Rodrigo, Elías & Medrano Abogados in early 2021 and joins an associate team that includes principal associate Jorge Fuentes (complex liability management matters and debt capital markets transactions) and Miluska Gutierrez Vega, a senior who specializes in capital markets regulatory matters and cross-border debt and equity transactions.

Peru > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Garrigues handles high-end M&A work for both large international and smaller domestic clients and is well placed to do so by virtue of fielding a number of New York-trained lawyers. The team’s multidisciplinary approach sees it draw on strength from practitioners in finance, capital markets and banking, and practice head Sergio Amiel -‘the best M&A lawyer in Peru‘ for some- is recommended for transactional matters, project development and finance, and capital markets work. Thomas Thorndike is also well known for finance matters but is also increasingly visible leading on high-profile corporate deals; while José Francisco Meier is the name to note for corporate, structured and project finance. A strong associate tier is led by principals Jorge Fuentes and Miluska Gutierrez Vega, along with senior Héctor Zegarra, all of whom undertake corporate M&A work, as well as banking and finance, project finance, and capital markets. Isabella Barba Cavigiolo, who joined as associate from an in-house role at Banco de Crédito del Perú, is currently undertaking her LLM.

Peru > Projects and infrastructure Tier 1

The projects and infrastructure team at Garrigues handles a range of high-profile projects in the transport, oil and gas, telecoms and energy sectors, among others. A leading force in the project finance space, where it acts for both lenders and sponsors, the group also offers support in the context of PPPs, private tenders, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts, operation and maintenance (O&M) agreements and permitting. Department head Oscar Arrús possesses over 30 years of experience acting for sponsors, government agencies, and financiers, with a focus on road, rail and sanitation projects. Thomas Thorndike and Diego Harman are names to note for project finance work, with Thorndike bringing experience in the energy, health, transport and port segments. Sergio Amiel and José Francisco Meier are also active in the practice, while of counsel Victor Baca is recommended for regulation and public law; principal associate Johanna Holz is routinely instructed by public and private clients in financing, regulatory and contractual mandates.

Peru > Competition and antitrust Tier 2

With the hiring of Ivo Gagliuffi , the former head of INDECOPI, in late 2020, Garrigues kickstarted the development of its competition and economic market regulation practice, to which the firm subsequently added economist Javier Coronado , another INDECOPI alumnus, further bolstering its unique capabilities. The result is a team that ‘exceeds expectations‘ and has attracted high-profile merger control mandates in the Peruvian market since the enactment of Law N° 31112 in mid-2021, and which also provides support with antitrust issues and other competition matters. Gagliuffi brings over 20 years’ experience in a broad range of competition and antitrust issues, including the elimination of bureaucratic barriers, unfair competition, advertising, consumer protection and international trade defence. An experienced second line is composed of principal associate Johanna Holz  and senior associate Maria Isabel Alvarado  are active on a range of cases; with Holz bringing ancillary expertise in public and regulatory law, while Alvarado’s practice is informed by experience in the public sector and in house, as well as in private practice.

Peru > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Garrigues acts for an impressive array of clients which includes the Peruvian government and large international corporations, as well as smaller domestic players. Hugo Forno Flórez and Melissa Nuñez Santti head the practice; with Flórez being a veteran litigator who specialises in civil, commercial, contracts and torts law, as well as arbitration; and Santti offering experience in arbitration and judicial disputes, with a focus on civil and commercial claims. Principal associate Javier Bueno Zúñiga is experienced in representing companies against the government and state entities and has a particular focus on the telecoms, energy, security, and construction sectors; and senior associate Javier Jimeno Goicochea is also an experienced litigator who has handled disputes in the infrastructure sector. Former senior associate Joel Campos Camargo left the firm in November 2021 for Rodríguez Angobaldo Abogados.

Peru > Public law and regulation Tier 2

The ‘very capable and results-oriented’ team at Garrigues is led by of counsel Victor Baca, who has 22 years’ experience in public law. The firm has particular experience of in high-profile infrastructure projects, public procurement matters, public contracts and concession agreements, as well as arbitration and sanctioning proceedings. Baca acts for public and private clients on regulatory matters and administrative issues, and is well-supported by senior associate Eduardo Ortega, who is experienced in public law matters and project development in relation to the telecoms and energy industries, and environment and natural resources sectors. Principal associate Johanna Holz can draw on in-house experience in the telecoms sector and is a name to note for contractual matters, with a focus on project development; while senior associate Giancarlo Vignolo handles environmental and education-sector related matters. Lissy Vega Centeno is another key senior associate with a focus on construction law and public tenders, among other areas. Rodrigo Ramos joined as associate from EY Law in early 2021.

Peru > Tax Tier 4

A ‘specialised team' at Garrigues offers corporate and finance transactional support, with practice head Javier De La Vega singled out as ‘a clear and precise expert' on general tax consultancy, structuring and compliance  matters. The team also benefits from its notably strong principal associate pair; Rosa Chevarría leads on the litigation side and is well experienced in administrative proceedings against tax assessments performed by the Peruvian authorities; while the ‘exceptional' Rafael Martinelli is singled out for his ‘personalised customer service’, often on cross-border work.