Mr Jose Federico Ustáriz > Ustáriz & Abogados Estudio Jurídico > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

Standing out for its ‘specialism and depth in financial matters’, Ustáriz & Abogados Estudio Jurídico is widely admired for is regulatory capability. Among its core strengths, the group shines in work involving banking responsibility, electronic fraud, fintech and International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) master agreements. However, the firm is arguably best known for its prominent consumer protection practice, with its key partners routinely appointed to serve as a Financial Consumer Ombudsman to promote conciliation processes between financial institutions and consumers. High-profile department co-head Luis Humberto Ustáriz is held up by sources as a ‘leader in the financial industry’; he recently advised the Agricultural Bank of Colombia on several ISDA master agreements. Jose Federico Ustáriz, who formerly served as in-house counsel at Corporación Financiera Colombiana, co-heads the group. Other key contacts include counsel Pablo Valencia, who is well versed in both corporate and finance matters, and Andrés Pineda, who is associate director of the capital markets unit.

According to sources, Ustáriz & Abogados Estudio Jurídico’s team is the ‘most specialised in the country in financial, banking and insurance litigation’. The firm’s niche focus translates into an impressive client roster — primarily composed of banks, funds, and other fiduciary entities — which the ‘robust and well-trained’ group advises on a range of commercial, civil and administrative disputes. Department head and founding partner Luís Humberto Ustáriz is highly sought after for his industry expertise and the group also includes director of the litigation practice Angela Restrepo; together, clients praise the duo for their ‘rigorous advice, depth of analysis, and skills in managing legal defence’. Among Ustáriz’s recent cases, he represented Fiduciaria Bogotá, as the manager of Transatlántico Trust, before an administrative court in Villavicencio in its defence of a collective action. Co-founding partner Jose Federico Ustáriz is also an important resource due to his extensive experience in financial regulation.

Ustáriz & Abogados Estudio Jurídico’s strong regulatory credentials positions it as a leader for compliance matters in the capital markets space. The group is a popular choice to advise a mix of brokerage entities, financial institutions and trust companies on operational issues, audits and product development, among other matters. Luis Humberto Ustáriz has honed his industry expertise through in-house roles at various financial companies, including Corporación Financiera Colombiana, and co-heads the department alongside Jose Federico Ustáriz. Associate support is provided by senior Andrés Pineda, who has a marked focus on capital markets law; Pablo Valencia, who specialises in corporate and public contracts; and Manuel Antonio García, who is associate director of the risk practice. Since publication, Pineda has returned to the public sector at the Fondo Nacional de Garantías – effective as of November 2023.