Colab > ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay > Firm Profile

Colab
COMPLEJO TEXTILIA GENERAL SANTOS 1030 OFFICE 4, BLOCK C
Paraguay

Email firm Visit website +595 21 729 9200

Paraguay > Banking and finance Tier 3

Having entered the market in November 2021, Colab continues to grow as a firm. The banking and finance team benefits from the extensive experience of founding partner Jorge Gross Brown, and offers advice on complex financial transactions, project finance, capital markets, banking regulations and cross-border finance. The firm has recently taken on significant new clients, such as Atome Energy. At the associate level, Mauricio Salgueiro comes with client recommendation for his 'great expertise in financing', handling negotiations and advising key clients including IDB Invest. Juan Pablo Zaputovich and Paola Sapienza also play active roles in the team.

Leading individuals

Jorge Ignacio Gross Brown – Colab

Rising stars

Mauricio Salgueiro - Colab

Practice head(s):

Jorge Gross Brown

Testimonials

‘Colab is knowledgeable about clients’ industries and the market practices, and its effective application to the needs of the transactions in which their advice was required is noted. On the other hand, it stands out in proactivity and problem solving. The cost of its services is competitive, which complements the quality of its service and makes it a highly efficient provider.’

‘The firm’s lawyers demonstrate excellent technical skills and knowledge. They are also extremely proactive and predisposed, always in pursuit of the satisfactory execution of transactions. In a short time of working together, they quickly earned our trust. We have worked with Juan Pablo Zaputovich, an excellent lawyer and colleague who also promotes the generation of new businesses and labour relations that exceed our expectations.’

‘It is a team of lawyers with a much higher expertise in the area of financing and, at the same time, that is flexible and contributes innovative ideas in the application of law.’

‘The plus that makes the team stand out is that it adapts to the needs of the client and make the procedures more flexible. Mauricio Salgueiro has great expertise in financing, including project finance. His best qualities are knowledge, experience, flexibility and efficiency.’

Key clients

IDB Invest

Rabobank

Atria Logistica

FIC Finanzas

US International Development Finance

Corporación Andina de Fomento

Pow.re Holding

Atome Energy

Ithink

Fundación Moisés Bertoni

Salum & Wenz

Torrecom Partners

Work highlights

Advising IDBA, IDB Invest, US DFC, CAF, and JICA as lenders in the Paracel project for the construction of an integrated greenfield sustainable pulp mill located in Paraguay.
Advising Atome Paraguay on a project financing of a 420MW world-scale green hydrogen and ammonia plant to supply Paraguay and the region’s agricultural and fertiliser markets with sustainable alternatives.
Advising IDB and IDB Invest in a secured project financing for the design, development, construction, and operation of a new tertiary hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay in affiliation with Mount Sinai International.

Paraguay > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Colab entered into the market in November 2021, and has since continued to expand its corporate and M&A practice. Clients have been keen to note the practice’s ‘excellent client management‘ and the team assists with day-to-day business transactions, corporate structure and M&A transactions of all sizes. The team took on a considerable number of new national and international clients in its first year and has strong bases in oil and gas and fintech. Founding partner Jorge Gross Brown heads the team and takes a lead role in all the firm’s key matters. At the associate level, Paola Sapienza is building a reputation as a transactional attorney, and regularly advises clients on corporate matters and M&A transactions. Juan Pablo Zaputovich has experience in national and international corporate transactions, advising clients from the energy, forestry and crypto industries. Start-ups and undeveloped markets are the focus of Mauricio Salgueiro‘s practice.

Leading individuals

Jorge Gross Brown - Colab

Practice head(s):

Jorge Gross Brown

Testimonials

‘This practice has excellent client management, they are very responsible with deadlines, and they are updated on new practices, industries, in addition to having a very good attitude and being very clear in their communication. It is a young team that adopts technological practices, which is very well received from a technological client.’

‘They know about little-known topics in the country, in addition to being fluent in English, very open to new ideas, very professional, and clear in their communication.’

‘Colab is a firm that cares about a good relationship with its clients. They give their time to listen to your needs and try to give you always the best solution possible.’

‘They are a young firm, with lawyers that are up to date with new regulations, start-ups, etc. They were perfect for us since we are a start-up and they understand how we work. Working with Mauricio Salgueiro was always the best and most comfortable experience.’

‘I noted the proactivity of contacting me to find out my needs, the implementation of technology, and also, the adaptation in particular to start-ups and all the terminology that surrounds them. No other firm in Paraguay works with risk investments, venture capital, start-ups.’

‘Interest in connecting with their clients beyond the professional, very open regarding the work mechanisms. They differ in that no other law firm ventures into the whole start-up issue.’

Key clients

Fresenius Kabi Aktiengesellschaft

Sanofi Aventis Paraguay

Gunvor Group

Molecular Energies

Banco Familiar

Atome Paraguay

Gical

Fundación Moises Bertoni

Union Industrial del Paraguay

United States Agency for International Development (Usaid)

President Energy

Diaz de Espada Family

Dominguez Family

Cabaña La Paz

Wayra Chile Tecnologia e Innovación

Envíos Pet

Reva

Mas Money

DeltaX

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints

Morphware

Parhelion

JCR

Zellag Crop Science Zellcheime

Powre Holding

Torrecom Partners

Supergroup Holding Group

Mobi Latam

Work highlights

Advising Atome Paraguay on its 420MW world-scale green hydrogen and ammonia project.
Advising Powre Holding on raising capital and investment by third parties process in a company project to produce and export hashing power for approximately $18m.
Advising Powre Holding on the purchase of 100% of GAIJ SRL for approximately $1.5m.

Colab merges experience + innovation.

After eight years as managing partner of Gross Brown Law Firm, Jorge Gross Brown, a third-generation lawyer, founded Colab in 2021. Colab offers a fresher and renewed take on the legal industry that focuses on client experience, efficiency and reducing human error.

The company focuses in generating value for its clients by rendering highly specialized services in a range of practice areas, including banking and finance, corporate, M&A, tax efficiency, capital markets, competition, emerging companies and venture capital, energy, negotiation, and arbitration.

In recent years, Colab has managed to position itself as a solid competitor in the local legal market and seeks to be an industry leader. Its business model challenges the traditional outlook by growing in efficiency and technology rather than a heavy structure.

Banking and finance: Colab retains the expertise of highly complex financial transactions and financial/banking regulation but introduces innovation to the mix. As a result, Colab has advised, and continued to advise, in major project finances such as (i) the financing of the private public partnership in Paraguay for the construction, refurbishing, and maintenance of Route PY 02, (ii) the Paracel Project for the construction of an integrated greenfield sustainable pulp mill located in the region of Concepción, Paraguay, with an annual production capacity of at least 1.8 million, (iii) a project financing for the design, development, construction, and operation of a new tertiary hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay in affiliation with Mount Sinai International LLC, and (iv) a USD 500 project to set up a 420MW world-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production plant in Villeta, Paraguay, among others.

Its client list includes in the banking and finance sector include, IDB Invest, US DFC, CAF, Rabobank, Atome Energy, FIC S.A. de Finanzas, Banco Familiar, S.A.E.C.A., Atria Logistica, Fundación Moises Bertoni, etc.

Corporate/M&A: Colab also has a strong corporate and M&A practice. Colab’s practice involves advising clients from day-to-day business transactions and corporate structure to advising in frequent M&A deals of all sizes and sorts. Colab also incorporates a strong tax view on all corporate matters to always suggest the most efficient tax structure according to the client’s needs.

Among the many matters that Colab handles are the general operation and oversight of company groups such as Molecular Energies, Torrecom Group, and Cabaña La Paz. Molecular Energies has a diverse portfolio in Paraguay that includes, oil and gas exploration, venture capital, green hydrogen, and ammonia production, and FinTech. Torrecom is solely dedicated to telecommunications infrastructure services.

Tax: Colab incorporates tax input in every transaction and advise to its clients, whether it is in the energy sector, or a fintech raising capital, or a large-scale project finance, all transactions are looked at with special take on tax efficiency. Additionally, Colab advises several clients on reducing tax impact of their operations by various legal mechanisms.

Start-ups and VCs: Colab is the undisputed market leader in the start-up and VCs scene in Paraguay. Colab began its existence as an innovation-oriented company and identifies with a lean start-up philosophy. As a result, it understands the needs of this market, operate regionally, and is constantly designing new solutions. Colab has been recognized as the go-to firm for Latam start-ups that are looking to land in Paraguay. Likewise, Colab has skin in the game and is also partner to other LegalTechs, such as Brevity.pro. Similarly, Colab also advises the most relevant VC firms active in Paraguay.

Energy: Colab is also a strong player in the energy market and is active both in renewable alternative sources as well as traditional energy sources. Colab has advised on 2 of the 3 largest power purchase agreements secured by privet companies with ANDE. Jorge Ignacio’s recent participation as special adviser to the General Director of Itaipú Binacional (the world’s largest hydroelectric energy production plant) to prepare a roadmap for negotiating Paraguay’s strategic interests in the infrastructure co-owned with Brazil also positioned him as a relevant player in the energy market.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Director	Jorge Gross Brown	jgb@colab.com.py	+595 21 729 9200
Finance / Tax / M&A / Startups and VCs	Mauricio Salgueiro	msm@colab.com.py	+595 21 729 9200
Corporate / M&A / Competition / Finance / Arbitration	Paola Sapienza	psu@colab.com.py	+595 21 729 9200
Capital Markets / Finance / Corporate / M&A	Juan Pablo Zaputivich	jpz@colab.com.py	+595 21 729 9200