Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen > Buenos Aires, Argentina > Firm Profile

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen > The Legal 500 Rankings

Argentina > Banking and finance Tier 2

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen works for domestic and international clients on the lender and borrower-side and has capability across capital markets, banking, finance, project finance and debt restructuring. Recently the team has advised on a number of complex foreign exchange and sovereign debt restructurings, supporting wind farm developer Genneia on amending its financial documentation following changes to foreign exchange regulations, and advising the Argentina Creditor Committee and UBS on the restructuring of Argentine sovereign debt issued under foreign law. Diego Serrano Redonnet, who also has extensive corporate finance expertise, and María Gabriela Grigioni, who focuses on capital markets, compliance and banking, lead the team with support from founding partners Mariano Grondona who has an extensive banking and finance track record, and Alan Arntsen, who is expert in restructurings. Counsel Danilo Parodi Logioco is one to watch, playing a prominent role on several matter highlights for the practice. Since publication, corporate/M&A and banking and finance practitioner Tomás Pérez Alati  has been raised to the partnerhsip - effective January 2022.

Argentina > Competition and antitrust Tier 2

The broad practice at Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen handles matters ranging from general competition advice and due diligence to audits and data protection issues, with particular expertise in economic concentration transactions and antitrust cases. The firm expanded into Chile in 2020, boosting its international footprint, and it also offers an innovative "swift-notification test", a tool facilitating a rapid first assessment as to whether the National Commission for the Defence of Competition requires notification of a particular merger operation. Practice head Luis Diego Barry handles complex antitrust and product liability cases. Key associate support comes from María Carolina Abdelnabe Vila, who specialises in competition and antitrust, data protection law, product liability and legal tech.

Argentina > Consumer law Tier 2

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen leverages its expertise in the banking, financial services, communications, food and beverage and automotive sectors to advise on a range of consumer claims, class actions and product liability issues. Areas of expertise for the firm include the adaptation of products and services to consumer protection regulations, disputes related to credit card regimes, insurance coverage claims and consumer actions brought by clients individually or through consumer associations. Identifying potential risks and due diligence are also core strengths of the practice. Luis Diego Barry leads the team and focuses on competition, antitrust and consumer protection.

Argentina > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

The Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen corporate and M&A practice is known for serving a broad client-base of public companies, private businesses, entrepreneurs and private equity and venture capital managers. Clients note the firm’s ‘experience in international financial matters’ and the ‘personalised attention’ it provides. The practice is active across multiple sectors, with mining, food and agribusiness prominent in recent years. Matter highlights include acting as local council to Nufarm in the acquisition by Sumitomo Chemical of Nufarm’s agrochemical business in South America; serving as local council to Swedish engineer Sandvik on its $1.1bn acquisition of mining solutions company DSI Underground from European private equity firm Triton; and acting for CIAPEXA on the sale of gold mining and exploration company Minera Don Nicolás to Cerrado Gold. The respected Jorge Pérez Alati, a veteran dealmaker in Argentina, co-leads the team alongside the ‘highly experienced’ Santiago Daireaux and Eugenio Aramburu , who has a strong private equity and M&A practice. Since publication, former counsel Pedro Menéndez San Martín has moved to Estudio Bunge as a partner (effective as of November 2021); and  Tomás Pérez Alati (corporate/M&A and banking and finance)  has been raised to the partnership – effective January 2022.

Argentina > Real estate Tier 2

The leading practice in the power-generation-facilities construction segment in Argentina -and a strong player in gated-community developments- the team at Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen also advises on a range of purchase, sale and lease matters across the sector. The nine-strong practice has a proven track record in construction and financing issues, as well as development projects related to housing, urbanization and industry. Development and real estate specialists Guillermo Quiñoa and Santiago Daireaux co-lead the team with Pedro Eugenio Aramburu, whose focus is more transactional. Key associate support is provided by Cristian Chang.

Argentina > Tax Tier 2

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen’s ‘team of good professionals in different specialties’ provides ‘high quality, well-researched’ tax advice. Tax litigation and cross-border specialist Manuel Benites; Luis Marcelo Nuñez, who has broad experience in cases before the Supreme and Federal Tax Court; and customs litigation expert Andrés Galíndez, lead a practice that is especially strong in the energy sector. In addition to its litigation and energy-sector capability, the team also works with foreign and local clients on tax planning and transactional matters across a range of industries. Other notable names include tax litigation associate Matías Corte and Cristina Di Benedetto, who has a tax law focus. Germán Martín Quirán supports clients in municipal, provincial and federal tax assessments and fines. Facundo Fernández Santos has a corporate focus and works on M&A, financial transactions and transfer pricing tax matters.

Argentina > TMT Tier 2

Full-service firm Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen has particular experience in regulatory telecommunications, intellectual property, privacy, e-commerce and freedom-of-speech matters. The 20-strong practice group is also active in new products liability and the increasingly prominent areas of data protection regulations, privacy and content regulations. One of the firm’s senior partners, Mariano Grondona handles transactions and litigation in the TMT space. He co-leads the team with Arnaldo Cisilino, who focuses on civil and commercial litigation, class actions, dispute resolution, technology, data protection, freedom of expression and privacy conflicts. The pair are supported by an extremely experienced group including counsels María Carolina Abdelnabe Vila (data-protection compliance as part of a wider practice including competition and consumer protection matters); Pía Politi (privacy and data protection; IT and technology disputes’ matters); and Marina Basavilbaso, whose general practice is directed towards advising tech companies on matters including contracts, privacy issues, telecoms infrastructure, e-commerce, digital signatures, and software and digital content licences. Completing the group, senior associate María Eugenia Videla‘s specialisms include telecommunications and media, both advisory and litigation.

Argentina > Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 3

The Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen practice focuses on assisting financially distressed and healthy companies to reduce debt, restructure operations and recapitalize. It acts for creditors and bondholders, debtors and issuers, trustees, ad hoc creditors' committees, financial advisors and dealer managers in workouts and debt restructurings. The team is co-led by Alan Arntsen, Guillermo Quiñoa, Diego Serrano Redonnet, María Gabriela Grigioni and Laurato Ferro.

Argentina > Compliance Tier 3

The Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen practice has a ‘broad mastery of the subject’, particularly in the preparation of integrity programs and procedures related to regulatory breaches of anti-corruption and corporate governance rules. It is also active in the development of anti-corruption and anti-fraud policies, and undertakes compliance due diligence and training programs. The firm fields a ‘consolidated team' that provides 'the necessary advice on any issue that companies need, in a timely and appropriate manner’. It is co-led by María Gabriela Grigioni , an experienced in corporate finance practitioner who also handles governance, compliance and capital markets regulations; and Arnaldo Cisilino , a disputes and technology expert.

Argentina > Dispute resolution Tier 3

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen is distinguished by its broad experience in domestic and international litigation and arbitration, particularly in the technology space. The firm also stands out for its work representing international energy companies in investment and commercial arbitration proceedings. Complex litigation specialist Lautaro Ferro co-leads the team with Luis Incera, who focuses on litigation, insolvency, bankruptcy and family law; and Arnaldo Cisilino, who handles civil and commercial litigation, class actions, technology, data protection, freedom of expression and privacy conflicts.

Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 3

With broad experience ranging from strategic transactions to innovative investments, Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen’s practice ‘stands out for its high specialisation, commercial vision and international experience’. The firm is also well regarded for its ‘agility and transparency in billing and an openness to technology in order to allow access to information’. Key strengths of the practice include due diligence, acquisitions, financings, securities issuance and regulatory matters across the energy sector. Francisco Javier Romano is recommended for his ‘knowledge of international LNG contracts and experience in comparative oil and gas regimes, particularly in Latin America’. A ‘benchmark in energy matters‘ according to clients, Romano has some 25 years’ experience in the sector and was formerly in house at Chevron for over a decade; he co-leads the team with fellow senior-partner, corporate and cross-border financing specialist Alan Arnsten, whose industry focus includes energy – he also has noteworthy infrastructure M&A experience. Environmental law input comes from counsel Nicole Jaureguiberry and the group was further strengthened with the March-2020 hire of Joaquín Ojeda Goncalves as a senior associate of the Administrative Law, Regulation and Public Services department. The firm recently established an alliance with the Neuquén-based Brillo Abogados to further its presence in the province. Since publication, Jaureguiberry has been raised to the partnership - effective January 2022.

Argentina > Insurance Tier 3

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen advises insurance companies on M&A transactions and assists international insurance and reinsurance companies establish representative offices in Argentina, among other matters. On the contentious side, the practice has experience defending insurance companies in class actions brought by consumer protection associations. Practice head Mariano Grondona handles a broad range of counselling, transactions and litigation in the insurance sector as part of his broader practice. An additional key name in the team is senior associate Lucila Guerrero, who specialises in aeronautical and insurance matters.

Argentina > Intellectual property Tier 3

The experienced IP practice at Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen handles a variety of trade mark portfolio matters and IP litigation, particularly in relation to patents. The eight-strong team is also increasingly active advising clients on technology-transfer regulations. A leading name in the area, Fernando Alonso advises and represents local and international clients on matters arising from trade marks, patents, trade names, advertising and privacy law, and in associated litigation. He co-leads the team with younger partner Julio Lago, also a dedicated IP specialist, who represents clients in litigation as well as advising on trade marks, patents, copyrights, anti-piracy campaigns and internet-related topics. Santiago Fiorito completes the team's partner trio; his practice too covers both the litigious and advisory aspects of IP.

Argentina > International trade and customs Tier 3

Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen 's international trade team is best known its for experience in customs law issues and exchange control regulations. Key areas of work include import/export-duty reimbursements, the challenging of customs duties assessments, customs disciplinary proceedings, confiscation of goods by customs authorities, Mercosur regulatory compliance and tariff classification. Also head of the firm's tax practice, Manuel Benites focuses on international trade, customs law and customs litigation. He co-leads the team with Andrés Galíndez, who represents clients before the General Customs Bureau, Tax Court of Appeals, Federal Courts and the National Supreme Court of Justice. Promoted to counsel in December 2020, Germán Martín Quirán also has a notable presence in the sector.

Argentina > Labour and employment Tier 3

The ‘rapid and professional response on specific issues regarding Argentina's complex labour legislation constitutes an important competitive advantage’ of Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen's labour practice. As well as providing a range of labour relationship advice, including the drafting of employment and confidentiality agreements, the 15-strong team is active in collective bargaining and transactional matters. Other key specialisms include immigration and, particularly, disputes and labour litigation. Senior partner and veteran labour and social security practitioner Julio César Stefanoni Zani co-leads the practice with Enrique Alfredo Betemps, who has the ‘ability to analyse and solve situations and problems in a simple and always effective way’; and younger employment specialist Julio Javier Lococo. Key associate support comes from seniors Paola Giannini, Verónica Benegas and Max Ungerer. The team was further strengthened with the hire of intermediate María Soledad Irumberri from Estudio Grispy Asociados in March 2020.

Argentina > Public law Tier 3

Focused on administrative law, regulation and matters pertaining to public utilities, Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen is well-regarded for being ‘very professional, always providing timely responses’ and using ‘the most modern tools available in Argentina’. Public procurement is a key specialism for the firm, along with advising on concessions, licenses and authorisations granted by the Federal and provincial governments. Counsel Nicole Jaureguiberry heads the practice, handling administrative, regulatory and constitutional law issues (including environmental matters), as well as complex public law litigation, particularly as regards government procurement, infrastructure projects and the regulated industries. Key associate support comes from senior, Joaquín Ojeda Goncalves, a March 2020 hire from GHS & Asociados who also has past experience as a senior lawyer at Buenos Aires City Government Office. Since publication, Jaureguiberry has been raised to the partnership - effective January 2022.