Holland & Knight > Bogota, Colombia > Firm Profile

Holland & Knight > The Legal 500 Rankings

Colombia > Environment Tier 1

Considered by some as the benchmark for environmental law in Colombia, Holland & Knight’s expertise encompasses a comprehensive range of sectors, including hydrocarbons, energy, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, and food and beverage-related issues. The team is equipped to handle the full scope of matters, from environmental audits and due diligence procedures, right through to major infrastructure project-related work; it also routinely represents clients before administrative and judiciary authorities. Jose Vicente Zapata spearheads the group and is widely revered as a reference in the market; he is currently advising Carbones del Cerrejón on several constitutional claims arising from consultation controversies with ethnic communities. The group also draws on litigator Juan Casallas, who was raised to the partnership in January 2023, as well as energy and environmental law-focused associate lawyers Margarita Solorza and Estefanny Pardo, who were both promoted to senior counsel in January 2023.

Colombia > Capital markets Tier 2

‘A highly specialised and experienced team’, Holland & Knight’s nascent capital markets practice has hit the ground running following the arrival of Camilo Gantiva in February 2022; he was formerly department co-head at Garrigues. Among the team’s recent highlights, Gantiva advised Inter-American Development Bank, IDB Invest and Latin America Green Fund on the process of reviewing and investing in sustainability linked-bonds issued by Bancolombia — notably, this represents the first sustainability linked-bond issued by a bank in LatAm. The group was further strengthened in February 2022 with the arrival of associate Juan Felipe Fontecha (‘his regulatory knowledge is exceptional’), who was formerly an attorney at the Financial Superintendence of Colombia.

Colombia > Energy and natural resources Tier 2

According to satisfied clients, Holland & Knight ‘applies innovative criteria to address the situations to be resolved’. The Tampa-headquartered firm acts for a mix of local and multinational clients, with the local Bogotá office having the ability to plug into a network of 220 energy lawyers across its global platform to resource cross-border matters. Experienced group head José Vicente Zapata maintains a broad energy and natural resources practice, which spans corporate, commercial and regulatory matters — for clients operating in the electricity, oil and gas, mining, agrochemical, and industrial sectors. Other senior names include Ines Elvira Vesga, who has a focus on oil and gas, of counsel Milton Fernando Montoya, who specialises in mining work, and newly promoted (January 2023) public law partner Juan Casallas. Margarita Solorza (energy and environmental) and Estefanny Pardo (dispute resolution and natural resources) were both promoted to senior counsel in January 2023.

Colombia > Banking and finance Tier 3

Climbing a tier for 2024, Holland & Knight finds favour for its ‘hands-on team, partner availability and disruptive solutions’. Combining strength in both regulatory and transactional work, the firm acts for an increasingly prominent list of domestic and international lenders and borrowers, including Banco Santander, Banco Davivienda and new client, KMA Construcciones. Department co-head Camilo Gantiva is equipped to advise on transactional and regulatory matters, fintech and capital markets issues; he recently acted alongside the New York office to advise Bancoldex on the NY and Colombian law aspects of a $300m credit agreement with JP Morgan Chase. Juliana Saa, who recently advised Bancolombia on a COP$235bn financing to private equity fund Terranum, co-heads the group and has an emphasis on energy and infrastructure. The practice also draws on seasoned finance specialist Enrique Gómez Pinzón, who splits his time between Bogotá and Washington DC. Associate Juan Felipe Fontecha provides additional support on capital markets transactions, as well as securities and financial regulation. In February 2023, associate Alberto Vergara left to join the IFC.

Colombia > Public law Tier 3

Holland & Knight’s May 2023 absorption of Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez (CCG) reinforces its solid public law offering. The former firm is arguably best known for its strength in public environmental law, where it advises major energy, natural resources and infrastructure clients on regulatory and contentious matters. The arrival of the CCG team provides additional firepower in the transport sector, where the legacy firm was noted for its representation of major public transportation providers and operators. Department head José Vicente Zapata is an expert in public law issues concerning the environment, and the energy and natural resources sectors. The group also includes newly promoted (February 2023) partner Juan Casallas, who focuses on public law, and constitutional and administrative law disputes. Former CCG practice head Edwin Cortés Mejía is particularly noted for his record in the bus rapid transit (BRT) segment.

Colombia > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

‘Attentive, judicious and always willing to provide top-level advice’, Holland & Knight shored up its corporate offering in May 2023 with its absorption of former tier four-ranked firm, Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez Abogados. Among the new additions, the department welcomed Gustavo Cuberos, a founding partner at his previous firm, Alba Malagón, who is noted for her experience in cross-border transactions, and next-generation partner Julia Velásquez. The department continues to be steered by executive office partner Enrique Gómez-Pinzón, who splits his time between Bogotá and Washington DC. The team also draws on the senior level expertise of transactional energy specialists José Vicente Zapata and Ines Elvira Vesga, while associates Natalia Cuberos, Diana Paola Serrano and Isabella Díaz provide support. Former department co-head Lucas Saffon-López  left the firm in May 2022.

Dispute resolution > Litigation Tier 4

In May 2023, Holland & Knight’s Bogotá office absorbed 28-lawyer-strong business law firm Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez. Among the new arrivals is former Cuberos head of litigation José Gutierréz Mestre, who is highlighted for his ‘assertive, effective and intellectual communication’. The team is well versed across a mix of commercial, constitutional and administrative law, while its broad international platform positions it well for multi-jurisdictional disputes. It is also noted for its experience in contentious energy and environmental matters, due to the expertise of high-profile energy specialist Jose Vicente Zapata. Other senior names include newly promoted (January 2023) partner Juan Casallas, who specialises in public law, and constitutional and administrative litigation; and Danilo Romero, who specialises in IP, consumer protection, and media and entertainment law. Estefanny Pardo, who is recommended for contentious environmental law matters, was raised to senior counsel in January 2023.

Colombia > Intellectual property Tier 4

The ‘extremely proactive and innovative’ group at Holland & Knight was bolstered in October 2022 with the hire of senior counsel Camila Santamaría, who is a former director of the National Directorate of Copyright in Colombia. Competition and IP litigator Danilo Romero Raad continues to front the practice, which is noted for its record in trade mark work. The group also includes associate Camila López, who advises on a mix of contentious and non-contentious IP.  Associate Maria José Pardo left to join Bancolombia in January, 2023, while associate Bettina Sojo joined Dentons in New York in July 2022.

Colombia > Labour and employment Tier 4

In May 2023, Holland & Knight LLP boosted its employment group with the absorption of 28-lawyer firm Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez (CCG), including its two-partner labour and employment team. The legacy CCG practice is well versed across the full range of labour relations, transactional support matters, social security law and litigation, while its new international platform equips it with significant cross-border firepower. Camilo Cuervo Díaz, who is currently the Governor of the Colombian Bar Association of Labour and Social Security Lawyers, enjoys a strong profile in the market for his comprehensive practice focus. Diego Mauricio Acevedo Gamez and associate Juan Pablo Romero are also key contacts. Senior counsel, and former practice head, Carolina Castro left the firm in August 2022.

Colombia > Tax Tier 4

Holland & Knight’s tax group remains in growth mode, following the June 2022 arrivals of Gustavo Pardo Ardila and associate José Alejandro Vivas — who both joined from Pardo’s former boutique Gustavo Pardo y Asociados. The tax team was further augmented in May 2023 with the firm’s absorption of Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez (CCG). Among the new additions is senior counsel Juan Camilo Riveira, who was director of the tax practice at his former firm. The department continues to make inroads into the market, due to its broad experience in transactional tax, tax planning, and tax litigation, with an orientation towards investment structuring between Colombia and the US. Pardo co-heads the department together with tax litigator Juan Carlos Valencia and transactional tax partner Rafael Lafont.