Carlos Fradique-Méndez > Brigard Urrutia > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

The banking and finance group at Brigard Urrutia is ‘superior to any Colombian law firm’, according to some. Particularly praised for its ability to handle ‘sophisticated structures with international funders’, the team’s broad cross-border expertise is evidenced by its involvement in many of the market’s marquee cross-border mandates — for both Colombian and global banks and corporate borrowers. As a case in point, dual US- and Colombia-qualified banking specialists Carlos Fradique-Méndez and María Fernanda Diago joined forces to advise CFG Partners on the up-to $150m financing and acquisition of Alpha Capital’s and Vive Créditos’ assets, which involved five jurisdictions. Among its lender-side highlights, go-to expert Fradique-Méndez advised Citibank Colombia on a COP$120bn financing to a newly created debtor trust established by Bayport Colombia. The deep bench also calls upon the senior expertise of César Felipe Rodríguez, who is sought after for infrastructure and project finance-related matters, and seasoned banking, energy and natural resources specialist Carlos Urrutia. The group additionally draws on a capable pool of associates, including seniors Santiago Jaramillo Martínez, who has an emphasis on energy and infrastructure-related work, and Juan Eduardo Gómez, who combines banking and corporate experience. Associate María Fernanda Sánchez moved in house as general counsel at ADL Digital Lab in January 2023; and next generation partner Felipe Alarcón has also subsequently left the firm – effective as of September 2023.

Brigard Urrutia’s status as a destination practice for capital markets work was reinforced during 2022 through its advice to the underwriters on the Republic of Colombia’s $1.6bn bond issuance. The group, which routinely acts for both issuers and underwriters, also has a strong record in equity offerings. Senior partner Carlos Fradique-Méndez is sought after for his extensive expertise in capital markets and banking transactions and co-heads the department alongside Luis Gabriel Morcillo, who specialises in securities, private equity and corporate issues; together they co-led the capital markets advice to the underwriters on Colombia’s high-profile bond offering. The team was additionally boosted by the arrival of two new senior associates: in June 2022, Viviana Araújo joined from Scotiabank, while Nicolás Arocha Roldán, who was formerly at Esguerra Asesores Jurídicos, arrived in September 2022. Senior associate Luis Alejandro León departed the firm in September 2022.

Brigard Urrutia’s ability to draw on its premier full-service offering is a key feature of its multidisciplinary projects team, which routinely works alongside other practice groups to provide comprehensive advice. Project finance is a notable sweet spot, in line with the wider firm’s top-tier finance capability, and it shines in representing lenders and sponsors on major energy and infrastructure projects. However, it also handles public procurement, project development, and contentious work. Senior contacts include Carlos Umaña, who maintains a broad practice with a focus on infrastructure, public procurement, utilities, and natural resources; managing partner Carlos Fradique-Méndez, who is sought after for infrastructure financings; and Claudia Navarro, who has extensive expertise in regulatory and commercial matters. The department additionally calls upon the experience of banking and finance specialists César Felipe Rodríguez, María Fernanda Diago and Felipe Alarcón, as well as associate practice director Julián Parra. In July 2022, senior associate Juan Pablo Canaval left to join Uraba Highways.

Few firms in the market can equal Brigard Urrutia’s track record in transformative M&A deals, with the 23-lawyer team routinely involved in many of the most high-profile transactions to hit the Colombian market. The group’s ability to lean on a host of complementary practices from across the wider full-service firm equips its lawyers with a ‘comprehensive vision in consulting’ and ensures that it is sought after for complex mandates that require extensive cross-departmental collaboration. As a case in point, senior M&A expert Sergio Michelsen Jaramillo recently teamed up with next-generation partner Tomás Holguín, as well as the capital markets and competition practices, to advise Votorantim on the sale of its 82.42% stake in Acerías Paz del Rio. In a significant first-of-a-kind investment transaction, Michelsen also paired up with Jaime Robledo to advise Canada’s CPP investments on its $334m acquisition of a 19.3% stake in D1, which notably marked its first direct investment in Colombia. Darío Laguado Giraldo , chairman of the corporate and M&A practice, led on several infrastructure-related transactions over the past year, including advising Telefónica, and its subsidiary Colombia Telecomunicaciones, on the agreements by which Colombia Telecomunicaciones and KKR will establish the country’s first independent wholesale open access digital infrastructure company. Other senior names include corporate finance veteran Carlos Fradique-Méndez; aviation and real estate-focused specialist Álvaro Cala; senior partner Carlos Urrutia; and Fernando Alfredo Castillo. The sizeable department also fields a capable bench of corporate-dedicated non-partners, including director Ángela García Páez, prolific senior associates Paola Ordoñez  and Andrea Camila Cruz, and associate Laura Ricardo Ayerbe. Since publication, Ordóñez and Mónica Gutiérrez Velasco have both been promoted to practice directors (as of December 2023), but Laguado has left the firm – effective as of April 2024.