Lloreda Camacho & Co. > Bogota, Colombia > Firm Profile

Lloreda Camacho & Co. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Colombia > Intellectual property Tier 1

A leading firm for IP and regulation in Colombia, Lloreda Camacho & Co.‘s deep and broad practice leverages its top-notch life sciences offering to excel in representing major global pharmaceutical clients. That being said, the firm handles the full suite of contentious and non-contentious matters for companies across all key industry segments, with food, financial services, technology, entertainment and consumer products also among its industry strong suits. Director of the IP department, Alicia Lloreda   maintains a broad focus, which spans trade marks, copyrights, patents, unfair competition and IP disputes, including unfair competition cases. Ana Maria Castro  , who directs the firm’s patents division and co-directs the life sciences practice, is also a key contact. Associate practice director Natalia Franco  is the key contact for trade marks, copyright and general intellectual property following the May 2022 departure of former trade marks and copyright head, Tatiana Carrillo, after over 20 years at the firm. Since research concluded, the firm has hired María José Lemus  (effective September 2022), formerly head of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce, Colombia’s competition regulator and IP office.

Colombia > Life sciences Tier 1

Lloreda Camacho & Co.'s full-service life sciences practice is recommended by sources for its ‘holistic business and technical vision'. The firm’s top-tier IP offering ensures that it is a popular choice to handle patent-related matters on behalf of biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and R&D companies.  That being said, the multidisciplinary group also shines in regulatory, competition, data privacy and contract-related matters. Ana María Castro, stands ‘as a continental benchmark in intellectual property' and co-heads the department alongside regulatory specialist Enrique Álvarez, who also oversees the competition and data privacy teams, and Daniel Cardona, who was promoted to partner in December 2021 and has a focus on administrative law.

Colombia > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Despite its one-site business model, Bogotá-based Lloreda Camacho & Co. has secured central roles on a string of major multinational transactions of late. Most notably, it advised Grupo Almo on the sale of its security transport business in Central America to Spanish conglomerate Prosegur, where it led work in six jurisdictions (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panamá, Costa Rica and El Salvador). High-profile department co-lead Santiago Gutiérrez, who brings to bear deep expertise in the corporate, finance, capital markets and real estate areas, led the Almo deal. The group also benefits from the senior experience of Andrés Hidalgo, who co-leads the M&A practice and also spearheads the public procurement and infrastructure groups. Hidalgo recently acted in conjunction with the mining and natural resources team to advise Anglo American, alongside Shearman & Sterling in the UK, on the $294m sale of its 33.3% interest in the Cerrejón joint venture to Glencore. Senior associate Nadia Sánchez is also a key contact for the corporate team. However, the firm recently saw two significant departures at senior associate level: María Paula Macías left in October 2021, while Raúl Vargas departed in January 2022.

Colombia > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

Lloreda Camacho & Co.'s multidisciplinary practice blends skill sets in competition, consumer law and data protection. The wider firm’s IP prowess lends itself to antitrust matters relating to the life sciences and technology arenas, where it is well equipped to handle a range of merger control, advertising and compliance issues. Enrique Álvarez (competition, data protection, employment and life sciences) co-heads the team alongside newly promoted competition and consumer law specialist Darío Cadena. The team also draws on Maria Alejandra De Los Ríos, who is associate director of the privacy and data protection group.

Dispute resolution > Arbitration Tier 3

Regulated industries specialist Lloreda Camacho & Co. utilises its close relationships with life sciences, telecoms and energy companies to excel in advising on arbitrations pertaining to these spheres. Department head Gustavo Tamayo is highly regarded for his telecoms expertise and is notably representing América Móvil’s local subsidiary, Comcel, in a long-running case against Empresa de Telefónos de Bogotá concerning interconnection charges. Christian Pérez Rueda is associate director of the litigation, insolvency and insurance groups and has a growing profile for insurance-related cases. Senior associate Camilo Valenzuela left the firm in September 2021.

Dispute resolution > Litigation Tier 3

Dispute resolution is a key pillar of Lloreda Camacho & Co.'s firm-wide offering, which is evidenced by its diverse practice scope. The group frequently advises domestic and multinational clients across a wide range of commercial litigation, class actions, administrative law matters, competition cases and judicial insolvencies — it also leverages the firm’s signature strength in IP and life sciences to pack a punch in litigation concerning those spheres. Department co-head Gustavo Tamayo is widely recognised for his prowess in the TMT and contracts areas; he is notably representing Bray International in a claim brought by their main distributer in Colombia (Casa De La Valvula) alleging the unfair termination of a distribution agreement. Associate director Christian Pérez Rueda co-steers the group and has an emphasis on litigation, insolvency and insurance-related matters. Core support is provided by senior associates Jorge Rodríguez and Jimmy Buenaventura — both specialise in commercial and corporate disputes. Senior associate Camilo Valenzuela left the firm in September 2021.

Colombia > Energy and natural resources Tier 3

Lloreda Camacho & Co.'s team is commended for its ability to ‘provide solutions to any issues that arise’. The firm’s marked focus on mining and minerals-related work pays dividends and major multinational players, such as Anglo American and Zijin-Continental Gold, are on the department’s books. Among its key areas of activity, the practice is recognised for its strength in regulatory issues (including permitting and environmental licensing), commercial agreements and transactional support work — it also regularly advises on contentious matters. High-profile mining expert Ignacio Santamaria co-leads the group alongside recently promoted partner Angela María Salazar; they are highlighted together for their ‘deep technical knowledge of all aspects of mining law in Colombia'.

Colombia > Environment Tier 3

New entrant to the ranking, Lloreda Camacho & Co.  attracts praise from clients for its ‘remarkable level of service and knowledge of environmental issues‘. The group leverages the wider firm’s strengths in life sciences and mining to focus on environmental matters in relation to those industries, and it counts Johnson & Johnson de Colombia, Anglo American Services and Mineros among its key clients. The group is co-led by energy and natural resources specialists Ignacio Santamaria   and Angela María Salazar , together with up-and-coming senior associate Natalia Soto  .

Colombia > TMT Tier 3

Lloreda Camacho & Co.’s top-tier IP practice lends itself well to coverage of media and entertainment clients, while the firm’s regulatory prowess ensures that it is a popular choice to advise technology and telecoms companies on regulatory matters and administrative proceedings. Gustavo Tamayo is particularly recognised for his advice to telecoms clients; he has recently advised América Móvil's local subsidiary, Claro Colombia, on several regulatory issues. Tamayo co-leads the group together with trade mark and copyrights head Tatiana Carrillo; and associate director María Alejandra De Los Ríos, who specialises in privacy, data protection and commercial contracts.

Colombia > Banking and finance Tier 4

Lloreda Camacho & Co.'s banking practice has a significant regulatory bent and is routinely engaged to advise on financial product development and the incorporation of new financial entities. Santiago Gutiérrez, who combines diverse skill sets in the finance, corporate and capital markets spheres, handles a balance of transactional and regulatory finance matters. Department co-head Carlos Carvajal was elevated to the partnership in December 2021 and is noted for his emphasis on public and commercial law.

Colombia > Labour and employment Tier 4

The labour and employment team at Lloreda Camacho & Co. strikes the right note with sources for its ‘strong level of commitment and its response capacity'. Best known for its strength in transactional support matters, including M&A, spin-offs, incorporations and liquidations, the team is also recognised for its representation of clients in the pharmaceutical, consumer and advertising sectors. The department is co-led by multidisciplinary specialist Enrique Álvarez, who also oversees the competition, data privacy and life sciences teams, together with senior associate Rafael Abuchaibe.

Colombia > Public law Tier 4

The ‘collaborative' lawyers at Lloreda Camacho & Co strike the right note with sources who say, ‘you can talk with them and contradict their theses, without generating conflict or animosity'. The team is further distinguished by its emphasis on government procurement and infrastructure work, with strong recent showings in energy, road and TMT projects. Andrés Hidalgo, who specialises in M&A, public procurement and infrastructure, co-heads the department alongside Carlos Carvajal, who made partner in December 2021.

Colombia > Real estate Tier 4

Lloreda Camacho & Co.‘s practice spans urban and rural real estate, combining robust experience in regulatory issues, project development, transactional matters and leasing agreements. The department is co-led by corporate and finance specialist Santiago Gutiérrez together with Carlos Carvajal, who was promoted to partner in December 2021 and has a focus on government contracting and infrastructure. The multidisciplinary team also draws on associates Natalia Soto and Santiago Garzón, who focus on environmental law and public law respectively.

Colombia > Tax Tier 5

The ‘courteous and very friendly‘ group at Lloreda Camacho & Co. has an emphasis on tax planning and transactional tax matters, particularly within the life sciences, telecoms, retail, and energy and natural resources sectors. Ignacio Santamaria, who is a key partner for tax, natural resources and foreign trade, co-heads the department alongside senior associate Luis Felipe Paredes, who joined in May 2021 from AB Consultores. Former senior associate Julian Andrés Peña left the firm in May 2021,