Luz María Mercado > Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría > Bogota, Colombia > Lawyer Profile

Ranking among Colombia’s most dominant corporate practices, Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría earns plaudits for its ‘specialised lawyers committed to corporate issues’. The international-facing group combines a formidably deep domestic bench with a strong regional network that takes in offices in Chile and Peru; it also benefits from platforms in Europe through its partnership with Iberian powerhouse, Uría Menéndez. Despite being managing partner, M&A heavyweight Martín Acero remains highly sought after by sources for his ‘personalised attention’; he recently advised Ferro and Gema de Inversiones on the acquisition of a 17.64% stake of Hojalata y Laminados. Claudia Barrero is also a go-to corporate specialist and recently teamed up with the firm’s Peru and Chile offices to advise Latam company, Quelaris Internacional, on its acquisition by IMCD Group. In another multi-jurisdictional highlight, Felipe Cuberos advised Inversiones Kaufmann on the acquisition of the Mercedes Benz truck and bus division in Colombia from Daimler. Other key partners include: Juan Carlos Rocha, who blends strength in corporate and real estate matters; Hernando Padilla, who sits in the banking, capital markets and corporate practices; and up-and-coming corporate and restructuring specialist Nicolás Tirado, who recently advised Kaufmann Ventures on the seed round it led in Colombian start-up, Velocity-X. Among the group’s sizeable band of associates, principals Luz María Mercado, Juan José Castaño, David Beltrán and Juan Guillermo Nur all stand out for their broad corporate and M&A activity. Senior associates Paula Buriticá and Alejandro Medina left in May 2022 and November 2022, respectively.