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Argentina
Banking and finance
Banking and finance - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Full-service powerhouse Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal is highly regarded for its âtop-quality lawyersâ, âextensive resourcesâ and âstrong experience in the banking areaâ. The team handles an array of lending, corporate finance and regulatory matters, for an impressive roster of local and multinational banks, including Banco Galicia, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs - it also acts for major corporate borrowers. Key figures include structured finance expert Roberto Silva Jr, who led on some of the firmâs highlight capital markets deals over the past year, such as advising the joint bookrunners on the local aspects of CorporaciĂłn AmĂ©rica Airportsâ $485m IPO on the NYSE. In another headline deal, corporate finance partner Juan Diehl Moreno acted for the lenders (Citibank, HSBC, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, JP Morgan and Santander) on a $500m syndicated loan to Telecom Argentina. On the banking M&A side, Silva Jr acted alongside Pablo Artagaveytia to advise Banco do Brasil on increasing its stake in Argentine bank Banco Patagonia, through a $202m share acquisition. The group also benefits from the senior expertise of firm chairman Santiago Carregal, department coordinator Gabriel Matarasso and experienced regulatory specialist Cecilia Mairal. Among the up-and-coming names, associate Francisco Abeal is recommended.
Leading individuals

Gabriel Matarasso - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Roberto Silva Jr - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Santiago Carregal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners
Francisco Abeal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Bankruptcy and restructuring
Bankruptcy and restructuring - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop-tier firmâ Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal impresses with its âdeep and strong experience in all types of restructuring casesâ. The well-balanced group acts for a broad range of creditors, shareholders, debtors and trustees â in both out-of-court restructurings and contentious bankruptcy cases. Senior of counsel MartĂn Campbell is widely regarded as a leading light; he teamed up with department head Fernando HernĂĄndez and finance specialists Ricardo Beller and Cecilia Mairal to advise the creditorsâ committee on the implementation of Sociedad Comercial del Plataâs reorganisation plan. Moreover, in July 2019 the firm announced its absorbtion of the former Rivera & Asociados, long a noted disputes boutique and 'one of the marketâs leading debtor shopsâ for restructuring matters, particularly those with complex contentious proceedings. Founding partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera was appointed as a âsupplementary judgeâ (âconjuezâ) of the National Supreme Court in 2018 and becomes an honorary partner at Marval. The team also includes litigations specialist Julio CĂ©sar Rivera (h), who also becomes a partner, and four associates. While it remains too early to evaluate the merger in full, early indications suggest this to be -in the words of one client- a 'win-win situation', boosting Marval's contentious and restrucuturing capabilities significantly. Other representative clients include Arla Foods Ingredients and Supercanal.
Leading individuals

MartĂn Campbell - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Competition and antitrust
Competition and antitrust - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âClearly the best competition practice in the marketâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal impresses with its âstrong tradition in the areaâ and âvery deep experienceâ. The firmâs signature corporate practice translates into a steady stream of merger filings and it is also a top choice for complex antitrust investigations. Market heavyweight Miguel del Pino heads the department and is leading the teamâs advice to both parties on the local aspects of ChemChinaâs $43bn acquisition of Syngenta. He also continues to represent Time Warner on the Argentine merger control review arising from its $108bn acquisition by AT&T. Santiago del Rio is the other key contact and advised Zurich on the Argentine aspects of its $550m acquisition of QBEâs Latin American business. The team has also recently undertaken work for Arla Group, General Electric and Shell. Other names to note include Gabriela Ariel Irizar and the âextremely talentedâ Ignacio Mora â both are associates.
Leading individuals

Miguel del Pino - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Santiago del Rio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
Ignacio Mora - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Corporate and M&A
Corporate and M&A - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âAmong the best in LatAmâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs corporate team secures rave reviews for its âclear, solution-oriented adviceâ, âunswerving focus on delivering resultsâ and âunmatched knowledge of the legal and economic implications of transactionsâ. The firmâs deep bench is a recurring theme and clients say âalmost all corporate partners have a high level of proven expertise, which is rare in Argentinaâ. Among the names to note, Pablo Viñals Blake is âone of the finest corporate lawyers in Argentinaâ; he paired up with Diego Chighizola (âa future market leaderâ) to advise Pampa Agribusiness Fund on Pampa Capital Managementâs sale of crop sprayer manufacturer PLA to John Deere. Diego Krischcautzky provides âpractical and business-oriented adviceâ and acted with HernĂĄn Slemenson and Fernando HernĂĄndez to advise Argentine biotech group Bioceres on a $456m share exchange agreement with private equity-owned Union Acquisition Corporation. Corporate head Pablo Artagaveytia is an âexcellent communicatorâ with a strong record in Brazil-related deals; he recently acted hand-in-hand with the banking practice to assist Banco do Brasil with its $202m acquisition of an additional stake in Banco Patagonia. Other key names include high-profile figure HĂ©ctor Mairal (âthe best "all-practice" lawyer in Argentinaâ), firm chairman Santiago Carregal, sector specialist Pablo Garcia Morillo , âknowledgeable and analyticalâ up-and-coming partner BĂĄrbara Ramperti; and MarĂa Macarena GarcĂa Mirri, who made partner in August 2019.
Leading individuals

Diego Krischcautzky - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Héctor Mairal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Pablo Viñals Blake - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Santiago Carregal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Barbara Ramperti - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Diego Chighizola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Dispute resolution
Dispute resolution - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop tier in commercial litigationâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal also excels in arbitration, with notable firepower in complex, multi-jurisdictional cases. The practice, held up for its âunrivalled breadth and depthâ, is led by heavyweight litigator Ricardo Ostrower, who brings to bear deep experience in complex, high-stakes disputes. Ostrower recently teamed up with Santiago Soria, and the oil and gas department, to represent Transportadora de Gas del Sur in an arbitration claim brought by Pan American Energy and Pan American Sur related to the performance of a long-term natural gas processing agreement. In another headline piece of litigation, Ostrower acted alongside the public law group to assist Cargill with its case against the Province of Chaco before the Federal Supreme Court arguing the unconstitutionality of certain provincial regulations impacting on its operations. Senior counsel MartĂn Campbell is âa remarkable lawyerâ and paired up with Facundo Viel Temperley to represent Credit Suisse as defendant in a class action concerning the Madoff fraud. Were the âseamless and joined-up teamâ, which also includes Rodrigo GarcĂa  and ElĂas Bestani, not formidable enough, in July 2019 the firm announced the absorbtion of 'outstanding disputes boutique' Rivera & Asociados, whom the Marval team had faced in the TGS-Pan American case. The merger adds signifcant firepower to the department, particularly in terms of arbitration: former managing partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera is widely acclaimed as âthe best arbitrator in Argentinaâ; he is also highly regarded for judicial restructuring cases and was appointed as a supplementary judge (âconjuezâ) of the National Supreme Court in 2018. Julio CĂ©sar Rivera (h), who joins as a partner, is a âfirst-class litigatorâ. Incoming associates of note include arbitration specialist Laura Piedrahita Abella.
Leading individuals

MartĂn Campbell - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Ricardo Ostrower - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Environment
Environment - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal had a busy year on the project development front, which saw practice head Francisco MacĂas advise companies such as Senvion and Total on regulatory and permitting issues relating to renewable energy projects. The firm also continues to be a popular choice for complex environmental litigation, such as MacĂasâ representation of CompañĂa General de Combustibles in three environmental class actions filed by non-profit organisation ASSUPA, which seek remediation for the alleged damage caused by exploration and production activities. The group, working off its market-leading corporate and M&A practice, is also a strong performer in environmental due diligence matters. Senior associate Gabriel Fortuna is another key contact.
Rising stars

Gabriel Fortuna - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Insurance
Insurance - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses an âexcellent insurance practiceâ that is âwidely recognised as a leader in strategic mattersâ. The group, which demonstrates robust experience across a comprehensive spread of insurance classes, routinely undertakes corporate, regulatory and contentious work for major industry clients such as Mapfre, MetLife and Zurich. Department lead Pablo Cereijido is widely hailed as a leading light and represented Aseguradora de CrĂ©ditos y GarantĂas in a leading case brought by the Argentine government testing the application of certain insurance provisions against the government. On the corporate side, Cereijido acted for Zurich on the Argentine leg of the acquisition of QBEâs insurance and reinsurance operations. ElĂas Bestani is highly regarded for his specialist expertise in maritime and aviation cases; he recently advised the reinsurers and a foreign shipowner in a salvage remuneration claim involving river barges.
Leading individuals

ElĂas Bestani - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Pablo Cereijido - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Intellectual property
Intellectual property - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Standing strong at the top of the market, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs widely admired IP practice is held up as âimpossible to compete withâ by clients. The firmâs âunrivalled depth of teamâ, âhigh volume of casesâ and âspecialist lawyersâ ensure it maintains a significant lead over its competitors and the client consensus is âfew firms come closeâ. The comprehensive nine-partner group fields experts in patents, trade marks, IP litigation and enforcement, with its broad sector expertise spanning the pharmaceutical, luxury goods, TMT, and food and beverage industries, among others. On the patent side, the firmâs dominant position translates into a 45% share of patent litigation cases in Argentina â patent heavyweight MartĂn Bensadon continues to be a prominent player in that space. On the trade mark front, Sergio Ellmann is a high-profile figure and recently assisted Ultimate Fitness Club with correcting a mistake whereby the wrong trade mark was published â the correction was allowed on appeal. The team also includes widely revered IP litigator Gustavo Giay, who acted with MartĂn Chajchir to advise Procter & Gamble on an anti-counterfeiting programme to block the large-scale counterfeiting of its Ariel laundry detergent. Other names to note include trademark specialist Iris Quadrio, counsel IvĂĄn Poli and impressive patent litigation partner Ignacio SĂĄnchez EchagĂŒe.
Leading individuals

Gustavo Giay - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Iris Quadrio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

IvĂĄn Poli - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MartĂn Bensadon - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Sergio Ellmann - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Ignacio SĂĄnchez EchagĂŒe - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MartĂn Chajchir - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
International trade and customs
International trade and customs - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
The comprehensive practice at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal âsits firmly at the top of the marketâ, according to clients. The group, noted as âstrong across the board in trade issuesâ, particularly impresses with its âgreat experience in sophisticated and complex casesâ. Trade remedy cases are a notable strong suit and the firm is currently handling seven large antidumping investigations simultaneously, in a clear demonstration of its leading position in that sphere. Among its key examples, highly regarded group head Pablo Gayol represented the Brazilian exporters in the antidumping investigation into denim exports. He also represented LG Electronics Argentina on an antidumping investigation into vacuum cleaners from China. Counsel Patricia LĂłpez Aufranc is another prominent sector expert and is advising Oki Data Americas (Argentine branch) on import and export regulations. On the customs side, tax specialist Juan Pablo Rothschild â acting alongside the corporate department â advised a client from the alcoholic beverage industry on a customs import valuation investigation. Among its other areas of activity, the team also handles tariff code interpretation, litigation and WTO dispute settlement. Other key contacts include senior tax and customs partner Horacio GarcĂa Prieto and impressive associate Jazmine Daruich.
Leading individuals

Pablo Gayol - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Patricia LĂłpez Aufranc - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars

Jazmine Daruich - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Labour and employment
Labour and employment - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Put simply, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs employment practice is âgold standardâ, according to admiring clients. The âundoubtedly top-tier groupâ is widely agreed to possess âone of the most diverse teams in the marketâ, with its âexcellent attorneysâ held up for their âhigh ethical standards and deep knowledgeâ. In particular, high-profile figure Enrique Stile is described as a âmarket leaderâ; he recently advised Alexion Pharmaceuticals on the employment aspects of the closure of its operations in Argentina. Department head Javier PatrĂłn is also widely revered and advised Sensient Technologies on a $20m termination case. Impressive younger partner Diego Kelly continues to raise his profile in the market, with satisfied clients valuing his âstrong proactivity and comprehensive business and labour law perspectiveâ. Kelly assisted Shell CAPSA with the labour and employment aspects of the spin-off and sale of part of its business and local operations to RaĂzen. The group also includes immigration head Rodrigo SolĂĄ Torino, litigation expert JosĂ© MarĂa Llano and the talented Guillermo Osorio, who made partner in August 2019.
Leading individuals

Enrique Stile - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Javier PatrĂłn - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Diego Kelly - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
Guillermo Osorio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Public law
Public law - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs âdeep and experiencedâ public law practice is distinguished by its âdeep benchâ and âbroad subject matter expertiseâ. The âclearly top-tierâ group also secures praise for its broad supplementary capability, with sources particularly highlighting its âgreat ability to draw on support from the corporate and projects teamsâ. Best known for its relatively even split between contentious and non-contentious matters, the department combines an impressive record in complex litigation with strength in PPP matters and corporate regulatory issues. Among its highlights, Enrique Veramendi represented toll roll concessionaire Autopistas del Sol in the successful renegotiation of its concession contract with Argentinaâs federal government, which involved a compensation package of over $500m. In another high-profile case, MarĂa Lorena Schiariti represented CompañĂa Mega (a joint venture between YPF, Petrobras and Dow) in successfully challenging a rate surcharge for being illegal and unconstitutional. The group also includes preeminent administrative law expert HĂ©ctor Mairal.
Leading individuals

Enrique Veramendi - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Héctor Mairal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MarĂa Lorena Schiariti - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Real estate
Real estate - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
The âvery solidâ practice at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal is a popular choice for sale and purchase transactions and it also acts on a steady stream of development, leasing and property finance matters. Among the names to note, department co-lead Diego Chighizola is a âstrong up-and-coming talentâ; he paired up with corporate specialist Pablo Viñals Blake to advise property tycoons Edmond Safra and Nassef Sawiris on the $150m asset purchase, development and construction of office buildings in Buenos Aires. The same team also assisted the Werthein family with its $151m acquisition of a landmark site in the city of Buenos Aires. HernĂĄn Slemenson co-leads a department that has also recently undertaken work for Pegasus Management, Hilton Hotels and InterContinental Hotels.
Next Generation Partners

Diego Chighizola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
TMT
TMT - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âDeep, broad and very strongâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs comprehensive TMT practice is âextremely active in all key industry sectorsâ, according to clients. Certainly, the firmâs client list is impressive across the three pillars of technology (Facebook, Microsoft), media (BBC, Grupo Vila-Manzano) and telecoms (American Tower, Claro Argentina), and it packs a punch in transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. Recent work includes advising Riverwood Capital and Blackstone on the acquisition of Argentina-based CPS Comunicaciones â Daniel Di Paola led the groupâs advice on that matter. Di Paola also paired up with Javier Etcheverry Boneo to assist Globenet Cabos Submarinos with the deployment of its fibre optic submarine cable system to Argentina. Di Paola and Etcheverry Boneo co-lead the team alongside Gustavo Giay.
Leading individuals

Javier Etcheverry Boneo - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Daniel Di Paola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Tax
Tax - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âA leader in the tax fieldâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses a âmajor internationally strong practiceâ, which is noted for its âimpressive strength-in-depthâ and the âsheer quality of its lawyersâ. As one would expect from Argentinaâs largest law firm, the department is well versed across the full spread of tax matters, with strong skill sets in advisory matters, tax planning, transactional issues and tax litigation. Among its non-contentious highlights, heavyweight tax specialist Gabriel Gotlib advised Terrifico Capital on the creation of a foreign private fund to invest in cryptocurrency and initial coin offerings. MarĂa InĂ©s Brandt, highlighted as âvery knowledgeable on tax matters related to M&Aâ, advised Sociedad QuĂmica y Minera de Chile on the tax aspects of the sale by its subsidiary SQM Potasio of its stake in Minera Exar, which owns the Cauchari-Olaroz lithium project. In another headline transaction, Walter Keiniger acted for Bioceres on the tax aspects of its $456m share exchange agreement with Union Acquisition Corporation. Keiniger also assisted POSCO with the Argentine tax aspects of its $280m acquisition of lithium mining rights from Galaxy Resources. On the litigation side, Keiniger represented AMX Argentina in several lawsuits against municipalities disputing requirements to pay local taxes for inspection services rendered upon commercial establishments. The group also benefits from the senior experience of Horacio GarcĂa Prieto, who is widely regarded as a market leader in tax and customs matters, and Fernando Vaquero.
Leading individuals

Gabriel Gotlib - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Horacio GarcĂa Prieto - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MarĂa InĂ©s Brandt - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Walter Keiniger - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Argentina: Energy and natural resources
Electricity
Electricity - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Particularly prominent on the transactional side, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs power practice also demonstrates strong expertise in project development and regulatory issues. It also sets itself apart through its experience in alternative power matters, such as hydroelectric, nuclear and renewable energy. Among its highlights, energy and natural resources head Francisco MacĂas, acting together with the banking and public law teams, advised China Gezhouba Group on regulatory and contractual issues related to the $4.7bn construction of a hydroelectric project. The department also includes associate Gonzalo Santamaria, singled out by clients as a âvery talented up-and-coming lawyerâ. Other key clients include China National Nuclear Corporation and General Electric.
Rising stars
Gonzalo Santamaria - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Mining
Mining - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âA stand-out mining firmâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses âthe market-leading practice in Argentinaâ, according to many. The group covers all the bases in mining law, with specialist skill sets in mining projects, transactions, regulatory matters and litigation â it is also distinguished by its ability to draw upon the wider firmâs top-tier expertise in corporate finance, public law and tax to provide support on multi-layered mining deals. Department head Luis Lucero is widely revered as a âgo-to mining specialistâ and provides ongoing advice to Oroplata, a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp, on its Cerro Negro gold and silver mine. On the contentious side, Lucero is representing Glencoreâs subsidiary El PachĂłn in its high-profile dispute with Minera Los Pelambres (an Antofagasta-controlled subsidiary) regarding a waste dump built by Minera Los Pelambres on Glencoreâs property in Argentina. Leonardo RodrĂguez is also a key contact and advised Coeur Argentina on granting an option to Minera Santa Cruz to purchase the HuracĂĄn and Tornado mining rights in the Province of Santa Cruz. The firm also benefits from an impressive band of younger mining specialists, including senior associate AndrĂ©s Villarreal and associate MarĂa Mercedes Rudolph. Other key clients include Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti and Pan American Silver.
Leading individuals

Leonardo RodrĂguez - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Luis Lucero - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
MarĂa Mercedes Rudolph - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Oil and gas
Oil and gas - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop-tier oil and gas practiceâ Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs âextremely strong groupâ is admired for its âimpressive roster of clientsâ and its âconsistent involvement in key mattersâ. The team, which is well balanced between corporate, commercial and contentious work, is best known for its track record in multi-jurisdictional issues and it often leans on other departments within the firm to provide support on complex cases. Among its recent highlights, group head Francisco MacĂas acted hand-in-hand with the corporate and tax departments to advise BP on a joint venture with Bridas and CNOOC to form Pan American Energy Group. He is also leading the firmâs advice to various Argentine and Chilean clients in connection with several natural gas cross-border transactions; notably, these represent the first energy transactions between Chile and Argentina since 2010. On the contentious side, MacĂas represented gas distribution utility Litoral Gas in disputes concerning long-term gas supply contracts. Corporate finance partner Ricardo Beller is also a key contact.
Leading individuals

Francisco MacĂas - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Latin America: International firms
Local practitioners of note (by country)
Bomchil's MarĂa InĂ©s CorrĂĄÂ focuses on energy and regulatory cases; the team lost Guido Tawil who is now an arbitrator. Rivera & Asociados' managing partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera is widely recognised as the 'best arbitrator in Argentina', and is 'very reliable on complex civil law issues both as counsel and arbitrator'. At Bruchou, FernĂĄndez Madero & Lombardi, Carlos M. Rotman represented Pan American Energy Group in ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the breach of contract against Transportadora de Gas del Sur; Ignacio J. Minorini Lima is also highly recommended. Ricardo A Ostrower and HĂ©ctor Mairal are names to note at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal; the latter counts Petrobras, Total Austral, GE and Assurant Argentina CompañĂa de Seguros as his key clients. At Estudio AlegrĂa, Buey FernĂĄndez, Fissore y Montemerlo, founding partner HĂ©ctor AlegrĂa is recommended for acting as counsel in international arbitration proceedings as well as sitting as an arbitrator in commercial disputes. At Abeledo Gottheil Abogados, Luis Erize and HernĂĄn MartĂn Oriolo are particularly well known for energy cases. JosĂ© MartĂnez de Hoz at MartĂnez de Hoz & Rueda is 'rock solid in commercial and investor-state arbitration' and is particularly experienced in energy-related cases; he recently represented YPF in a $1.6bn ICC arbitration initiated by a consortium of natural gas operators.
Argentina
Banking and finance
Banking and finance - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Full-service powerhouse Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal is highly regarded for its âtop-quality lawyersâ, âextensive resourcesâ and âstrong experience in the banking areaâ. The team handles an array of lending, corporate finance and regulatory matters, for an impressive roster of local and multinational banks, including Banco Galicia, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs - it also acts for major corporate borrowers. Key figures include structured finance expert Roberto Silva Jr, who led on some of the firmâs highlight capital markets deals over the past year, such as advising the joint bookrunners on the local aspects of CorporaciĂłn AmĂ©rica Airportsâ $485m IPO on the NYSE. In another headline deal, corporate finance partner Juan Diehl Moreno acted for the lenders (Citibank, HSBC, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, JP Morgan and Santander) on a $500m syndicated loan to Telecom Argentina. On the banking M&A side, Silva Jr acted alongside Pablo Artagaveytia to advise Banco do Brasil on increasing its stake in Argentine bank Banco Patagonia, through a $202m share acquisition. The group also benefits from the senior expertise of firm chairman Santiago Carregal, department coordinator Gabriel Matarasso and experienced regulatory specialist Cecilia Mairal. Among the up-and-coming names, associate Francisco Abeal is recommended.
Leading individuals

Gabriel Matarasso - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Roberto Silva Jr - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Santiago Carregal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners
Francisco Abeal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Bankruptcy and restructuring
Bankruptcy and restructuring - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop-tier firmâ Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal impresses with its âdeep and strong experience in all types of restructuring casesâ. The well-balanced group acts for a broad range of creditors, shareholders, debtors and trustees â in both out-of-court restructurings and contentious bankruptcy cases. Senior of counsel MartĂn Campbell is widely regarded as a leading light; he teamed up with department head Fernando HernĂĄndez and finance specialists Ricardo Beller and Cecilia Mairal to advise the creditorsâ committee on the implementation of Sociedad Comercial del Plataâs reorganisation plan. Moreover, in July 2019 the firm announced its absorbtion of the former Rivera & Asociados, long a noted disputes boutique and 'one of the marketâs leading debtor shopsâ for restructuring matters, particularly those with complex contentious proceedings. Founding partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera was appointed as a âsupplementary judgeâ (âconjuezâ) of the National Supreme Court in 2018 and becomes an honorary partner at Marval. The team also includes litigations specialist Julio CĂ©sar Rivera (h), who also becomes a partner, and four associates. While it remains too early to evaluate the merger in full, early indications suggest this to be -in the words of one client- a 'win-win situation', boosting Marval's contentious and restrucuturing capabilities significantly. Other representative clients include Arla Foods Ingredients and Supercanal.
Leading individuals

MartĂn Campbell - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Competition and antitrust
Competition and antitrust - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âClearly the best competition practice in the marketâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal impresses with its âstrong tradition in the areaâ and âvery deep experienceâ. The firmâs signature corporate practice translates into a steady stream of merger filings and it is also a top choice for complex antitrust investigations. Market heavyweight Miguel del Pino heads the department and is leading the teamâs advice to both parties on the local aspects of ChemChinaâs $43bn acquisition of Syngenta. He also continues to represent Time Warner on the Argentine merger control review arising from its $108bn acquisition by AT&T. Santiago del Rio is the other key contact and advised Zurich on the Argentine aspects of its $550m acquisition of QBEâs Latin American business. The team has also recently undertaken work for Arla Group, General Electric and Shell. Other names to note include Gabriela Ariel Irizar and the âextremely talentedâ Ignacio Mora â both are associates.
Leading individuals

Miguel del Pino - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Santiago del Rio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
Ignacio Mora - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Corporate and M&A
Corporate and M&A - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âAmong the best in LatAmâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs corporate team secures rave reviews for its âclear, solution-oriented adviceâ, âunswerving focus on delivering resultsâ and âunmatched knowledge of the legal and economic implications of transactionsâ. The firmâs deep bench is a recurring theme and clients say âalmost all corporate partners have a high level of proven expertise, which is rare in Argentinaâ. Among the names to note, Pablo Viñals Blake is âone of the finest corporate lawyers in Argentinaâ; he paired up with Diego Chighizola (âa future market leaderâ) to advise Pampa Agribusiness Fund on Pampa Capital Managementâs sale of crop sprayer manufacturer PLA to John Deere. Diego Krischcautzky provides âpractical and business-oriented adviceâ and acted with HernĂĄn Slemenson and Fernando HernĂĄndez to advise Argentine biotech group Bioceres on a $456m share exchange agreement with private equity-owned Union Acquisition Corporation. Corporate head Pablo Artagaveytia is an âexcellent communicatorâ with a strong record in Brazil-related deals; he recently acted hand-in-hand with the banking practice to assist Banco do Brasil with its $202m acquisition of an additional stake in Banco Patagonia. Other key names include high-profile figure HĂ©ctor Mairal (âthe best "all-practice" lawyer in Argentinaâ), firm chairman Santiago Carregal, sector specialist Pablo Garcia Morillo , âknowledgeable and analyticalâ up-and-coming partner BĂĄrbara Ramperti; and MarĂa Macarena GarcĂa Mirri, who made partner in August 2019.
Leading individuals

Diego Krischcautzky - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Héctor Mairal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Pablo Viñals Blake - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Santiago Carregal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Barbara Ramperti - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Diego Chighizola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Dispute resolution
Dispute resolution - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop tier in commercial litigationâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal also excels in arbitration, with notable firepower in complex, multi-jurisdictional cases. The practice, held up for its âunrivalled breadth and depthâ, is led by heavyweight litigator Ricardo Ostrower, who brings to bear deep experience in complex, high-stakes disputes. Ostrower recently teamed up with Santiago Soria, and the oil and gas department, to represent Transportadora de Gas del Sur in an arbitration claim brought by Pan American Energy and Pan American Sur related to the performance of a long-term natural gas processing agreement. In another headline piece of litigation, Ostrower acted alongside the public law group to assist Cargill with its case against the Province of Chaco before the Federal Supreme Court arguing the unconstitutionality of certain provincial regulations impacting on its operations. Senior counsel MartĂn Campbell is âa remarkable lawyerâ and paired up with Facundo Viel Temperley to represent Credit Suisse as defendant in a class action concerning the Madoff fraud. Were the âseamless and joined-up teamâ, which also includes Rodrigo GarcĂa  and ElĂas Bestani, not formidable enough, in July 2019 the firm announced the absorbtion of 'outstanding disputes boutique' Rivera & Asociados, whom the Marval team had faced in the TGS-Pan American case. The merger adds signifcant firepower to the department, particularly in terms of arbitration: former managing partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera is widely acclaimed as âthe best arbitrator in Argentinaâ; he is also highly regarded for judicial restructuring cases and was appointed as a supplementary judge (âconjuezâ) of the National Supreme Court in 2018. Julio CĂ©sar Rivera (h), who joins as a partner, is a âfirst-class litigatorâ. Incoming associates of note include arbitration specialist Laura Piedrahita Abella.
Leading individuals

MartĂn Campbell - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Ricardo Ostrower - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Environment
Environment - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal had a busy year on the project development front, which saw practice head Francisco MacĂas advise companies such as Senvion and Total on regulatory and permitting issues relating to renewable energy projects. The firm also continues to be a popular choice for complex environmental litigation, such as MacĂasâ representation of CompañĂa General de Combustibles in three environmental class actions filed by non-profit organisation ASSUPA, which seek remediation for the alleged damage caused by exploration and production activities. The group, working off its market-leading corporate and M&A practice, is also a strong performer in environmental due diligence matters. Senior associate Gabriel Fortuna is another key contact.
Rising stars

Gabriel Fortuna - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Insurance
Insurance - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses an âexcellent insurance practiceâ that is âwidely recognised as a leader in strategic mattersâ. The group, which demonstrates robust experience across a comprehensive spread of insurance classes, routinely undertakes corporate, regulatory and contentious work for major industry clients such as Mapfre, MetLife and Zurich. Department lead Pablo Cereijido is widely hailed as a leading light and represented Aseguradora de CrĂ©ditos y GarantĂas in a leading case brought by the Argentine government testing the application of certain insurance provisions against the government. On the corporate side, Cereijido acted for Zurich on the Argentine leg of the acquisition of QBEâs insurance and reinsurance operations. ElĂas Bestani is highly regarded for his specialist expertise in maritime and aviation cases; he recently advised the reinsurers and a foreign shipowner in a salvage remuneration claim involving river barges.
Leading individuals

ElĂas Bestani - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Pablo Cereijido - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Intellectual property
Intellectual property - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Standing strong at the top of the market, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs widely admired IP practice is held up as âimpossible to compete withâ by clients. The firmâs âunrivalled depth of teamâ, âhigh volume of casesâ and âspecialist lawyersâ ensure it maintains a significant lead over its competitors and the client consensus is âfew firms come closeâ. The comprehensive nine-partner group fields experts in patents, trade marks, IP litigation and enforcement, with its broad sector expertise spanning the pharmaceutical, luxury goods, TMT, and food and beverage industries, among others. On the patent side, the firmâs dominant position translates into a 45% share of patent litigation cases in Argentina â patent heavyweight MartĂn Bensadon continues to be a prominent player in that space. On the trade mark front, Sergio Ellmann is a high-profile figure and recently assisted Ultimate Fitness Club with correcting a mistake whereby the wrong trade mark was published â the correction was allowed on appeal. The team also includes widely revered IP litigator Gustavo Giay, who acted with MartĂn Chajchir to advise Procter & Gamble on an anti-counterfeiting programme to block the large-scale counterfeiting of its Ariel laundry detergent. Other names to note include trademark specialist Iris Quadrio, counsel IvĂĄn Poli and impressive patent litigation partner Ignacio SĂĄnchez EchagĂŒe.
Leading individuals

Gustavo Giay - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Iris Quadrio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

IvĂĄn Poli - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MartĂn Bensadon - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Sergio Ellmann - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Ignacio SĂĄnchez EchagĂŒe - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MartĂn Chajchir - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
International trade and customs
International trade and customs - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
The comprehensive practice at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal âsits firmly at the top of the marketâ, according to clients. The group, noted as âstrong across the board in trade issuesâ, particularly impresses with its âgreat experience in sophisticated and complex casesâ. Trade remedy cases are a notable strong suit and the firm is currently handling seven large antidumping investigations simultaneously, in a clear demonstration of its leading position in that sphere. Among its key examples, highly regarded group head Pablo Gayol represented the Brazilian exporters in the antidumping investigation into denim exports. He also represented LG Electronics Argentina on an antidumping investigation into vacuum cleaners from China. Counsel Patricia LĂłpez Aufranc is another prominent sector expert and is advising Oki Data Americas (Argentine branch) on import and export regulations. On the customs side, tax specialist Juan Pablo Rothschild â acting alongside the corporate department â advised a client from the alcoholic beverage industry on a customs import valuation investigation. Among its other areas of activity, the team also handles tariff code interpretation, litigation and WTO dispute settlement. Other key contacts include senior tax and customs partner Horacio GarcĂa Prieto and impressive associate Jazmine Daruich.
Leading individuals

Pablo Gayol - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Patricia LĂłpez Aufranc - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars

Jazmine Daruich - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Labour and employment
Labour and employment - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Put simply, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs employment practice is âgold standardâ, according to admiring clients. The âundoubtedly top-tier groupâ is widely agreed to possess âone of the most diverse teams in the marketâ, with its âexcellent attorneysâ held up for their âhigh ethical standards and deep knowledgeâ. In particular, high-profile figure Enrique Stile is described as a âmarket leaderâ; he recently advised Alexion Pharmaceuticals on the employment aspects of the closure of its operations in Argentina. Department head Javier PatrĂłn is also widely revered and advised Sensient Technologies on a $20m termination case. Impressive younger partner Diego Kelly continues to raise his profile in the market, with satisfied clients valuing his âstrong proactivity and comprehensive business and labour law perspectiveâ. Kelly assisted Shell CAPSA with the labour and employment aspects of the spin-off and sale of part of its business and local operations to RaĂzen. The group also includes immigration head Rodrigo SolĂĄ Torino, litigation expert JosĂ© MarĂa Llano and the talented Guillermo Osorio, who made partner in August 2019.
Leading individuals

Enrique Stile - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Javier PatrĂłn - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Diego Kelly - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
Guillermo Osorio - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Public law
Public law - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs âdeep and experiencedâ public law practice is distinguished by its âdeep benchâ and âbroad subject matter expertiseâ. The âclearly top-tierâ group also secures praise for its broad supplementary capability, with sources particularly highlighting its âgreat ability to draw on support from the corporate and projects teamsâ. Best known for its relatively even split between contentious and non-contentious matters, the department combines an impressive record in complex litigation with strength in PPP matters and corporate regulatory issues. Among its highlights, Enrique Veramendi represented toll roll concessionaire Autopistas del Sol in the successful renegotiation of its concession contract with Argentinaâs federal government, which involved a compensation package of over $500m. In another high-profile case, MarĂa Lorena Schiariti represented CompañĂa Mega (a joint venture between YPF, Petrobras and Dow) in successfully challenging a rate surcharge for being illegal and unconstitutional. The group also includes preeminent administrative law expert HĂ©ctor Mairal.
Leading individuals

Enrique Veramendi - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Héctor Mairal - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MarĂa Lorena Schiariti - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Real estate
Real estate - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
The âvery solidâ practice at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal is a popular choice for sale and purchase transactions and it also acts on a steady stream of development, leasing and property finance matters. Among the names to note, department co-lead Diego Chighizola is a âstrong up-and-coming talentâ; he paired up with corporate specialist Pablo Viñals Blake to advise property tycoons Edmond Safra and Nassef Sawiris on the $150m asset purchase, development and construction of office buildings in Buenos Aires. The same team also assisted the Werthein family with its $151m acquisition of a landmark site in the city of Buenos Aires. HernĂĄn Slemenson co-leads a department that has also recently undertaken work for Pegasus Management, Hilton Hotels and InterContinental Hotels.
Next Generation Partners

Diego Chighizola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
TMT
TMT - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âDeep, broad and very strongâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs comprehensive TMT practice is âextremely active in all key industry sectorsâ, according to clients. Certainly, the firmâs client list is impressive across the three pillars of technology (Facebook, Microsoft), media (BBC, Grupo Vila-Manzano) and telecoms (American Tower, Claro Argentina), and it packs a punch in transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. Recent work includes advising Riverwood Capital and Blackstone on the acquisition of Argentina-based CPS Comunicaciones â Daniel Di Paola led the groupâs advice on that matter. Di Paola also paired up with Javier Etcheverry Boneo to assist Globenet Cabos Submarinos with the deployment of its fibre optic submarine cable system to Argentina. Di Paola and Etcheverry Boneo co-lead the team alongside Gustavo Giay.
Leading individuals

Javier Etcheverry Boneo - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Next Generation Partners

Daniel Di Paola - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Tax
Tax - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âA leader in the tax fieldâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses a âmajor internationally strong practiceâ, which is noted for its âimpressive strength-in-depthâ and the âsheer quality of its lawyersâ. As one would expect from Argentinaâs largest law firm, the department is well versed across the full spread of tax matters, with strong skill sets in advisory matters, tax planning, transactional issues and tax litigation. Among its non-contentious highlights, heavyweight tax specialist Gabriel Gotlib advised Terrifico Capital on the creation of a foreign private fund to invest in cryptocurrency and initial coin offerings. MarĂa InĂ©s Brandt, highlighted as âvery knowledgeable on tax matters related to M&Aâ, advised Sociedad QuĂmica y Minera de Chile on the tax aspects of the sale by its subsidiary SQM Potasio of its stake in Minera Exar, which owns the Cauchari-Olaroz lithium project. In another headline transaction, Walter Keiniger acted for Bioceres on the tax aspects of its $456m share exchange agreement with Union Acquisition Corporation. Keiniger also assisted POSCO with the Argentine tax aspects of its $280m acquisition of lithium mining rights from Galaxy Resources. On the litigation side, Keiniger represented AMX Argentina in several lawsuits against municipalities disputing requirements to pay local taxes for inspection services rendered upon commercial establishments. The group also benefits from the senior experience of Horacio GarcĂa Prieto, who is widely regarded as a market leader in tax and customs matters, and Fernando Vaquero.
Leading individuals

Gabriel Gotlib - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Horacio GarcĂa Prieto - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

MarĂa InĂ©s Brandt - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Walter Keiniger - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Argentina: Energy and natural resources
Electricity
Electricity - ranked: tier 2
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Particularly prominent on the transactional side, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs power practice also demonstrates strong expertise in project development and regulatory issues. It also sets itself apart through its experience in alternative power matters, such as hydroelectric, nuclear and renewable energy. Among its highlights, energy and natural resources head Francisco MacĂas, acting together with the banking and public law teams, advised China Gezhouba Group on regulatory and contractual issues related to the $4.7bn construction of a hydroelectric project. The department also includes associate Gonzalo Santamaria, singled out by clients as a âvery talented up-and-coming lawyerâ. Other key clients include China National Nuclear Corporation and General Electric.
Rising stars
Gonzalo Santamaria - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Mining
Mining - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âA stand-out mining firmâ, Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal houses âthe market-leading practice in Argentinaâ, according to many. The group covers all the bases in mining law, with specialist skill sets in mining projects, transactions, regulatory matters and litigation â it is also distinguished by its ability to draw upon the wider firmâs top-tier expertise in corporate finance, public law and tax to provide support on multi-layered mining deals. Department head Luis Lucero is widely revered as a âgo-to mining specialistâ and provides ongoing advice to Oroplata, a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp, on its Cerro Negro gold and silver mine. On the contentious side, Lucero is representing Glencoreâs subsidiary El PachĂłn in its high-profile dispute with Minera Los Pelambres (an Antofagasta-controlled subsidiary) regarding a waste dump built by Minera Los Pelambres on Glencoreâs property in Argentina. Leonardo RodrĂguez is also a key contact and advised Coeur Argentina on granting an option to Minera Santa Cruz to purchase the HuracĂĄn and Tornado mining rights in the Province of Santa Cruz. The firm also benefits from an impressive band of younger mining specialists, including senior associate AndrĂ©s Villarreal and associate MarĂa Mercedes Rudolph. Other key clients include Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti and Pan American Silver.
Leading individuals

Leonardo RodrĂguez - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal

Luis Lucero - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Rising stars
MarĂa Mercedes Rudolph - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Oil and gas
Oil and gas - ranked: tier 1
Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
âTop-tier oil and gas practiceâ Marval, O'Farrell & Mairalâs âextremely strong groupâ is admired for its âimpressive roster of clientsâ and its âconsistent involvement in key mattersâ. The team, which is well balanced between corporate, commercial and contentious work, is best known for its track record in multi-jurisdictional issues and it often leans on other departments within the firm to provide support on complex cases. Among its recent highlights, group head Francisco MacĂas acted hand-in-hand with the corporate and tax departments to advise BP on a joint venture with Bridas and CNOOC to form Pan American Energy Group. He is also leading the firmâs advice to various Argentine and Chilean clients in connection with several natural gas cross-border transactions; notably, these represent the first energy transactions between Chile and Argentina since 2010. On the contentious side, MacĂas represented gas distribution utility Litoral Gas in disputes concerning long-term gas supply contracts. Corporate finance partner Ricardo Beller is also a key contact.
Leading individuals

Francisco MacĂas - Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
Latin America: International firms
Local practitioners of note (by country)
Bomchil's MarĂa InĂ©s CorrĂĄÂ focuses on energy and regulatory cases; the team lost Guido Tawil who is now an arbitrator. Rivera & Asociados' managing partner Julio CĂ©sar Rivera is widely recognised as the 'best arbitrator in Argentina', and is 'very reliable on complex civil law issues both as counsel and arbitrator'. At Bruchou, FernĂĄndez Madero & Lombardi, Carlos M. Rotman represented Pan American Energy Group in ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the breach of contract against Transportadora de Gas del Sur; Ignacio J. Minorini Lima is also highly recommended. Ricardo A Ostrower and HĂ©ctor Mairal are names to note at Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal; the latter counts Petrobras, Total Austral, GE and Assurant Argentina CompañĂa de Seguros as his key clients. At Estudio AlegrĂa, Buey FernĂĄndez, Fissore y Montemerlo, founding partner HĂ©ctor AlegrĂa is recommended for acting as counsel in international arbitration proceedings as well as sitting as an arbitrator in commercial disputes. At Abeledo Gottheil Abogados, Luis Erize and HernĂĄn MartĂn Oriolo are particularly well known for energy cases. JosĂ© MartĂnez de Hoz at MartĂnez de Hoz & Rueda is 'rock solid in commercial and investor-state arbitration' and is particularly experienced in energy-related cases; he recently represented YPF in a $1.6bn ICC arbitration initiated by a consortium of natural gas operators.
Further information on Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal
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Argentina
Offices in Buenos Aires
- Banking and finance
- Bankruptcy and restructuring
- Competition and antitrust
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Energy and natural resources : Electricity
- Energy and natural resources : Mining
- Energy and natural resources : Oil and gas
- Environment
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- International trade and customs
- Labour and employment
- Public law
- Real estate
- Tax
- TMT