Firm Profile > Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas > Bogota, Colombia
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas Offices
CRA. 7 NO 71-52
TORRE B, PISO 9
BOGOTÁ
Colombia
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Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas > The Legal 500 Rankings
Banking and finance Tier 2
Recommended for its handling of international transactions, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas' practice is experienced across an array of different industries but has particular expertise in the energy and natural resources-related sectors. ‘Committed and with excellent negotiation skills’, the team acted as counsel to Frontera Energy on obtaining a $100m revolving credit facility letter to be used to provide letters of credit to fund exploration and transportation commitments in Colombia and Peru. Bernardo Cárdenas and Eduardo Cárdenas are both recommended and co-head the eight-strong department, in which energy head Santiago González is also active; he recently led advice to Gran Colombia Gold on a $98m debt financing. Other 2018 work highlights included assisting Bancolombia and Banco Davivienda on a $67m loan agreement with PA Centro Comercial Nuestro Bogotá for the construction of a commercial venue. The ‘increasingly experienced’ Catalina Pinilla - who made partner in July 2018 - and associate Felipe Molano are also key team members. Clients include Société Générale, Opic, Corredores Davivienda and Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC).
Corporate and M&A Tier 2
Backed by a global network, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas has a team of ‘great contributors that put themselves out there’ for the client and ‘quickly’ solve issues. The practice handles the full spectrum of local and cross-border transactions and multi-jurisdictional deals, and has particular expertise in oil, gas and mining matters where the group can call on the participation of Jorge Neher and Santiago González, as well as Bernardo Cárdenas. ‘Good, experienced attorneys’ Eduardo Cárdenas and Mauricio Borrero lead the 33-strong practice group, which recently acted for Asesorías Tyndall in a complex operation in which the company had been selected as a transitory buyer of Distribuidora Andina de Combustibles (DAC) (formerly ExxonMobil de Colombia), as part of the mandatory divestiture imposed by the antitrust authorities on Copec and Terpel’s co-acquisition of ExxonMobil’s operations in Chile, Ecuador and Peru. The team also advised Avicanna as purchaser of majority stakes in two local cannabis companies in what was one of the first transactions in the sector in Colombia involving foreign capital. Catalina Pinilla is also a key member of the team. Other clients include Microsoft, Ford, Alpina and Gran Tierra.
Energy and natural resources Tier 2
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas is best known for M&A activity in the mining and oil-and-gas sectors, including transactions involving multiple jurisdictions. Mining is an area of particular expertise with the practice considerably strengthened as a result of the October 2017 incorporation of a team from Norton Rose Fulbright led by Jorge Neher, who has over 30 years’ experience in the sector. He co-heads the 11-strong team with noted practitioners Bernardo Cárdenas and Santiago González. The practice acts on behalf of both financial institutions and operators in seeking financing for projects. Another key member of the practice, Hernán Rodríguez led the advice to Iamgold regarding an option agreement for the acquisition of various mining assets in Antioquia, as well as acting for the miner in a judicial proceeding before an administrative tribunal that could set a precedent concerning popular consultations in the mining industry. Recent matters include assisting Gran Tierra Energy with the acquisition of a participating interest and operatorship in a contract held by Vetra Exploración & Producción, as well as two farm-in agreements for the acquisition of a participating interest and operatorship in two other contracts held by Vetra E&P. Other matters included assisting Consepetro in the competitive process held in Ecuador for contracts by state oil-and-gas operator Petroamazonas. Other clients include Anglo Gold Ashanti, Royal Road Minerals and Gran Colombia Gold. María Margarita Lorduy joined as director of the environment practice in June 2019.
Projects Tier 2
Advising throughout the entire lifecycle of projects, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas primarily acts on behalf of major international clients, assisting them particularly with governmental procurement matters. With over 25 years’ experience in the area, Ximena Zuleta heads a 12-strong team, in which senior partner Bernardo Cárdenas and energy experts Jorge Neher, Hernán Rodríguez and Santiago González are all active. The practice is currently advising a multinational motor company in a public tender process in Bogotá, as well as representing two construction companies in a dispute with a state entity regarding an infrastructure development project. Other 2018 mandates included advising an investment group interested in the acquisition of the shares of a 4G road project concessionaire.
Tax Tier 2
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas offers ‘rapidity and precision’ and ‘each adviser is a specialist in their field’; as a result, clients feel ‘very supported’. The practice handles the full spectrum of tax work and is particularly reputed for its litigation team. With over 25 years’ experience, the ‘outstanding’ Camilo Cortés heads a five-strong practice group tht also includes experienced figures Carmen Sanabria and Ernesto López. Recent mandates included advising Tyndall Group on the tax structure for the sale of shares to Primax Corporation and the Romero Group. The team also successfully filed a remedy against the penalties imposed by the tax authority due to an inaccuracy in transfer pricing information on behalf of Sociedad de Comercialización Internacional Compras Americas. Other highlights included advising Strabag on the tax due diligence process for the Autopista Río Magdalena infrastructure project. Other clients include Inversiones William Zuca, Avicanna, TV Azteca, Clorox de Colombia and Terrafertil Colombia.
Competition and antitrust Tier 3
Led by Ximena Zuleta, who also leads the office’s dispute resolution department, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas’ practice group handles the full spectrum of competition and antitrust law. The practice welcomed experienced associate Carlos Ignacio Arboleda from Brigard Urrutia in October 2018, but lost senior associate Ana María Ortegón, who departed in April 2019. A healthy caseload saw the team advise Mexichem on the merger control procedure triggered by its $1.5bn acquisition of an 80 percent stake in Israeli irrigation firm Netafim; the firm is also currently acting in a highly significant SIC bid-rigging investigation. Senior partners Eduardo Cárdenas and Bernardo Cárdenas are also active in the field.
Intellectual property Tier 3
‘Vastly experienced’, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas is particularly active in trade mark matters, particularly major portfolios, as well as consumer protection, privacy and patents. Luz Helena Adarve and Juanita Acosta (‘a top data protection attorney’), co-lead the 12-strong practice, which filed an opposition on behalf of Facebook against a third party’s trade mark application for Brainbook in international classes 9, 35, 38 and 41; the parties reached an agreement for the withdrawal of the application. The practice continues to act for Microsoft, processing 65 software-related patent registrations (including 17 new applications) during the course of 2018. Other clients include Ferrari, Avianca, Moet & Chandon, Exxon and Unilever.
Litigation Tier 3
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas has the ability ‘to deal with high-complexity issues with a fast-response service’, with the team getting ‘deeply involved in the cases’ so as to ‘clearly understand the position’ of the clients. Ximena Zuleta, who also heads the competition and antitrust area, leads the seven-strong practice; senior associate Paula Vejarano is also a key practice group member. Additional support comes from highly regarded corporate practice head Eduardo Cárdenas, who is leading the advice to a major multinational regarding a domestic civil lawsuit initiated by a local dealer that claims the existence of a commercial agency relationship and is seeking damages for the alleged undue termination of a distribution agreement. Other highlights included acting for a client against a governmental entity which claims a breach and undue termination of contract. ExxonMobil, Acciona, Morgan Stanley and ZF Group are active clients.
Arbitration Tier 4
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas enters the rankings on the back of recently gained experience in both domestic and international arbitration and excellent client feedback. Practice head Ximena Zuleta successfully represented a construction company in ICC arbitration initiated on the grounds of breach of contract by a contractor hired for the construction of major works. Other highlights included successfully acting in a domestic arbitration which had paralysed a project on the land in dispute; the arbitral tribunal dismissed the claimant's request. Senior associate Paula Vejarano is also recommended.
Labour and employment Tier 4
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas’ team is praised for its knowledge of local legislation and ‘quick, timely responses’. Lorena Arámbula heads the three-strong practice, which is advising a marketing company on labour risks derived from the hiring of personnel through outsourcing entities and independent contractor agreements. 2018 highlights include closing a collective bargaining agreement for a manufacturing company and advising a motor-parts company on the labour implications of a potential acquisition.
TMT Tier 5
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas is principally noted for advising telecoms and IT companies on privacy and cybersecurity matters. The practice, led by Luz Helena Adarve and Juanita Acosta, recently assisted with the implementation of a privacy project for AC Nielsen, Oracle and Ericsson. Other clients include Avantel, Ford Motors and Microsoft.