OlarteMoure > Bucaramanga, Colombia > Firm Profile

OlarteMoure > The Legal 500 Rankings

City focus > Cali Tier 1

IP powerhouse OlarteMoure utilises its Cali office — one of the firm’s five national platforms — to service Colombia’s wider Western Region, as well as certain clients within the innovation ecosystem who have no connection to the city. Cali-based clients commend the firm’s commitment to maintaining a local presence in the vicinity, attesting that ‘we can count on it quickly if we need a face-to-face meeting’. Legal manager Isabella Herrera has led the office since its establishment in 2019 and has ten years of experience in advising on unfair competition, antitrust, trade marks and consumer protection matters. Notably, Herrera was recently part of the team that represented Ocensa on obtaining ISO 37001 certification. The local group also draws on several younger lawyers, including associate Daniella Chahin, who is focused on corporate law; and associate Nathalia Nieto, who handles litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

City focus > Medellín Tier 1

OlarteMoure’s Medellín branch has been advising clients for over a decade and its local credentials are evidenced by its activity for some of the region’s leading business entities, including Grupo Nutresa, Grupo Familia and Cementos Argos. That being said, the firm also services its enviable roster of multinational clients from its Medellín base. The sizeable 18-lawyer practice group specialises in intellectual property —in line with the larger national firm’s signature strength— with robust offerings in patents, trade marks and anti-piracy, among other practice areas. The ‘always attentive’ María Clara Múnera heads the Medellín office and handles a mix of trade mark, copyright, corporate affairs, consumer protection and patent-related work. Litigation head Juan Felipe Acosta splits his time between Medellín and Bogotá, which demonstrates the strategic importance of the branch to the wider firm. Additionally, the anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting team is led nationally from Medellín, with department head Camilo Bernal noted for his broad experience in contentious matters. The office also draws on a sizeable second line of associates, as well as various other IP professionals, including engineers.

Colombia > Intellectual property Tier 1

With offices in Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali and Medellín, as well as Bogotá, along with a presence in Tokyo, Japan, IP and competition boutique OlarteMoure offers both genuine national coverage and extensive regional and international capabilities. Noted for its ‘great teamwork’, the practice scores highly with sources for its ability to ‘identify strategies to defend the client’s interests’. The group is primarily recognised for its patents prowess, where it frequently aligns with its top-notch life sciences department to handle a range of patent drafting, portfolio management, and contentious work. The practice also demonstrates great competency advise on trade marks, copyrights, anti-counterfeiting and technology transfer matters, among other areas. Names to note include patents head Carlos Olarte, who is highly regarded for his expertise in the biopharmaceutical and telecom spheres, and trade mark lead Juan Moure. Other experienced partners include patent specialist Alexander Agudelo and litigator Juan Felipe Acosta. The team additionally benefits from emerging expertise of directors María Alejandra Pava and Mónica Guevara, who handle trade marks and patents respectively.

Colombia > Life sciences Tier 1

OlarteMoure’s premier intellectual property offering supplies the firm with a steady stream of complex life sciences-related engagements. Most notably the group provides ongoing advice to global pharmaceutical corporations such as Pfizer, Novartis and Merck & Co on patent portfolio management throughout Latin America. The team’s signature patent offering is supplemented by strong regulatory and technical expertise, where it can lean on a multidisciplinary team of professionals experienced in chemistry, biology and pharmaceutical chemistry, among other specialisms. High-profile patent specialist Carlos Olarte has a strong record in the pharma and life sciences fields. Other key contacts include patent partner Alexander Agudelo, who holds an MA in pharmaceutical sciences.

Colombia > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

OlarteMoure’s competition practice has a strong IP dimension, in line with the firm's signature strength. Predominantly recognised for its activity in competition and consumer law-related disputes, the team also has experience in compliance matters and merger reviews. Seasoned competition and IP expert Juan Guillermo Moure possesses significant regulatory expertise gained during his former role as deputy head of the Office for the Promotion of Competition at the SIC. The team also includes life sciences and telecoms specialist Carlos Olarte and dispute resolution director Juan Felipe Acosta, as well as regulatory associates Santiago Lombana and Camilo Andrade.

Colombia > Compliance and white-collar crime