Firm Profile > Hernández & Cía. Abogados > Lima, Peru

Tax Tier 1

'Consistently ranked among the best in Peru', Hernández & Cía. Abogados has built a successful full-service firm around its market-leading tax practice and the reputation of founding partner Luis Hernández Berenguel. He leads a heavyweight team that is rated for its 'outstanding experience and relations with authorities' and includes three other expert partners: Leonardo López, client partner to Proctor & Gamble; Fernando Nuñez, who is widely respected across the market; and 'Milagros Bustillos, one of the leading tax lawyers in Peru', who has 'further developed the expertise of the firm'. The practice provides both ongoing and punctual tax advice, including handling administrative and judicial proceedings. It also has expertise on double taxation and tax treaties, advising clients including Interbank, Telefónica, Perupetro, Backus y Johnston and Petrex, among others, on their overseas dealings. Recent mandates include providing tax advice to Panamerican Silver Corp on the local aspects of its $1.1bn acquisition of Tahoe Resources (which included international tax treaty considerations); and acting as local tax counsel to Metlife, Allianz, BlackRock and COFIDE on Longitudinal 2 PAMPI Funding's $350m private placement, the first infrastructure securitization in Peru since 2015. A large second line of advisers include senior associates Roxana Terrones and Patricia Tamashiro, who play key roles in many of the practices critical mandates.

Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Hernández & Cía. Abogados has grown strongly over the last 18-months but remains 'highly focused' and 'results orientated', earning the firm a growing market share of Peruvian domestic and international M&A. At the helm is leading individual Juan Luis Hernández, who is 'highly experienced' and 'provides timely, sharp and well-thought out guidance.' Assisted by fellow partners Diego Carrión and mining expert Luis Rodríguez-Mariátegui, Hernández fronts many of the key transactions, such as acting for major Peruvian conglomerate Grupo Gloria on the sale of its majority stake in ammonium nitrate producer Cachimayo, or Graña y Montero on its recent $42.5m capital increase. The department also advises the construction giant on all post-Lavo Jato corporate crisis-related matters - a reflection of the capability the practice has developed in the anti-corruption and compliance space. Also of note is the team's burgeoning private equity practice, where recent matters include acting for The Abraaj Group, as majority shareholder of Cinco Millas, in the latter's transfer of its 100% stake in Loy Sing, owner of a Chinese-Peruvian restaurant chain. Associate Julien Labory-Alicq  joined from Clifford Chance Paris. Since publication, Sandro Cogorno has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2020.

Dispute resolution Tier 2

Hernández & Cía. Abogados fields a 'very experienced team' led by Jorge Luis Zubiate (litigation), Ricardo Luque (arbitration) and Gonzalo del Río  (white-collar crime), and advises a stellar list of clients that includes Procter & Gamble, General Electric, Viettel Peru (Bitel), Interbank and Grana y Montero. The team is currently advising on a very high value ICSID arbitration concerning one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country. Clients highlight to the team's 'ability to negotiate and reach settlements with counterparties in order to avoid costly litigation' and single out Zubiate for praise, noting he is 'very proactive, available and has a lot of experience' and 'excellent not only in litigation but in negotiation'. The practice grew its associate pool to 15 with the hire of four lawyers from rival firms and one junior promotion.

Electricity Tier 2

Hernández & Cía. Abogados advises on all stages of power projects on behalf of major financial institutions, project developers and power companies such as Interbank, Polaris Infastructure and Fenix Power. An extensive caseload includes acting for Empresa Línea Transmisión on amendments to its concession contract for the 220kV Carhuaquero-Cajamarca Norte-Cáclic-Moyobamba transmission line project, and representing Consorcio Transmantaro (CTM) in arbitration concerning the 500kV Mantaro-Marcona-Socabaya-Montalvo transmission line, at 900km, Peru's longest. The small but expert team is 'accessible' with 'quick response times' and comprises practice head Brendan Oviedo, who is well-known is the sector, experienced senior associate Evelyn Lopez and the more junior Daniela Falcone.

Environment Tier 2

At Hernández & Cía. Abogados, last year's partner-level lateral hires  have bedded-in well: the quality of work and results achieved by Luis Felipe Huertas del Pino and Miyanou Dufour 'differentiates the firm', comment clients who note they are very hands-on and 'focused at all times to develop and improve the capabilities of the team'. Alongside the experience of Luis Rodríguez-Mariátegui and with criminal law input from Gonzalo del Río , it is a formidable team. The practice is advising Proctor & Gamble Perú on the environmental impact of its manufacturing plant, including sanctioning proceedings for alleged hazardous waste infringements. Reflecting the firm's strength in the mining sector, it also acts for Rio Tinto Minera Perú, Gold Fields La Cima and Compañía Minera Antapaccay among others. At associate level, Lorena Tanji is praised by clients and the practice also welcomed fisheries and environmental law expert Jennifer Vilches May 2019 arrival, following completion of her LLM in environmental law

Mining Tier 2

Hernández & Cía. Abogados fields a 'large legal team across all disciplines with good commercial reality'. In the extractive sector, lead partners Luis Rodríguez-Mariátegui ('a market standout'), Luis Felipe Huertas del Pino and Miyanou Dufour combine their mining law expertise with that of environmental and land law, a valuable combination that has resulted in a notable increase in instructions despite a sluggish market. Described as 'empathetic, quick to understand and grasp difficulties, and equally quick and willing to resolve them', the team -led by Rodríguez-Mariátegui- acted as local counsel to Pan American Silver Corp on its $1.3bn acquisition of all the outstanding shares of Tahoe Resources. It also provides ongoing representation to Rio Tinto Minera Perú Limitada concerning its La Granja project, including advice on the compliance process of pending social commitments towards communities in the project area. Other clients include Glencore subsidiary Compañia Minera Antapaccay, Karmin Exploration and Hudbay Perú.

Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

Hernández & Cía. Abogados advises some key players, including government ministries and agencies, financiers and concessionaires, across a range of sectors. Key partner José Manuel Abastos is currently acting for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), as adviser to government investment promotion agency Proinversion, on the design, construction and operation of the $900m Headworks and Conduction of Drinking Water Supply in Lima. Abastos also teamed up with Alfredo Filomeno to assist the institutional investors -including BlackRock Real Assets- with the $350m refinancing for the Longitudinal de la Sierra Tramo 2 highway project. Brendan Oviedo is widely-known for his electricity expertise and project finance in general, and Ricardo Luque is very experienced. Since publication, Gracy Zapata has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2020.

Banking and finance Tier 3

Hernández & Cía. Abogados is the go-to firm for several leading New York and London law firms requiring Peruvian counsel, drawn by the 'great expertise' of the five-partner team led by leading individual Juan Luis Hernández and José Manuel Abastos. It worked alongside White & Case LLP in advising maritime operator Trabajos Marítimos on its $300m international private placement, as well as on a $182m inter-company loan in favour of subsidiary Terminal Internacional del Sur; both deals were led by Diego Carrión and Ricardo Luque. On the lender side, Abastos and Alfredo Filomeno provided local advice to Allianz, Blackrock, COFIDE and MetLife on a $300m private placement in the Peruvian transport infrastructure market, a first-of-it's-kind deal in the sector. Since publication, José Goyburu has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2020. Other clients include Interbank, Banco de Crédito del Perú, Santander, Graña y Montero and ABInBev Group.

Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 3

Litigator Jorge Luis Zubiate  heads the team at Hernández & Cía. Abogados, which advises on all types of debt refinancing, liquidation matters and bankruptcy procedures, acting for both creditors and debtors from the public and private sectors. The firm continues to act as local counsel to Chubb Seguros Perú concerning a $52m debt owed by Graña y Montero, with repayment involving the release of multijurisdictional securities; and to advise Doe Run Peru on its corporate reorganisation, part of its high-profile liquidation process. Interbank and Seaboard Marine are also clients of the practice, which benefits from the input of banking and finance partners Juan Luis Hernández and Diego Carrión.

Competition and antitrust Tier 3

At Hernández & Cía. Abogados ,  clients praise the 'holistic solutions' and 'broad vision' provided by the team. Competition and intellectual property specialist Enrique Cavero Safra leads the team and is praised for his 'deep knowledge' and commercial awareness. With strengths in consumer protection and trade barriers, the firm provides day-to-day advice to an impressive array of clients such as Viettel Peru - Bitel, Scotiabank and Procter & Gamble.

Labour and employment Tier 3

Hernández & Cía. Abogados has significant labour law capability to support the firm's full-service offering and expanding client base. Practice head Michael Vidal is 'always available and co-ordinates his team well'; the practice group, in turn, is described as 'very helpful' and 'quick'. It advises across the whole remit of labour issues for an array of international and domestic clients that include Michael Page International, which the firm is currently assisting with a variety of litigious matters, and food and beverage company Aje Group, which it is representing in collective bargaining concerning employment benefits - negotiations that are likey to set a benchmark for the sector.

Intellectual property Tier 4

Hernández & Cía. Abogados' Enrique Cavero Safra has considerable IP expertise and combines his practice with competition and TMT law. A diverse caseload includes advising high-profile clients such as mobile phone company Bitel, Proctor & Gamble and AB InBev, on their respective trade mark and copyright portfolios and data compliance, among other matters. Litigious work includes acting for sweet manufacturer Haribo in a variety of enforcement cases.

Real estate Tier 4

Hernández & Cía. Abogados acts for developers, international investors, investment funds, lenders and domestic companies, among others, on a range of issues in both the urban and rural segments. Luis Felipe Huertas del Pino and Miyanou Dufour are both experienced professionals, with cross-over expertise in mining and environmental law. The team recently advised Credicorp Capital Servicios Financieros and Banco de Credito del Peru on a $75m financing to real estate companies Inmobiliaria Alquife, Alquife del Sur and Inversiones Aleste for the leasing of extensive warehouse space.