Juan Carlos Escudero > CMS Grau > Lima, Peru > Lawyer Profile

CMS Grau has a long trajectory in mining matters but is currently rebuilding its capabilities following departures during the course of 2023. Despite this, the team advises a broad range of clients across the mining industry on a range of complex regulatory and transactional matters while also handling administrative disputes with entities such as OSINERGMIN, OEFA, and ANA. The team is jointly led by senior partner Miguel Grau, who has an unparalleled trajectory in the sector; managing partner Juan Carlos Escudero, an expert in M&A transactions, and María Cristina Alva, a January-2024 hire (formerly in-house at Hochschild) who brings additional expertise in corporate, mining and environmental law. The team also includes environmental practice head Vito Verna and administrative law specialist Ramon Huapaya; both have been particularly active of late. Huapaya and associate Oscar Alejos are the key names for regulatory matters.

With strengths in the real estate, electricity and financial services industries, CMS Grau’s corporate and M&A group advises domestic and global clients on restructuring work, corporate governance matters, and the structuring and negotiation of joint development agreements. The offering is co-led by managing partner Juan Carlos Escudero, who focuses on assisting corporate institutions with the structuring of M&A deals, and Miguel Viale, who handles international transactions which involve collateral structures and financing, often in the oil and gas sector. Juan José Hopkins is noted for his work in the fintech and venture capital spaces, and primarily advises start-ups on their seed funding and digital business requirements. Senior associate Cinthia Canepa concentrates on securities and corporate matters, while associate Andrea Paiba handles various project finance deals.

CMS has a broad geographic presence in Latin America with offices in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, along with its association in Brazil, FAS Advogados, in cooperation with CMS. The firm is frequently involved in significant cross-border deals involving Latin America, including both private equity and strategic M&A transactions. Technology, media and communications continue to be key sectors for the firm, along with automotive, hotels and leisure, consumer goods, insurance, financial services, construction and infrastructure, healthcare and life sciences. Ramón Valdivieso and Jorge Allende Destuet are key partners in Chile, and continue to work on headline transactions for major private equity funds such as KKR. Juan Camilo Rodríguez is managing partner of the Bogota office and a specialist in cross-border M&A transactions, having spent much of his career at US and Europe-based firms. Juan Carlos Escudero is managing partner of the Lima office and has over 20 years of experience in M&A, while Giancarlo Schievenini is a key name in Mexico City. Head of the Brazil desk, Ted Rhodes, has returned to London after spending 14 years in the Rio de Janeiro office; he continues to focus on oil and gas, mining and minerals, and offshore and renewables deals.