CMS Rodríguez-Azuero > Bogota, Colombia > Firm Profile

CMS Rodríguez-Azuero > Firm Profile

Ranked as a Top 10 Global Law Firm, CMS is a future facing full-service law firm with more than 70 offices in more than 40 countries and 5,000+ lawyers worldwide that combines deep local market understanding with a global overview. CMS has a strong presence in Latin America, with offices in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. We are one of the few law firms present in all Pacific Alliance countries.

CMS Rodríguez-Azuero in Colombia is built on deep local roots with more than 40 years of experience providing specialised legal advice with high management skills and a strategic approach to local and multinational clients.

The firm offers a unique combination of deep knowledge, practice and expertise in almost all areas of law including: banking and finance, commercial, antitrust, competition and trade, corporate/M&A, employment and pensions, environmental law, dispute resolution, public procurement, real estate, tax, compliance, corporate criminal law, intellectual property, technology, media and communications, life sciences and healthcare, insolvency, restructuring and liquidation, customs law and trade, consumer products, funds, hotels and leisure, infrastructure and projects, insurance, private equity, energy and climate change.

Lawyer Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Felipe Andrade	Partner	View Profile
	Santiago Arbouin	Partner	View Profile
	Adriana Escobar	Partner	View Profile
	Karl Mutter	Partner	View Profile
	Daniel Rodríguez	Partner	View Profile
	Juan Camilo Rodríguez	Managing Partner	View Profile
	Sergio Rodríguez-Azuero	Founding Partner	View Profile
	Henry Sanabria	Partner	View Profile
	Jacques Simhon	Partner	View Profile
	Daniela Vergel	Partner	View Profile
	Lorenzo Villegas-Carrasquilla	Partner	View Profile
	Álvaro Yáñez	Álvaro is a Partner of the firm and co-leads the Energy &…	View Profile
	Álvaro Josué Yáñez	Partner	View Profile
	Álvaro Josué Yáñez	Partner	View Profile

Press Releases

CMS ADVISES ROOJAI ON ITS US$42 MILLION SERIES B FUNDRAISING

CMS ADVISES BITDEFENDER ON ITS ACQUISITION OF HORANGI CYBER SECURITY

Legal Developments

Expanding the scope of digital oath taking in Singapore

Roadmap to Terminate the SGD Cheque Truncation System Eliminating Corporate Cheques by 2025 (MAS’ response to feedback received)

1. As part of its Smart Nation Vision, Singapore aims to transition into an innovative e-payments society where everyone has easy access to swift, simple and secure payments. To facilitate this transition, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”) consulted[1] financial institutions, members of industry associations, government agencies and members of the public on proposed initiatives to:

• eliminate centrally cleared cheques issued by corporates (“corporate cheques”) by 2025; and
• assist and encourage remaining users of centrally cleared cheques (including individuals) that are able to switch to alternative payment methods to do so.

• Respondents noted that cheques are commonly used in property-related transactions. For example, cheques are often used for the payment of stamp duties to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, and flat purchases from the Housing Development Board. To this end, MAS highlighted that the Electronic Deferred Payment (“EDP”) solution, which will be launched by 2025, can serve as a cheque alternative for property transactions. More information on the EDP solution can be in Annex B of MAS’ response[3]. The Singapore Land Authority is also developing a Digital Conveyancing Portal (“DCP”) that seeks to digitalise the existing manual and paper-based conveyancing process, thereby eliminating cheques from the process as well. The DCP is targeted for full commissioning in 2026.
• As for the legal sector, respondents noted that while the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules has been amended to allow for the use of e-payments in respect of payment of monies out of client accounts, the requirement for such e-payments to be made with the authorisation of two solicitors using biometric authentication made it operationally and technically difficult. In response, MAS highlighted that the Law Society of Singapore has completed its review of the challenges relating to the use of e-payments for the payment of monies out of client accounts and has published a revised Practice Direction 3.3.11 for its members. The revised Practice Direction 3.3.11, which came into operation on 23 May 2023, clarifies the technical requirements for digital payments from client accounts.

• All Domestic Systematically Important Banks (D-SIBs)[4] in Singapore will impose charges on SGD-denominated cheques by 1 November 2023, while the rest of the banks will do so by 1 July 2024. This will encourage payment users to switch to cheaper and more convenient alternative payment methods, where available. The financial industry will not adopt a baseline rate to be charged in view of anti-competition rules.
• There are also plans to implement charges for USD-denominated cheques for both corporate and retail users. Timelines for this and related initiatives will be set out in MAS’ second public consultation.

Legal Briefings

• Doing business in the UAE

  CMS’s John O’Connor and Harkee Wilson discuss the challenges and issues businesses face operating in the UAE and investigate some of the recent changes in the business environment.

Comparative Guides