Editor Message

Despite an economic and political environment that has undercurrents of turmoil and uncertainty, including recent recessions and scandal at the presidential level, Argentina remains one of Latin America’s most prosperous and business-friendly economies. A strong industrial base accompanied by rich natural resources and a well-performing labour force has enabled Argentina to become an increasingly global economic powerhouse.

Serving as calming and steering influences amid this background, the in-house lawyer in Argentina has a crucial role to play in the success of businesses and the wider economy. As the country becomes increasingly more attractive to international investors, Argentinian in-house counsel must be well-versed not only in domestic law, but also in the processes of international businesses and regulators.

Encapsulating the move away from the notion of simply being “lawyers” to being considered true business partners, Argentinian in-house counsel are diversifying their responsibilities in several ways. These span a wide variety of business and leadership efforts, in addition to other important functions like compliance and human resources. Such evolution prepares businesses to operate in the most legally compliant and ethical way possible, and advances the interests of not only their company but the Argentinian economy as whole.

The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Argentina has been compiled to help celebrate these achievements, highlighting the premier general counsel and in-house lawyers meeting the high standards for inclusion across a range of criteria. Over several months our experienced researchers consulted both law firm partners and in-house counsel to ascertain those corporate counsel who have provided the most outstanding support and innovative methods of working in the country.

The most important sectors in the Argentinean economy – agriculture, financial services, materials and mining and telecommunications – are all well represented in the final list, but there are general counsel in the list that have provided outstanding and innovative support regardless of their sector.

I would like to express my personal thanks to Baker McKenzie, our sponsor firm for this publication.

A special mention must also be made for the in-house lawyers that took their time to speak to us throughout the process, and for the research team that worked on this GC Powerlist publication, Jamie Rayat and Boris Dechev.

David Burgess
Publishing Director
The Legal 500 Series

Sponsor Message

Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie is proud to be part of the first edition of the GC Powerlist Argentina. We congratulate everyone on this distinguished list for very well deserved recognition.

These are interesting times for the legal profession in Argentina with many potential changes of our legal framework. These proposed revisions highlight the important role that general counsel play, now more than ever, in our country. In our daily work with clients, we can see the challenges in-house legal teams face and we take pride in being able to work together to provide timely advice on the most complex matters.

The business climate in Argentina creates different challenges. After the first year of a new government, we are confident of more stability in the long term. However, we cannot rely solely on the government to promote that stability, we also need to create a genuine consensus across the political and social spectrum to go in a certain direction. We have to work together to build a more predictable and stable future for all.

We now live in a more business-friendly environment in Argentina, but it is still essential that foreign and domestic investors understand the current economic, institutional and social landscape. This market has a great deal to offer in order to attract investment into our country, and there are plenty of opportunities for companies to expand their businesses.

With over 30 years of experience in the Argentine market, Baker McKenzie is one of the most reputable law firms in the country, bringing deep local knowledge. As one of the largest global law firms in the world, we have a broad global perspectivethat allows us to solve complex legal matters for our clients.

Our strategic priorities are:

Growing our client’s business

We seamlessly combine the experience of an established local legal team with the unmatched resources of a global firm. Our advisers work collaboratively to help with all your issues, whether in meeting day-to-day compliance issues or implementing complex projects and transactions.

Strengthening business partnership

As a fully integrated practice, our attorneys specialize in different areas of law, which allow us to have a clear understanding of our client’s issues and implications. We choose the best and most cost-effective approach for our clients. Our work method is pragmatic, actively embracing any business situation and ensuring that our advice includes both commercial and legal solutions.

Managing key issues

We approach the client-attorney relationship as a business partnership, and we endeavor to truly understand our client needs. Our promise is to offer a tailored approach not only to protect our clients’ legal interests but also add commercial value to their transactions. We have designated partners, fully supported by specialist groups, who assume the responsibility of managing all matters.

Corporate social responsibility

Helping the communities in which we operate is an integral part of our work. We leverage our Talent, geographic reach, and resources to make a positive and lasting impact on many of today’s social and economic challenges. Through our Corporate Social Responsibility program we inspire our colleagues to make a difference, and collaborate with clients who share the same commitment to social justice.

Best wishes to everyone named in this publication, we look forward to working together with you in 2017 and beyond.