A powerhouse in public law, boutique firm Arrieta Mantilla & Asociados punches above its weight in this area due to its ‘deep market knowledge, and ability to offer innovative and customised solutions’. Routinely acting for a mix of domestic and multinational private- and public-sector clients, the team is equipped to support on the full range of matters, from public contracts and procurement through to administrative and constitutional law litigation. As one of the foremost specialists in the market, senior partner and practice co-head Carlos Gustavo Arrieta is sought after for complex contentious matters, including arbitral, judicial, and administrative disputes. The department is additionally co-led by Yady Villaquirán, who is recommended for her ’extensive experience, and legal rigour’. In a key highlight, Arrieta and Villaquirán recently paired up to represent Mapfre Seguros Generales de Colombia in legal proceedings against the Contraloría General de la República connected to Bioenergy’s alleged loss of public assets — Mapfre is the insurer of the directors and administrators of Bioenergy deemed fiscally liable for the loss. At associate level, the group further draws on senior Nicolás Castro Espinel, who joined in September 2024 from Expósito Abogados SAS. In August 2024, associate Laura Arias left for the in-house team of Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Yady Villaquirán is outstanding for her human qualities, extensive experience, and legal rigour.’
  • ‘The team stands out for its technical knowledge of the topics under analysis. We value lawyers for the quality of their treatment and closeness to the client.’

Key clients

  • Mapfre Seguros Generales de Colombia Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN) Construcciones El Cóndor Enterritorio Empresa Colombiana de Productos Veterinarios (Vecol) SOP Consortium Partido Política Creemos Scientific Games International Colgas ICO Medios

Work highlights

Represented Mapfre Seguros Generales de Colombia in legal proceedings against the Contraloría General de la República in relation to two rulings of fiscal liability, with penalties totalling $253.6m.

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Yady Villaquirán
Yady Villaquirán
Practice head

Carlos Gustavo Arrieta; Yady Villaquirán