Multinationals regularly seek out Ferrere‘s dedicated tax department for advice on sophisticated tax structures and representation in sensitive tax litigation. The team has a proven success rate before the Administrative Claims Court and the Supreme Court of Justice, obtaining rulings for clients against the Tax Administration. Working in tandem with the firm’s corporate and banking teams, and its offices across Latin America, the group is active in M&A and finance transactions, often on a cross-border basis. The energy and natural resources sectors are particular areas of expertise, and the team handles the tax aspects of wind farms, oil and gas exploration and forestry projects. Practice head Gianni Gutiérrez is an expert in transfer pricing cases and tax optimisation for significant investment projects, as well as successfully defending clients in disputes initiated by the tax authority. As head of the firm’s private client team, Isabel Laventure is well placed to advise on personal wealth planning. María Laura Caffera, senior associate, leads the team’s customs practice, bringing expertise in foreign trade taxation to the team. Also at the senior associate level, Antonella Caraballo is active in both tax and customs matters for national and international clients.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
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Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Fully fledged tax and tax accounting firm with lots of experience handling cross-border transactions.’
‘Isabel Laventure is a natural leader with full control of all relevant tax and in general legal and business matters. 10+ years sharing projects and professional experience and consistently receiving practical advice, with responses, solutions, alternatives when needed.’
‘Gianni Gutierrez: leads a team of excellence and versatility in all tax areas.’
‘The Ferrere team led by Gianni Gutiérrez is characterised by delivering a quality, close, agile service, understanding the client's needs and always looking for a solution that adds value to the business. You can see a team with great female empowerment!’
‘What stands out the most is the understanding of the client's needs, especially the partner in charge, Gianni Gutiérrez, and the ability to provide concrete solutions that allow decisions to be made, mitigating any risk. We have also asked for support on issues that are beyond the tax scope, and we have received support with the same quality and efficiency.’
‘Extraordinary technical level, Gianni Gutierrez masters his subject and constantly thinks outside the box.’
‘Ferrere's tax team is second to none. There is no firm today in Uruguay that can match Ferrere with knowledge, capabilities, diversity of personnel, professionalism and dedication.'
‘Gianni Gutierrez is without a doubt the best and most qualified professional in the tax area in Uruguay. His experience, his knowledge and the way in which he applies it and advises his clients by providing a legal and tax solution is the best that exists in the country. His kindness, cordiality, his values and his human way of helping clients - in addition to the aforementioned professionalism - make him a person to trust.’
Key clients
- Uber
- Hyatt
- DirecTV
- JPMorgan Chase
- JetSmart
- Archer Daniels Midland
- Hidrovias do Brasil
- IBM
- Pluspetrol
- Colgate Palmolive
Work highlights
- Represented Uber in litigation challenging decrees issued by the Executive Branch that forced the company to pay taxes in Uruguay, and in a case against the Uruguayan Tax Authority for the refund of taxes paid in 2017, decided by the Supreme Court of Justice.
- Acted as local counsel to the Uruguayan subsidiaries of Hidrovias do Brasil in the context of a $91m secondary offer of shares by institutional investors Patria and Temasek.
- Advised Aberdeen on tax structuring for the $234m acquisition of participation in the Circuito 3 toll road concession in Uruguay.
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Practice head
Gianni Gutiérrez