Holland & Knight Expands in Colombia with Acquisition of 28-Lawyer Boutique Firm

Holland & Knight Expands in Colombia with Acquisition of 28-Lawyer Boutique Firm

Holland & Knight, a multinational law firm headquartered in the United States, has expanded its team in Bogotá, Colombia by welcoming 28 lawyers from the renowned local business law boutique, Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez (CCG).

With their addition, Holland & Knight has significantly strengthened its presence in Colombia, positioning itself as one of the largest international law firms operating in the country. This expansion marks substantial growth for the firm's Bogotá team, which now comprises a total of 70 lawyers.

Under the leadership of Gustavo Cuberos Gómez, the managing partner of CCG, the group joining Holland & Knight encompasses the entire team of lawyers from the boutique firm. The group consists of seven partners, two senior counsels, and 19 associates. In addition to the legal professionals, the move also includes four law clerks and several administrative staff, as stated by Holland & Knight.

According to the firm, the inclusion of this group will enhance Holland & Knight's current portfolio of corporate, litigation, arbitration, labour, tax, infrastructure projects, and real estate practices in Colombia.

Moreover, it will enable Holland & Knight to introduce new capabilities, such as expertise in insolvency and government procurement. This expansion broadens the range of services and strengthens the firm's overall capabilities in the Colombian market.

Enrique Gómez-Pinzón, executive partner of Holland & Knight in Bogotá, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the addition of talent and experience from CCG. He emphasised that this infusion of expertise would bolster the firm's practice areas and create significant opportunities for Holland & Knight, both within Colombia and in broader contexts.

“CCG’s focus on local clients complements our strategy of servicing international clients to the benefit of both groups. We are especially excited to introduce a new insolvency practice through Gustavo Cuberos and sophisticated arbitration, litigation, public law and governmental services offered by José Gutiérrez and Edwin Cortés.” Enrique Gómez-Pinzón said.

Holland & Knight's Bogotá team, which serves notable clients such as Lenovo, Inter-American Development Bank, and Banco Santander, operates within a robust Latin-American group comprising over 200 lawyers. This dynamic team specialises in a wide range of practice areas, including cross-border M&A, joint ventures, private equity, financing transactions, and business disputes.

Cuberos Gómez expressed that joining Holland & Knight's international network would yield benefits not only for their clients but also for the professional development and growth of their lawyers and staff. The collaboration with Holland & Knight is expected to have a positive impact on all parties involved.

“Holland & Knight is committed to becoming the ‘go-to’ firm for local companies seeking to expand their businesses in the US, and its investment in Colombia’s business ecosystem is impressive. We look forward to helping the firm turn its vision into reality by providing legal services to legacy CCG clients and the many domestic and international clients of the firm’s Bogotá office,” Cuberos Gómez stated.

Holland & Knight's expansion continues as they strengthen their team in Bogotá with the recent addition of new hires. This comes after the firm recently expanded its presence in Mexico by incorporating 17 lawyers from the local firm Sánchez DeVanny. Furthermore, Holland & Knight bolstered its capital markets capabilities in 2022 by welcoming a team of six professionals from DLA Piper. These strategic moves underline the firm's commitment to growth and expanding its expertise in key markets.