The large corporate and M&A practice at Ferrere is composed of ten partners, three counsels and 59 associates, whose wide range of specialisations allows ‘a comprehensive approach to each case’. The team is lauded for its ‘high degree of expertise’ in major M&A transactions. It counsels both buyers and sellers in acquisitions and offers corporate guidance to multinationals in the tech, construction and finance sectors. Martín Cerruti heads the team and assists foreign multinationals with major M&A deals. Geraldine Ifrán is ‘highly respected in the market’ and focuses her practice on insurance matters – she is singled out by clients for her ‘solid knowledge and attention to detail’. Santiago Fontana is noted for his experience in agribusiness matters and foreign investment projects, while at associate level, environmental practice leader Cristina Vignone provides corporate guidance. Associate Carolina Piacenza has specific expertise in complex company law and corporate governance and restructuring, and senior associate Clara Porro is signalled for her ‘knowledge and customer service’. Former senior associate Alejandra García left the firm, effective September 2022.

The ‘diverse, attentive and efficient’ corporate team at Guyer & Regules continues to participate in major M&A deals, acting on behalf of corporations from a huge range of sectors, among them energy, finance, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and pharmaceuticals. A number of clients signal the team members’ depth of knowledge as a decisive advantage. Senior partner and practice co-head Nicolás Piaggio advises multinationals on their operations in Uruguay, and alongside him, Álvaro Tarabal specialises in corporate, M&A, foreign investment projects and capital markets. Corina Bove has more than two decades of corporate and M&A experience and is praised as being ‘always available and well-informed’. Javier Berdaguer regularly advises start-ups and entrepreneurs on corporate matters.

The practice group at Dentons Jiménez de Aréchaga is regularly instructed by clients from the agribusiness, tech, finance and food and drink sectors for its counsel on M&A transactions, regulatory matters and corporate governance. Founding partner Virginia Brause co-heads the team and advises the practice’s major international clients, including PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Credit Agricole; leading alongside her, Nicolás Herrera Alonso assists local and multinationals companies with financial, banking and corporate operations. Fernando Jiménez de Aréchaga‘s expertise lies in advising buyers and sellers on M&A transactions in the infrastructure and renewables sectors. At senior associate level, Mariana Lartigau leads due diligence for M&A transactions and project finance, and Alfredo Arocena specialises in project financing, agribusiness, and energy. Jimena González supports on a host of corporate governance matters.

The team at Hughes & Hughes is roundly praised for its ‘precision’ and ‘thorough preparation on every case’. In addition to providing day-to-day corporate guidance, it advises multinationals on M&A across a multitude of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, healthcare and retail, however, it excels most notably in the energy and environmental arenas. Practice co-head Haroldo Espalter has accumulated substantial experience in advising companies on the development of commercial, industrial and services activities in Uruguay. Héctor Ferreira leads in conjunction and demonstrates ‘high engagement with clients and a results-driven approach’ on tailoring corporate structures and M&A transactions. Completing the leadership team, Juan Orregia Carrau contributes expertise on forestry and energy-related transactions. Mariana Estradé works on energy, projects and environmental law and M&A transactions, while Florencia Beyhaut‘s corporate practice is focused on foreign investment in real estate, agribusiness and forestry. Associate Clara Villaamil has a ‘great knowledge of the law’ and offers ‘practical solutions to problems’.

Posadas houses a strong practice that specialises in local and cross-border M&A transactions, joint ventures and corporate governance matters. The sizable team is praised as ‘committed, proactive and efficient’, as well as ‘knowledgeable and hard working’. Investment funds and corporations from the agribusiness, forestry, automotive, construction and tech sectors are mainstays on its client roster. Recent additions of major new clients have come in the energy and food and drink sectors. A trio of partners lead the group: Fernando de Posadas has significant M&A experience; Tomas Gurméndez assists corporations with cross-border M&A transactions and corporate governance matters; and tax and real estate expert Eduardo Ferrari completes the leadership team. Martina Reyes is noted for her expertise in M&A, banking and foreign investment matters. Tomás Guerrero adds M&A and commercial agreements experience, and the 'technically gifted' Gerardo Caffera and Lucía Carbajal, and 'great negotiator' Andrés Aznárez, are additional key contacts.

The practice at Bergstein Abogados acts on M&A transactions and provides a broad range of multinationals with day-to-day corporate support. Guillermo Duarte is a particular reference for mergers, acquisitions and investment-related matters. Jonás Bergstein is a further key partner, focusing his practice on international corporate transactions and tax work.

The ‘solid, efficient and proactive’ team at Castellan Abogados is well-versed in handling corporate governance issues and the local incorporation of foreign entities, negotiating commercial agreements, and advising on M&A. Clients operate in the real estate, construction, agribusiness, retail and automotive sectors, and appreciate the group’s ‘profound local knowledge’ and ability to ‘effortlessly deal with cross-border matters’. The ‘technically strong’ and ‘pragmatic dealmaker’ Santiago Castellán heads up the group and specialises in M&A, corporate governance and bankruptcy law. Lauded as ‘very talented’ and an ‘efficient communicator’, Maria Lucia Acosta was raised to the partnership in August 2023, becoming head of the disute resolution practice; on the corporate front, she provides key compliance and day-to-day corporate advice to companies. The practice was strengthened in July 2022 with the arrival of public notary María Paula Uhalde García, formerly at Ferrere.

Olivera Abogados‘s corporate and M&A team acts on the gamut of corporate matters, from restructurings and shareholder agreements to M&A and public offerings. It has particular niche strengths in distressed opportunities in the domestic market; issues in the country’s nascent antitrust landscape; and corporate restructuring, for which founding partner Ricardo Olivera García helped draft domestic legislation. Juan Martín Olivera is another main contact. Juan Mailhos was promoted to the partnership in January 2023, while partner Andrés Hessdörfer left the firm in March the same year.

The corporate team at Andersen Tax & Legal Uruguay handles the acquisition of local companies by multinationals, the setup of local companies to develop real estate and infrastructure projects and the structuring of local investment trusts, as well as advising on general corporate governance matters. Five practitioners lead the department: Juan Federico Fischer deals with acquisitions of domestic companies; Ana Inés Alfaro specialises in civil litigation and arbitration; Juan Ignacio Troccoli advises on cross-border transactions and international tax structures; Cecilia Ricciardi assists on acquisitions and advises foreign clients on investing in Uruguay; and senior associate Gonzalo Trapp provides counsel on day-to-day corporate matters, shareholder negotiations and investment projects.

The practice at Bragard Abogados provides corporate due diligence and counsel on M&A to multinationals operating across the southern cone and beyond. Corporations that specialise in hydrocarbons, logistics and finance are mainstays on its client list. Agustina Bomio co-leads the team and focuses on corporate and tax-related cross-border matters, while managing partner Jean Jacques Bragard specialises in finance, corporate and capital markets law. Associates Guillermo Lorbeer and Alberto Frigerio joined the practice in April and October 2022, respectively, and Francisco Rodríguez departed in July 2022. Since publication -and in the context of the firm' ongoing growth- the team's capabilities have been strengthened further with the hire of restructuring specialist and former Dentons Jiménez de Aréchaga senior associate, Juan Andrés Urgoiti - effective as of December 2023.

Brum Costa Abogados‘s corporate team specialises in advising on public purchases, M&A and compliance, and also provides corporate governance counsel to banks and stock exchanges. It is often instructed by companies in the automotive, pharmaceutical and hydrocarbons sectors. Leonardo Costa co-leads and maintains the group’s relationship with clients in the financial sector. Associate Paula Porteiro also coordinates the department and is concerned with matters of corporate structuring and administration. Oscar Brum completes the leadership trio.