Marval O'Farrell & Mairal - The Who's Who Legal 100 2012

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

The firm shows great strength in the corporate and finance practice sectors, with many of the lawyers demonstrating their breadth of knowledge with inclusions across several sectors. The past year has seen the firm act on the largest private acquisition involving Argentina, where Marval advised global duty free company Dufry on the acquisition of the leading airport retailer in Argentina, with a deal value of $950 million, in addition to the largest M&A transaction (in terms of value) in Argentina, advising ExxonMobil on the sale and transfer of shares in Southern Cone International Holdings to Bridas Corporation. The capital markets practice group’s work is similarly impressive and highlights include advising AdecoAgro on its $314 million IPO on the New York Stock Exchange(NYSE), the largest Argentine IPO on the NYSE in the last 10 years. The firm’s banking team has advised on high-end real estate financing, international offers of notes and the issuance of trust securities.

The range of expertise possessed by the firm’s leading lawyers is illustrated by Roberto Silva Jr who features in the banking, capital markets, M&A and project finance chapters. Silva is a “leading practitioner” with expertise covering corporate, commercial and banking law. Héctor Mairal performs just as remarkably, with listings in the corporate governance, M&A, oil and gas and public procurement chapters. Mairal specialises in administrative and business law and represents many national and international companies, his practice covers public bids and government contracts in addition to advising on transactions of hydrocarbons. Two further listings in the M&A chapter go to Alfredo O’Farrell who also features in the competition and corporate governance chapters, and Ricardo Walter Beller who is also recommended for his capital markets expertise. O’Farrell is “excellent” on all corporate matters and antitrust matters, while Beller is a “renowned” expert.

Santiago Carregal also appears in the banking and capital markets chapters in addition to project finance. He has represented companies and investment banks in more than 180 transactions including public offerings, private placements, tender and exchange offers, project financings and mortgage securitisation.

The firm is also receives listings in the oil and gas and mining sectors: Francisco Macías and Pablo Artagaveytia feature alongside Mairal. Macías is a “pre-eminent” lawyer in the field of natural resources and energy focusing on both local and international oil and gas transactions and infrastructure advising on regulatory matters and contracts. The firm recently hired Luis Lucero, a “renowned” mining expert with over 17 years’ experience in the field. Lucero also appears in the project finance and public procurement chapters and is “world class”.

In the field of intellectual property the firm boasts an international reputation. Miguel O’Farrell also features prominently in our research with listings in the patents and trademarks chapters, as well as in mediation. Martín Bensadon is listed in the patents chapter and is “highly talented” while Iris Quadrio is revered for her trademarks expertise and her clients include both national and foreign companies.

The firm is a “hub of talent” in Argentina, home to some of the most talented lawyers in the region. The depth of expertise displayed in our research demonstrates why Marval is consistently ranked as our leading firm in Argentina.

Marval O'Farrell & Mairal - Professional Notice

Main Areas of Practice:

Banking & Finance: Secured and unsecured credit facilities, sovereign and sub-sovereign credit, trade finance, leasing transactions, vendor and leveraged lease financings, structured finance, project finance, government guaranteed securities, buyouts, acquisition finance, bank and commercial debtor restructurings, real property financing, and bank regulatory matters. Contact: Santiago Carregal/Roberto E Silva Jr (e-mail: sc@marval.com.ar/res@marval.com.ar).

Capital Markets: Structured receivable financing, money market preferred stock issues, asset purchase and sale programmes, commercial programmes, debt and equity securities offerings, securitisations, derivatives, synthetic products, risk reduction techniques and hedging agreements, debt and equity transactions, financial trusts, open and closed end mutual funds, and capital markets regulations. Contact: Santiago Carregal/Roberto E Silva Jr (e-mail: sc@marval.com.ar/res@marval.com.ar).

Commercial & Competition: International trade law, commercial agreements (including distribution and supply agreements), sale, purchase and leasing agreements, antitrust and unfair competition issues, product liability and consumer-related matters. Contact: Alfredo M O’Farrell/Miguel del Pino (e-mail: amof@marval.com.ar/mp@marval.com.ar).

Corporate/M&A: Inbound and outbound investment, including private equity transactions, M&A, due diligence audits, planning and joint ventures, shareholder agreements, restructurings and spin-offs. Contact: Alfredo M O’Farrell/Pablo D Viñals Blake (e-mail: amof@marval.com.ar/pdvb@marval.com.ar).

Employment: Construction, manufacturing, energy, finance, retail distribution, employee stock options and benefit plans, and labour-related litigation and dispute resolution. Contact: Javier E Patrón/Enrique M Stile (e-mail: jep@marval.com.ar/ems@marval.com.ar).

Energy & Natural Resources: Development and financing of projects, acquisition of mining companies and all mining-related matters including exploration permits and title rights, the exploration, production, transportation, distribution, trading and marketing of hydrocarbons, contracts, environmental and regulatory issues and the development and operation of pipelines, gas treatment facilities, and power plants and other power projects. Contact: Francisco A Macías/Luis E Lucero (e-mail: fam@marval.com.ar/lel@marval.com.ar).

Environment: Litigation, administrative and regulatory matters and contracts, environmental audits and assessments and the evaluation of environmental liabilities and remediation programmes, M&A and real estate transactions. Contact: Francisco A Macías (e-mail: fam@marval.com.ar).

Insurance & Reinsurance: The incorporation and acquisition of local insurers, drafting and adaptation of insurance plans and policies to Argentine law, the registration of foreign reinsurers and reinsurance brokers, and advice to brokers on litigation and ADR. Contact: Pablo S Cereijido/Leandro M Castelli (e-mail: psc@marval.com.ar/lmc@marval.com.ar).

Intellectual Property: IP protection and management, transfer of technology and licence agreements, and international franchising agreements and licensing and registration of software, the protection of patents, utility models and ornamental design rights, trademark matters and worldwide trademark protection. Contact: Iris V Quadrio/Sergio M Ellmann (e-mail: ivq@marval.com.ar/sme@marval.com.ar).

Litigation & Arbitration: Civil and commercial litigation, administrative proceedings, arbitration and ADR, enforcement of foreign judgments and awards in Argentina, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights (including recovery of debts), and participation in international arbitration as arbitrators, counsel or expert witnesses. Contact: Alberto D Q Molinario/Ricardo A Ostrower (e-mail: adqm@marval.com.ar/rao@marval.com.ar).

Public/Administrative Law: All administrative law and regulatory matters, including administrative litigation. Contact: Héctor A Mairal/María Lorena Schiariti (e-mail: ham@marval.com.ar/mls@marval.com.ar).

Real Estate: Sale, purchase and leasing agreements, structuring, financing and development. Contact: Hernán Slemenson/Santiago Carregal (e-mail: hs@marval.com.ar/sc@marval.com.ar).

Tax & Customs: Tax-efficient structures for domestic and international transactions, strategic tax planning and innovative tax-driven products, customs and dumping claims. Contact: Horacio García Prieto/Gabriel Gotlib/Walter Keiniger (e-mail: hgp@marval.com.ar/gg@marval.com.ar/wk@marval.com.ar).

Telecommunications & Broadcasting: Regulatory and corporate matters, M&A and financing. Contact: Alberto J Rivera (e-mail: ajr@marval.com.ar).