Most Highly Regarded Firms: Argentina 2008 - Corporate Governance
This chapter picks out lawyers who are especially well regarded for their expertise in corporate governance advisory work, including advising directors and company officers on compliance with statutory requirements, stock exchange rules and codes of conduct in the administration of company affairs.
While few lawyers specialise exclusively in this field - nearly all the individuals in this chapter also appear elsewhere in the publication, particularly in the M&A section - the practitioners listed here have proven track records in providing this advice, and will also counsel clients on issues arising in operations and transactions.
As one might expect, the largest firm in Argentina has the largest presence in this chapter. Marval O'Farrell & Mairal is known as a "pre-eminent corporate firm", and its lawyers are skilled in due diligence audits, shareholders' agreements, compliance work and gaining government approval. Four partners appear in this chapter. Héctor Mairal is "the dean of Argentine corporate law", fêted across a range of disciplines and recommended by interviewees from around the globe. Alongside him, Osvaldo Norte Sabino "stands out". Described as "hugely knowledgeable", he is a head professor in the Masters in business law programme at the Catholic University of Argentina, and also teaches several postgraduate courses in corporate law at that university. Alfredo O'Farrell is another "pillar of the community" who "knows corporate law as well as anyone". He was commended for his shareholder dispute work, and for his counsel to both international and domestic clients. Juan Cambiaso completes the quartet. He was picked out for his banking and financial expertise, as well as for his corporate and foreign investment knowledge.
Several other lawyers were commended for their experience and sound counsel. Alfredo Rovira at Brons & Salas is a professor of commercial law at the University of Buenos Aires, and a "quite outstanding individual".
Jorge Pérez Alati of Pérez Alati Grondona Benites Arntsen & Martinez de Hoz (Jr) is another "leading light", and was also highly recommended in the banking and M&A research, while the "first-class" Roberto Silva of Hope Duggan & Silva is another individual to appear in our lists for both M&A and corporate governance lawyers.
At Estudio Beccar Varela, Damián Beccar Varela is well known for his "concise, practical and effective advice to companies", while Saul Zang of Estudio Zang, Bergel & Viñes is another "big name" in this field. Adviser to the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange and member of the legal committee of the Argentine Chamber of Corporations, he also sits on the boards of domestic and international listed companies.
Máximo Luis Bomchil of M & M Bomchil is "absolutely top notch". Managing partner of the firm, he is a member of the board of directors and audit committees of several Argentine and foreign companies, and has served as professor of several courses at Austral University, the University of Buenos Aires and the Catholic University of Argentina.
Pablo Pinnel of Abeledo Gottheil Abogados SC is recommended for the "outstanding relationships he builds with clients", while Juan Javier Negri of Negri & Teijeiro Abogados was repeatedly recommended as a "first class practitioner".
Cristian Mitrani heads the general corporate practice at Mitrani Caballero Ojam Abogados, and his multinational corporate governance, administrative and regulatory work attracted much praise. At Cabanellas Etchebarne Kelly & Dell'Oro Maini, Julio Kelly is viewed as a "regulatory guru" with a "track record that is tough to beat". He was a member of the Board of Settlement of Lawsuits against the Republic of Argentina and advised the Ministry of Finance in the renegotiation of Argentina's foreign debt, and in the drafting of the Argentine foreign debt-to-equity swap regime.