Most Highly Regarded Firms: Argentina 2008 - Management Labour and Employment
A total of nine individuals from as many firms have been selected for inclusion in this chapter. These practitioners are widely regarded as leaders in the field, representing and advising management on all aspects of labour, employment and industrial relations law. The market is highly regulated and trade unions are extremely influential, with a large percentage of the employment market organised through collective bargaining agreements. This is therefore an area in which law firms have no shortage of clients in need of their expertise in navigating this complex area.
Funes de Rioja & Asociados is Argentina's foremost labour and employment boutique and founding partner Daniel Funes de Rioja is the "leader of the labour and employment bar in Argentina". He is the research's most highly nominated practitioner and president of the Labour Law and Social Security Board of the Buenos Aires Bar Association.
Federico Martín Basile is the partner in charge of the labour and social security department at M & M Bomchil. He received glowing praise from clients for his "solid knowledge of the matter and the understanding of the business and the problems that affect our company". Basile's ability to understand the needs of his clients is no doubt helped by his time in-house (he served in the legal department of Entel - the former state-owned telephone company). Brons & Salas is a firm with a solid corporate reputation. Clients include AT&T Argentina, Bombardier Capital and Citibank. Cesar Gustavo Ferrante is another highly nominated practitioner and heads up the firm's management labour department. Ferrante is a former adviser to the minister of labour and past settlement secretary at the National Ministry of Labour. He was also formerly head of the personnel department of Borgward Argentina SA.
Julio Caballero is a "fine lawyer" who hails from Mitrani Caballero Ojam Abogados. He heads the labour and social security law practice at the firm and, like Basile, has in-house experience as labour law manager of the Techint Group legal department. He is also a former officer of the national labour courts. His practice sees him participating regularly in collective bargaining agreements internationally. Estudio Beccar Varela has a significant number of US clients in its roster, including leading names in banking, telecoms, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and aviation. It is therefore no surprise that the firm's labour department is especially strong. Gaspar Arturo Aguirre is a partner with the firm and a specialist in labour law.
Abeledo Gottheil Abogados SC has a strong reputation with clients in the oil and gas arena and the firm's employment practice is well known for linking energy and employment law expertise when dealing with petroleum union issues. The firm advised on labour law matters regarding mergers of Baxter with Inmuno Argentina and Huyck Argentina with Wangner. Marcelo Gallo was recognised by his peers for his work in the management labour and employment arena. Carlos Andrés Arturo Dodds from Baker & McKenzie is a "serious lawyer" who provides domestic employment advice and litigation support. He is a member of the labour committee of the American Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas Nilo was a key hire for Bruchou Fernández Madero & Lombardi in 2007, he was previously the head of labour at Negri & Teijeiro. He is well known for collective bargaining and is a "real leader" in the field. Javier Patrón from Marval O'Farrell & Mairal is "well known and very popular in the labour and employment field", according to one source. Patrón is the partner responsible for the firm's labour and social security law department. He previously worked in the employment tribunal of the San Isidro judicial department.