Holland & Knight has added 28 lawyers in Bogotá, Colombia from local business law boutique Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez (CCG). 

Their arrival makes Holland & Knight one of the largest international law firms in the country and represents a major expansion of the firm’s Bogotá team, bringing it to 70 lawyers. 

Led by CCG managing partner Gustavo Cuberos Gómez, the group represents all of the firm’s lawyers and includes seven partners, two senior counsels and 19 associates. Joining them for the move are four law clerks and various administrative staff, Holland & Knight said. 

The firm said the group would boost its existing corporate, litigation, arbitration, labour, tax, infrastructure projects and real estate practices in Colombia but also add new capabilities including insolvency and government procurement. 

“The talent and experience we’re inheriting from CCG will strengthen our practice areas and help generate great opportunities for Holland & Knight within Colombia and beyond,” said Enrique Gómez-Pinzón, executive partner of Holland & Knight in Bogotá. “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.”

Holland & Knight’s Bogotá team, key clients of which include Lenovo, Inter-American Development Bank and Banco Santander, work as part of a more than 200-lawyer strong Latin American group covering cross-border M&A, joint ventures, private equity, financing transactions and business disputes. 

“Becoming part of Holland & Knight’s international network will not only benefit our clients, but will also positively impact the growth of our lawyers and staff,” said Cuberos Gómez. “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.”

The Bogotá hires follow Holland & Knight growing its Mexico team with the addition of 17 lawyers from local firm Sánchez DeVanny last month, having secured a six-strong capital markets team in 2022 from DLA Piper.