IFLR1000

Paraguay

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IFLR1000 Reviews

Financial and corporate
Estudio Jurídico Gross Brown

Estudio Jurídico Gross Brown is a top tier firm across all practice areas. It was founded in Asunción in 1944 and since then has grown to become one of Paraguay’s most esteemed firms.  

   

Focusses / specialisms  

The firm excels in both financial and corporate and project development practice areas. In financial and corporate, it represents clients in general corporate matters including investment grade bond issuances and sovereign bond issuances. In project finance, the firm represents developers across numerous types of industries.   

   

Key clients  

Key clients include Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Santander.  

   

Research period review: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

During the research period the firm was active in financial and corporate.   

The financial and corporate team worked on project financings, mergers, spinoffs and various debt securities such as sovereign bond issuances. The firm advised arrangers, bookrunners and collateral agents.  

  

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Agencia Financiera de Desarrollo $100 million cfinancing 

Paracel $2 billion project financing  

Republic of Paraguay $500 million 3.849% sovereign bond issuance  

 

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Banking and finance 

“Fast, effective, flexible and excellent cost/outcomes balance.” 

 

Pablo Debuchy 

“Perfectly knowledgeable about the legal environment.” 

Vouga Abogados
 

Vouga Abogados has more than 30 years of experience in financial and corporate and project development and since then has grown to become one of Paraguay’s leading firms. The firm has two offices in Asunción and Ciudad del Este, in addition to having five foreign desks: Brazil, Germany, Spain, France and the US.  

   

Focusses / specialisms  

The firm excels across all practice areas. It represents strategic buyers, sellers and investors in acquisitions, restructurings, incorporations and other general corporate matters. It also represents borrowers and lenders in financings, some of which were project finance transactions.  

The project development team represents financial sponsors and developers in oil and gas and infrastructure related projects. Many of these projects have an acquisition component to them.   

   

Key clients  

Key clients include Copetrol, TMF Group, GLT Casa de Bolsa, Carestream Health, Rabobank, JP Morgan, Zavidoro Corporation Sucursal Paraguay and Pedidos Ya.   

   

Research period review: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

During the research period the firm was active in financial and corporate and project development.   

The financial and corporate team worked on multiple acquisitions, project financings, restructurings and loans. It mostly advised lenders, but also represented acquirers and sellers.  

The project development team worked on EPC contracts, PPAs, bidding processes and joint ventures in the reforestation, oil and gas, energy and technology industries.  

 

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Paracel $4 billion project financing 

  

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Banking and finance  

“They have industry knowledge and expertise in cross-border lending in Paraguay.”  

“High professionalism and subject knowledge.” 

  

Financial services regulatory  

“They are very professional and consistent on their advisory. They have great knowledge about the regulations, the market, etc. and they analyse in depth any case that we propose to them.” 

  

M&A  

 “Efficiency, teamworking, professional skills, problem-solving, conflict management and quality.” 

“Technical and organised. Very accessible.” 

  

Project development 

 “They were able to find the information we required to make a corporate decision.”  

“They have technical knowledge, an experienced and qualified leadership and team, and empathy and team spirit.” 

  

Manuel Acevedo Scappini  

“Responsive, knowledgeable, thorough and with integrity.” 

“He displays the spirit of teamwork and is easygoing, offering transparency, technical knowledge and emotional intelligence.” 

  

Perla Alderete  

“She displays knowledge, professional skills, problem-solving skills and efficiency.” 

  

Luis Marcio Torales  

“Very responsive, he has a broad skillset, good communicator and always pleasant to deal with.” 

  

Cecilia Vera  

“Organized and very accessible.” 

  

Carlos Vouga  

“He shows relationship management and industry expertise.” 

“He has efficiency and subject knowledge.” 

“He has great knowledge of the regulation on the market that is our interest.” 

   

Rodolfo Guillermo Vouga Zuccolillo  

“He runs the show day-to-day at Vouga. Very well liked and trusted by his clients. He has a deservedly high reputation in the market.” 

Berkemeyer Attorneys and Councelors

Berkemeyer Attorneys and Councelors, or BKM for short, was founded in 1951 and since then has become a major player in the Paraguayan market. The firm is in Asunción.  

 

Focusses / specialisms  

The firm is active in both the financial and corporate and project development practice areas. In financial and corporate, the firm works in mergers and acquisitions as well as banking and capital markets. In projects, the team’s work often focuses on infrastructure and includes PPP as well as project finance matters. 

 

Key clients  

Key clients include Astarte Capital Partners, Johnson & Johnson, Master Card, Monsanto/Bayer Paraguay and Pearson Education. 

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

During the research period the firm was active in financial and corporate and project development.   

The financial and corporate team worked on payments and fintech, mergers and acquisitions, loans and bond placements. 

The project development team was particularly active in PPPs, with a focus on infrastructure. 

 

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Omega Green $800 million project financing 

Centro Médico Jerovia $180 million project development 

NeoGreen Hydrogen $500m green hydrogen plant development 

 

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2022/2023)  

Financial services regulatory 

“They are notable for their availability to deliver opinions and content in a very expedient manner, for their exceptional knowledge of all items discussed, and a reasonable cost structure that is always agreed in advance.” 

“Professionalism, ethics, knowledge and expertise.” 

 

M&A 

“They were very responsive, always providing solutions in time and in full depth. Very good at covering all aspects and providing pragmatic solutions.” 

 

Project development 

“Quick turnaround and comprehensive advice.” 

 

Project finance 

“Berkemeyer has one of the strongest teams in financing and infrastructure matters in Paraguay.” 

 

Restructuring 

“A generalist law office with great lawyers and quick responses.” 

“They have been an incredible support for our organisation, in particular because we're a non-profit organisation that works with corporate sustainability, they have understood our need and accepted to work pro bono with us. BKM's support at the important transformation we're facing for the reorganisation gives us also confidence, to be supported by such an important and respected law firm as BKM.” 

 

Alexander Berkemeyer 

“First quality to us is the interest he shows at every situation we bring to the table, as well as towards the work we develop in terms of sustainability for the private sector. The second, and most valuable for us, is the quick responses we receive from him, despite the fact that the firm are providing this support pro bono.” 

 

Martin Carlevaro 

“Notable for his availability to deliver opinions and content in a very expedient manner, exceptional knowledge of all items discussed, and a reasonable cost structure that is always agreed in advance.” 

 

Milena Sljivich 

“Very kind and attentive to what we are asking for.” 

“Interpersonal skills, in-depth knowledge, native English-speaking.” 

“Always available and on top of matters. Very professional with very deep understanding of her subject matter. Extremely reliable.” 

 

Jorge Peralta Sosa 

“In-depth knowledge in the labour and corporate area.” 

Ferrere

Ferrere is a firm with a strong South American presence, with offices in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.

 

Focusses / specialisms 

Financial and corporate work for the firm sees it advise in debt capital markets, project finance, banking and M&A.  The capital market team stands out for its work on sustainability bonds and the M&A work for the firm sees it advise on complex local and cross-border transactions.

 

Key clients

Clients for the firm include Mobile Cash, a subsidiary of Millicom, Interfisa Banco, IDB Invest, IFC, Itau and CAF.

 

Client feedback: 31st edition (2020/2021)

Financial services regulatory

"The law firm has experts in various fields that have a wide experience within the public sector, which gives them an understanding of how the public sector works and how to execute changes within policy to bolster the private sector."

 

M&A

"Experts on property, labour, corporate secretarial and statutory matters. Along with their accountancy firm partners, they also provide tax and audit services."

"Good knowledge of the local market, good expertise, amazing responsiveness."

 

Restructuring: Corporate

"Analytical advice, super fast responses."

Attention to detail, specialized lawyers on each specific legal topic, professionalism, straightforward and forward looking, anticipating potential company's needs and issues."