Jiménez de Aréchaga Viana & Brause is one of the Uruguayan firms that, in addition to its strong corporate practice, maintains an active accounting practice. In addition to increasing the client base, the practice allows the firm to service all of its clients' business needs in one place....
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Jiménez de Aréchaga Viana & Brause is one of the Uruguayan firms that, in addition to its strong corporate practice, maintains an active accounting practice. In addition to increasing the client base, the practice allows the firm to service all of its clients' business needs in one place.
Competitors call Jiménez de Aréchaga Viana & Brause "a very relevant firm" with "a number of excellent attorneys". Most also indicate that the firm is able to exercise its corporate capabilities and increase its market clout due to a long-standing association with large banking client Banco Santander. Fernando Jiménez de Aréchaga is most often cited as the firm's most notable practitioner, with one partner at another firm calling him "a thoroughly accomplished lawyer – very intelligent and professional."
Deals
The firm advised Santander Group in its strategic alliance with Zurich Financial Services by which Santander transferred a 51% stake in its bank assurance business in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay to Zurich. The two companies also entered into a 25-year strategic distribution arrangement in Latin America in a deal that totaled $1.6 billion throughout the region and closed in October 2011.
Jiménez de Aréchaga Viana & Brause represented the seller and buyer, acting as deal counsel as Banco Santander purchased Creditel, a Uruguayan financial company that operates in the consumer loan market. This deal is part of a move in the local market whereby banks that have capital but have logistical difficulties lending in low and middle-income segments are buying credit entities. The deal closed in July 2011 for an undisclosed amount.
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