The team at Baker McKenzie S.A.S. strikes the right note with sources for its ‘extensive knowledge of competition and antitrust law issues’. A first port of call for both major multinationals and leading domestic corporations, the group handles the full gamut of competition law matters, from antitrust compliance and merger reviews through to complex cartel investigations and litigation. The team's sector expertise is equally comprehensive, but it is arguably best-known for its strong skill sets in the TMT, financial services and pharmaceutical areas, alongside other heavily regulated industries. High-profile department co-head Carolina Pardo is a key member of the wider firm’s regional antitrust group and recently advised US-based Concentrix Corporation on the acquisition of control of Webhelp, through the purchase of the entire stake in its parent company Marnix Lux, which involved 12 jurisdictions worldwide. Angélica Navarro co-heads the practice and acted as second chair on the Concentrix matter. A further name to note in this ‘well-trained’ and ‘warm and close’ team is senior associate Carlos Arboleda, whose practice focus encompasses competition, merger control, data protection and TMT matters. Former senior Luís Alberto Castell (competition law and corporate compliance), left the firm in June 2024, as did associate Santiago Blanco the previous January.

Antitrust lawyers at Brigard Urrutia ‘continually search for alternative solutions’, according to satisfied clients. The competition group is arguably best known for its prowess in merger reviews, where it benefits from its ability to team up with the wider firm’s top-tier corporate practice. Notably, it handled 30 merger filings during 2023 - including complex cross-border filings for multinational names such as Farfetch Holdings and Brookfield. Alongside its strength in transactional matters, the team additionally packs a punch in complex antitrust investigations and competition disputes, while it is also active in the increasingly prominent area of leniency agreements. Department head Alejandro Garcia de Brigard secures strong reviews for his ‘practical approach to competition law’; he represented major Colombian airline Avianca in the antitrust investigation, launched by the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC), into alleged gun-jumping with Viva Colombia. The team also benefits from the strong public sector-side experience of director Nicolás Cardona, who is a former officer at the Colombian Competition Authority; and intermediate associate Natalia Amado Pérez, whose practice focuses exclusively on competition and antitrust law.

A destination firm for competition and antitrust matters, administrative law stalwart Esguerra JHR attracts praise for its ‘remarkable professionalism, knowledge and legal strategy’. Fielding three experienced partners dedicated to the area, the competition team stands out for its depth and breadth across the full range of investigations, merger reviews, unfair competition litigation and regulatory issues, while it also contributes strength in complementary areas such as consumer law and data protection. Alfonso Miranda is widely regarded as a dean of Colombia’s competition bar; he recently teamed up with high-profile competition litigator Andrés Jaramillo Hoyos to represent Comcel (Comunicación Celular) in an antitrust investigation conducted by the SIC concerning mobile number portability and sham litigation, among other issues. The group also draws on the experience of up-and-coming competition partner Daniel Beltrán, who co-heads the department together with Miranda and Jaramillo Hoyos. Among its junior names, clients highlight intermediate associate and ‘outstanding asset’ David Cotrina, who handles a mix of competition, consumer protection and intellectual property-related work. Associate Jasibi Ali Cabrales left in August 2023 to join Nestlé.

Garrigues’ competition team is ‘one of the best’, according to clients, due to its ‘legal and market knowledge and its interest in understanding its clients’ needs’. The group is involved in a significant proportion of competition investigations in Colombia; notably, it is advising clients in four out of the ten new cases launched by the SIC during 2023. Other key areas of activity include merger control filings, competition compliance and competition litigation. Key name José Miguel De La Calle steers both the competition and the public law departments; he is currently representing Azul y Blanco Millonarios FC in an antitrust investigation conducted by the SIC into alleged anti-competitive activity in the football industry. The practice also draws on a strong second line of associates including new principal, David Toro, who joined in April 2023 from his own practice, Toro Solórzano Abogados; seniors Anamaría Rico (who ‘demonstrates optimal management of legal matters’), Julieth Sanclemente (who ‘provides quick answers’) and Adolfo Enrique Gómez (who returned from study leave in August 2023); along with intermediate Daniel Fajardo Mendoza, who specialises in competition, litigation, data protection and consumer law.

Valued for providing ‘effective and creative solutions to complex problems’, Ibarra Abogados Rimon Law’s firm-wide focus on economic regulation and compliance pays dividends and it is widely recognised as a market leader for competition and antitrust law. The group is a particularly popular choice to advise on complex and highly strategic matters, where it has extensive experience in administrative investigations and competition litigation, including the representation of companies filing antitrust complaints against competitors. That being said, the group is also well versed in merger reviews and related work, including advising on complaints regarding non-compliance with merger remedies. Managing partner and department head Gabriel Ibarra is held up by clients for his ‘unbeatable experience and specialised knowledge’; he continues to act alongside the ‘strategic’ Ana Lucía Parra to provide ongoing advice to Yara Colombia on day-to-day competition law matters. Rounding out the team at partner level is Alejandro Ibarra, who recently teamed up with Parra to represent PayU Colombia in filing an antitrust proceeding before the SIC against Visa and Mastercard. Other key contacts include senior associate Carlos Bermúdes Pulido, whose practice combines antitrust, public procurement, commercial and administrative law.

ECIJA Colombia is distinguished by its ‘professionalism, competitiveness and application of new technologies’, according to clients. Competition and antitrust is a key pillar of the firm’s Bogotá offering and its practice expertise encompasses a wide range of merger reviews, administrative investigations and competition litigation. A former Deputy Superintendent of the SIC, department co-head Pablo Márquez ‘understands the functioning of competition authorities’; he successfully represented Colombia Telecomunicaciones in a business integration with Colombia’s second-largest telecoms company, UNE EPM Telecomunicaciones. Fellow group co-head Julio Castañeda is also a highly regarded competition specialist, with extensive expertise in contentious administrative law cases. The group additionally benefits from the experience of merger review-focused counsel Pablo Onofre, who co-ordinates the competition and merger control team, and intermediate associate Camila Cadavid. Associate Jorge Mario González left in June 2023.

Commended for its ability to provide ‘personalised solutions and strategies’, Gómez-Pinzón Abogados (GPA)’s competition and antitrust team brings to bear significant hands-on regulatory expertise, with a third of its lawyers having previously worked at the SIC. The group handles the full spectrum of related matters, from compliance issues through to administrative investigations and merger reviews, with clients particularly highlighting ‘its strong focus on litigation care and prevention’. Department head Mauricio Jaramillo is a key contact for competition, IP and TMT work; he recently advised Bayport Colombia on international antitrust litigation strategy to overcome unfair competition acts committed by new competitors in Colombia. The practice also draws on a deep pool of associates, including seniors Biviana Helo and Valentina Manrique Gómez and intermediate Paula de la Calle — all of whom focus on competition and IP law.

According to clients, Jaeckel/Montoya Abogados’ ‘excellent business sense and practical approach’ are among its key differentiators. As a boutique firm specialising in regulatory matters, competition and antitrust work forms the backbone of the practice with the team’s focus spanning merger reviews, administrative investigations, competition litigation and related consumer law issues. Founding partner Jorge Jaeckel is highly regarded for his record in complex cases — particularly high-stakes antitrust litigation — and co-heads the department together with managing partner Claudia Montoya, who has an emphasis on preventive advice and compliance issues. The pair recently teamed up to represent El País de España in litigation concerning the use of ‘El País’, which encompassed unfair competition issues. Senior associate Jefferson Gonzales specialises in IP and also provides support to the competition team.

Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría’s competition team in Colombia stands out for its ability to plug into an integrated regional practice that leverages platforms in Chile and Peru, which clients say, ‘makes it more valuable as a resource to companies operating in multiple countries’. While it is arguably best known for its merger control practice, which excels in domestic and cross-border merger reviews, the group also handles a significant volume of antitrust investigations, unfair competition litigation and compliance-related matters. Diego Cardona spearheads the department and recently teamed up with the dispute resolution and banking and finance groups to represent Visa in an administrative investigation brought by the SIC for alleged anti-competitive conduct in the market for payment services in cross-border transactions. Junior associate Natalia Castilla is also singled out by clients.

‘Responsive, clear and strategically savvy’, Posse Herrera Ruiz is primarily recognised for its dominant merger control practice, where it acts for a host of domestic and multinational corporations, including recent engagements for Talanx, Jerónimo Martins and Aspen Global. The team is also well versed in competition litigation and investigations. Among his recent highlights, practice head Jorge De Los Ríos represented EDATEL in filing a series of antitrust complaints against Claro for engaging in restrictive trade practices. Key names at associate level include seniors Jorge Lamo Blanco (who handles a broad mix of transactional and contentious competition work) and Laura Torrado (who specialises in competition and consumer protection law); and intermediate Maria Paz Vesga, who is ‘dependable, available and has a good grasp of the dynamics of the competition authority’.

Competition lawyers at Serrano Martínez CMA ‘provide recommendations grounded in business reality’, according to clients. Sources also commend the team’s recent national growth, which was enabled by the October 2023 merger between corporate-and-competition-focused Serrano Martínez in Bogotá and Medellín-based Correa Merino Agudelo Abogados. A former Chief Advisor at the SIC, competition and regulation head Felipe Serrano enjoys a strong profile in the market for his comprehensive experience in antitrust investigations, merger review procedures and competition litigation. Among his recent highlights, Serrano successfully represented Uber Technologies in an unfair competition lawsuit brought by taxi company, Cotech. Other key contacts include José Plata Puyana, who specialises in energy regulation and competition work; associate director Andrés Jaramillo Sanz, whose practice spans competition, IP and consumer protection law; and intermediate associate Fery Cure, who handles competition, compliance and regulatory matters.

Regulatory boutique Bermúdez & Esguerra Abogados impresses clients with its ability to provide an ‘agile, informed and pro-business response’. Particularly noted for its experience in structuring antitrust compliance programmes for multinationals active in the Latin America region, the group additionally handles a mix of merger reviews and contentious matters, including administrative investigations. Department co-head Carlos Esguerra is an increasingly prominent name for competition law and clients praise his ‘excellent background in Colombian, regional, and global antitrust policy’. Data protection specialist José Alejandro Bermúdez and associates Andrés Felipe Aguas and Manuela Téllez also advise on competition matters.

Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas secured a significant volume of non-contentious work during 2023/24, with an emphasis on merger reviews — where it can leverage its global platform to advise on the local aspects of cross-border transactions — and antitrust compliance matters. The three-lawyer team is steered by Ximena Zuleta, who sits in the public law, competition and dispute resolution teams; she recently advised steel producer Matecsa, part of the Acesco Group, on the merger control proceeding triggered by its acquisition of 65% of Alurack. As a member of both the corporate and the competition groups, supporting senior associate María Paula Macías is particularly well placed to support on merger reviews.

During 2023/24, Lloreda Camacho & Co. advised a string of multinational corporations on merger reviews, antitrust training sessions and day-to-day compliance matters, with Live Nation, Merck and Novo Nordisk among its representative clients. The group also has experience in contentious work, where it utilises its firm-wide strengths in life sciences and TMT to specialise in antitrust litigation and competition investigations pertaining to those sectors. Enrique Álvarez maintains a broad regulatory practice, which spans competition, life sciences and labour law — among others — and co-heads the group alongside established younger partner Darío Cadena. Associate Diego Matiz left to study abroad in September 2023.

Martínez Quintero Mendoza González Laguado & de la Rosa’s 2024 disassociation from the global DLA Piper network should stand it in good stead in the competition sphere going forward, due to the inevitable reduction in the potential for conflicts. Under the leadership of up-and-coming group head María Claudia Martínez, the team is well equipped to advise on the full range of merger reviews, compliance matters, administrative investigations and competition litigation, with regulatory litigator Julian Solorza a key resource in the latter area. The group additionally fields two capable senior associates in Natalia Fernández and recent arrival Tomás Posada, who joined in May 2023 from the SIC.

Valbuena Abogados’ competition group attracts praise for its ‘knowledge, client service and partner access’. Distinguished by its representation of both corporations and government agencies, the full-spectrum practice keeps busy advising on antitrust litigation, regulatory investigations, merger reviews and general compliance matters. Firm founder Gustavo Valbuena is a former Superintendent of Industry and Commerce and clients commend him as ‘an expert in his area’. A solid second line of supporting associates includes Diego Solano, noted for his ‘good ability to work under pressure’, and María de los Ángeles Berrocal Mora. Associate Carol Sanchez Zambrano left to join the SIC in May 2023.

CMS Rodríguez-Azuero’s Bogotá practice forms a key part of the global firm’s regional antitrust offering, with multinational clients valuing its ‘helpful and practical competition guidance to foreign entities doing business in Colombia’. The team is primarily engaged on non-contentious matters, with its recent work spanning merger reviews and day-to-day compliance matters, but it also has experience in investigations and unfair competition litigation. TMT specialist Lorenzo Villegas-Carrasquilla fronts the group, while junior associate Alejandra Vásquez provides support. Senior associate María Camila Piedrahita left to go freelance in June 2023.

Operating at the intersection of IP and competition law, OlarteMoure provides ‘timely and accurate advice’. The team has a particular niche specialism in advising on consumer law violations as unfair competition acts — it also handles competition compliance, investigations and antitrust litigation. Well versed in IP and competition issues, Juan Guillermo Moure is a key contact for both contentious and regulatory competition work. Other senior names include Carlos Olarte, who focuses on life sciences-related cases; and litigator Juan Felipe Acosta. Associates Santiago Lombana — who co-ordinates the antitrust and consumer law practice — and María Fernanda de los Ríos are also recommended.