Estudio Echecopar promotes 2 new partners and 2 of counsels

Estudio Echecopar has appointed Luis Miguel Almendariz and Gonzalo Bernal as partners, as well as Enrique Johanson and Luis Ernesto Marín as of counsels

 Estudio Echecopar, associated with Baker & McKenzie International, has promoted Luis Miguel Almendariz and Gonzalo Bernal to partners and Enrique Johanson and Luis Ernesto Marín as of counsels, lawyers with extensive experience in Labour; International Trade and Customs; Arbitration; and Banking and Finance respectively, as part of its plans to grow and develop the firm in the region.

The appointments of Luis Miguel, Gonzalo, Enrique and Luis Ernesto are part of the firm’s 99 new Partners and Of Counsel globally, which were announced at the end of June, where more than 35% of these promotions and hires are women.

Luis Miguel Almendariz (pictured top left), former senior associate, holds a Master’s degree in Labour Relations from the University of Turin, a programme organised in partnership with the International Training Centre of the ILO. In addition, he has extensive experience advising national and international companies in different sectors on all aspects of personnel management.

“The future of the world of work is constantly evolving, which has been especially evident during the pandemic. In our local and regional team, we have the resources and the platform to accompany our clients through these new spaces. I take on this new phase with great responsibility and I am very motivated to continue working with our clients, contributing to the development of their businesses in Peru,” stated Luis Miguel.

Also promoted from senior associate to partner, Gonzalo Bernal (pictured top right), is a Master in International Law and Economics from the World Trade Institute, Switzerland, specialising in International Trade and Customs matters. His practice focuses mainly on the industrial and manufacturing sector, with a special interest in agribusiness and food related companies.

“Within the firm we seek to maintain our position as a market leader, updating the concept of the trade area. We seek to promote a regulatory and market access approach, in addition to consolidating the practice in our second axis: specialisation by industry, increasingly strengthening our extensive national and international experience, especially in the agro-industrial, logistics and consumer products sectors,” commented Gonzalo.

For his part, Enrique Johanson (pictured bottom left), is appointed from senior associate to of counsel for the Lima office. Enrique holds an MBA from the PAD, University of Piura, is a lawyer, arbitrator and lecturer with a solid track record and more than 15 years of experience in civil law, real estate, arbitration, construction law and public procurement. He has experience in designing strategies with a commercial perspective, providing specialised advice on contractual issues, negotiating different agreements and resolving complex disputes related to infrastructure projects.

Enrique said: “Our team has extensive experience in highly complex national and international arbitration, specialising in commercial and public procurement arbitration, which allows us to provide comprehensive advice to our clients. I assume this new responsibility with the aim of enhancing Estudio Echecopar’s leadership in arbitration and contractual advice, generating added value to our domestic and foreign clients”.

Finally, Luis Ernesto Marín (pictured bottom right), promoted from senior associate to of counsel, has extensive experience in banking and insurance regulatory and transactional matters. He worked as in-house counsel at two of Peru’s leading banks, before joining the firm in 2012. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Corporate Law from ESAN University and has pursued postgraduate studies at Centrum PUCP and Harvard University.

“We are a leading firm in the Banking and Finance area in Peru and we will continue working to consolidate our leadership in this area. We have strong capabilities in financial services regulation, which differentiates us from firms that are only transactional and therefore we will continue to expand our service offering in this area. The adoption of new banking regulation standards and new business models will contribute to an increased demand for specialised advice in financial services regulation,” declared Luis Ernesto.

Juan Carlos de los Heros, managing partner of Estudio Echecopar and chairman of the Latin American Capital Markets Steering Committee, said: “I congratulate Luis Miguel, Gonzalo, Enrique and Luis Ernesto for their continued efforts and I am sure they will continue to achieve success as part of our team. The promotion of four associates to partner and of counsel is a further demonstration of the firm’s commitment to their talent and to the development of Peru. […] We hope to continue growing hand in hand with our clients. We are a full service firm but very specialised, and we provide comprehensive and efficient advice to our clients. In addition, our regional and global reach and the use of legaltech tools allow us to accompany our clients in their growth inside and outside the country, and to be one of the leading firms in the Peruvian market and consolidate our position as the advisor of choice at regional and global level”.