Kennedys bolsters Peru office with two hires

Law firm Kennedys has hired partner Fernando Hurtado de Mendoza and senior associate Kodiak Semsch for its office in Lima as it continues to build out its practice in Peru.

Fernando Hurtado’s (pictured) practice is split between aviation, corporate and insurance work, and he joins the firm from Rodrigo Elias y Medrano, the largest law firm in the country, and is immediately joined by associate Alejandra Vicuna.

Kodiak Semsch, who will join the team in April as head of the office’s litigation practice, is a dispute resolution specialist. He was formerly a litigation partner at Osterling Abogados.

Both new recruits are bilingual. Fernando has LLMs from both New York University and the National University of Singapore, whilst Kodiak is a candidate for a master’s degree in litigation at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.

Kennedys was the first global law firm specialising in insurance law to open in Peru and has built up a strong practice headed by Marco Rivera. It now has two partners and, upon Kodiak’s arrival, 11 lawyers.

Commenting on Fernando’s and Kodiak’s appointment, Marco said: “Fernando’s and Kodiak’s arrival is a real coup for Kennedys. With corporate, aviation and litigation instructions in particular on the rise, the breadth of his practice plays to our strengths, while their reputation in the market is second to none.

“Peru has long had one of the best performing economies in Latin America and though, like everywhere, the coronavirus crisis will have a major impact, it is well placed to bounce back.”

Alex Guillamont, Head of Kennedys’ Latin America and the Caribbean practice, added: “Peru is an important market in many ways. Pre-coronavirus, the government had outlined its plans to increase spending on infrastructure and social protection, making it a very attractive location.

“Hiring lawyers of Fernando and Kodiak’s calibre speaks volumes to the quality already on offer from our Lima office, as well as what Kennedys’ global network can offer someone like them. Their combined experience and knowledge will significantly strengthen our practice both globally and in Peru.”