Latin Lawyer is pleased to present our Leading Lights for 2022, the law firms making a noteworthy contribution to strengthening Latin America’s pro bono culture.
Several factors played a role in drawing up this list. These include firms’ answers to the survey with regards to institutionalisation of the practice, work done and examples of their recent pro bono cases. We also asked for feedback from clearinghouses and the Vance Center and considered the development of firms’ pro bono practices if they participated in earlier surveys, as well as further research. The list includes behemoths of the regional legal community bringing significant resources to bear, and small firms from whom personal dedication can make a significant difference.
This is by no means an exhaustive list (for a start, it only mentions firms that participated in our survey), but we hope it will give readers an idea of the efforts that firms across Latin America are taking to provide free legal services to those in need.
Of course, it should be noted that simply participating in this survey demonstrates awareness among all participants of the need for pro bono, and each one had interesting developments to report. We hope that all respondents will continue to advance their pro bono practices and come back to us to report their efforts in the years to come.
Methodology
Latin Lawyer and the Vance Center draw heavily on responses to the pro bono survey when compiling the list of Leading Lights, so only law firms that participated in the most recent survey are eligible. Firms are compared against others in their jurisdiction. In countries with functioning clearing houses at the time research was conducted (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela), firms are awarded up to 30 points based on their responses to the survey across the following categories: law firm’s pro bono infrastructure (23%), recognition of lawyers’ pro bono work (14%), pro bono work done (43%) and support of clearing houses (20%). Clearinghouses are also given the opportunity to provide information on the firms they see supporting their organisation and doing a high level of pro bono work. In countries where there was no clearinghouse at the time of research (Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama) points are awarded between the first three categories (law firm’s pro bono infrastructure, recognition of lawyers’ pro bono work and pro bono work done). Those with the most points have a strong chance of being a Leading Light, depending on further considerations and taking into account comparisons within their jurisdiction.
The following firms are our Leading Lights 2022.
Argentina
Beccar Varela
Bruchou & Funes de Rioja
Durrieu Abogados
Martínez de Hoz & Rueda
Marval O’Farrell Mairal
MBP Partners
Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen (PAGBAM)
Zang, Bergel & Viñes Abogados
Bolivia
Dentons Guevara & Gutiérrez
Ferrere (Bolivia)
HCS Abogados
Indacochea & Asociados
PPO Abogados
Brazil
BMA Advogados
Cescon, Barrieu, Flesch & Barreto Advogados
Demarest Advogados
KLA Advogados
Machado Meyer Advogados
Mattos Filho
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
SiqueiraCastro
TozziniFreire Advogados
Trench Rossi Watanabe
Central America
Alta Legal (regional)
Arias (regional)
BLP (regional)
Consortium Legal (regional)
García & Bodán (regional)
Mayora & Mayora (regional)
Chile
Albagli Zaliasnik
Barros & Errázuriz Abogados
Carey
Claro & Cía
CMS Carey & Allende
FerradaNehme
Garnham Abogados
Guerrero Olivos
Morales & Besa
Prieto
Sáez Abogados
Colombia
Brigard Urrutia
CMA – Correa Merino Agudelo
Contexto Legal Abogados
GodoyHoyos_Goh
Gómez-Pinzón
Pinilla, González & Prieto Abogados
The Dominican Republic
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández
Ecuador
Pérez Bustamante & Ponce (PBP)
Guatemala
Clarity Law
Mollerlaw
Mexico
Baker McKenzie (Mexico)
BGBG – Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, SC
Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía SC
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez SC
Galicia Abogados
Greenberg Traurig SC
Hogan Lovells (Mexico)
Regalado & Galindo Abogados
Ritch Mueller y Nicolau, SC
Sánchez Devanny
Santamarina y Steta
Santos-Elizondo, SC
Von Wobeser y Sierra SC
Panama
Morgan & Morgan
Paraguay
Ferrere (Paraguay)
Fiorio, Cardozo & Alvarado
Gross Brown
Vinclum Abogados & Consultores
Peru
Benites, Vargas & Ugaz Abogados
Cortez, Massa & Bello Abogados
Estudio Echecopar member firm of Baker McKenzie International
Monroy & Shima Abogados
Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Pérez Abogados
Rebaza, Alcázar & De Las Casas
Uruguay
Bergstein Abogados
Dentons Jiménez de Aréchaga
Ferrere (Uruguay)
Guyer & Regules
Posadas
Venezuela
Despacho de Abogados miembros de Dentons
Thank you to all of this survey’s participating firms for helping us. Those firms that did not request anonymity are listed here.
Argentina
Abeledo Gottheil Abogados SC
Allende & Brea
Baker McKenzie (Argentina)
Beccar Varela
Bomchil
Bruchou & Funes de Rioja
Bulló Abogados
Cerolini & Ferrari Abogados
Del Carril, Colombres, Vayo y Zavalía Lagos
Durrieu Abogados
Estudio Rovira
González & Ferraro Mila
Martínez de Hoz & Rueda
Marval O’Farrell Mairal
MBP Partners
Munilla Lacasa, Salaber & de Palacios
O’Farrell
Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen (PAGBAM)
Silva Ortiz, Alfonso, Pavic & Louge
Zang, Bergel & Viñes Abogados
Zapiola Guerrico & Asociados
Bolivia
CR & F Rojas Abogados
Dentons Guevara & Gutiérrez
Ferrere (Bolivia)
HCS Abogados
Indacochea & Asociados
PPO Abogados
Brazil
Arap, Nishi & Uyeda Advogados
Barral Parente Pinheiro Advogados
Bichara Advogados
BMA Advogados
Cescon, Barrieu, Flesch & Barreto Advogados
Demarest Advogados
ETAD – Ernesto Tzirulnik Advocacia
Lefosse
Lippert Advogados
KLA Advogados
Machado Meyer Advogados
Madrona Advogados
Madruga BTW
MAMG Advogados
Martinelli Advogados
Mattos Filho
Mauger, Muniz Advogados
Montaury Pimenta, Machado & Vieira de Mello
Nelson Wilians Advogados
Perez & Barros Sociedade de Advogados
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
R. Amaral Advogados
Schivartche Advogados
Silva Matos Advogados
SiqueiraCastro
Suessmann Advogados
TozziniFreire Advogados
Trench Rossi Watanabe
Veirano Advogados
Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados
Velloza Advogados Associados
Central America
Aguilar Castillo Love
Alta Legal
Arias
BLP
Consortium Legal
García & Bodán
Mayora & Mayora
Chile
Albagli Zaliasnik
Alessandri
Baker McKenzie (Chile)
Barros & Errázuriz Abogados
Bofill Mir Abogados
Carey
Cariola, Díez, Pérez-Cotapos
Claro & Cía
Clyde & Co Chile
CMS Carey & Allende
Cuatrecasas (Chile)
DLA Piper (Chile)
FerradaNehme
Garnham Abogados
Grant Thornton (Chile)
Guerrero Olivos
MBC Abogados
Morales & Besa
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Chile)
Prieto
Sáez Abogados
Urenda Rencoret Orrego y Dörr Abogados
Colombia
Ariza & Marin
Baker McKenzie (Colombia)
Brigard Urrutia
Chahín Vargas & Asociados
CMA – Correa Merino Agudelo
Contexto Legal Abogados
DG&A Abogados
DLA Piper Martínez Beltrán
Gamboa, García & Cardona Abogados
GodoyHoyos_Goh
Gómez-Pinzón
Lloreda Camacho
López & Asociados
Muñoz Tamayo & Asociados
Pacto Abogados
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Colombia)
Pinilla, González & Prieto Abogados
Posse Herrera Ruiz
Costa Rica
Facio y Cañas
The Dominican Republic
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández
OMG
Russin, Vecchi & Heredia Bonetti
Ulises Cabrera
Ecuador
Dentons Paz Horowitz
Flor Bustamante Pizarro & Hurtado
Pérez Bustamante & Ponce (PBP)
ROBALINO
El Salvador
Lexincorp
Guatemala
Clarity Law
Mollerlaw
Mexico
Aguilar & Loera, SC
Baker McKenzie (Mexico)
Basham, Ringe y Correa
BGBG – Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, SC
Bufete Robles Miaja
Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton
CCN
CCPA Abogados
Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía SC
Creel Abogados
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez SC
EC Rubio
ECIJA (Mexico)
Escalante & Asociados
Ferran Martínez Abogados
Galicia Abogados
González Calvillo, SC
Greenberg Traurig SC
Grupo Consultor Para el Desarrollo Sustentable
Heredia Rubio Abogados
Hogan Lovells (Mexico)
Holland& Knight (Mexico)
Ius Lider, SC
Jáuregui y Del Valle
Jones Day (Mexico)
Maillard Abogados
Müggenburg, Gorches y Peñalosa
Notaría 196 CDMX
Pizá Abogados
Priego Brito y Asociados SC
RBGL Asesores SC
Regalado & Galindo Abogados
Ritch Mueller y Nicolau, SC
Sainz Abogados
Sámano Abogados, SC
Sánchez Devanny
Santamarina y Steta
Santos-Elizondo, SC
SMPS Legal
Trujillo Abogados
VILA
Von Wobeser y Sierra SC
White & Case SC
Nicaragua
CALA Attorneys & Counselors at Law
Estudio Caldera
Panama
Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee
Delvalle, Escalona, Levy & Corro
Morgan & Morgan
Parnther Abogados | Attorneys
Paraguay
Ferrere (Paraguay)
Fiorio, Cardozo & Alvarado
Gross Brown
Vinclum Abogados & Consultores
Peru
Benites, Vargas & Ugaz Abogados
Blanco Carrillo
Cortez, Massa & Bello Abogados
Estudio Echecopar member firm of Baker McKenzie International
Estudio Rodríguez Angobaldo Abogados
EY Law (Peru)
GSA
Hernández & Cía
Miranda & Amado
Monroy & Shima Abogados
Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Pérez Abogados
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Peru)
Rebaza, Alcázar & De Las Casas
Santivañez Abogados
Yon Ruesta, Sánchez Málaga & Bassino Abogados
Zúñiga Álvarez Abogados
Uruguay
Bergstein Abogados
Dentons Jiménez de Aréchaga
Ferrere (Uruguay)
Guyer & Regules
Posadas
Venezuela
Baker McKenzie (Venezuela)
D’Empaire
Despacho de Abogados miembros de Dentons
Mendoza, Palacios, Acedo, Borjas, Páez Pumar y Cía