DLA Piper’s Lima office has steadily built up its profile in the market, as demonstrated by the firm’s ever-growing ability to land a place on large and complex transactions in Peru, particularly those with cross-border elements. That is an area where the firm has an edge due to its access to the DLA’s international platform. The team in Lima is backed by offices in five other jurisdictions in Latin America.
DLA Piper (Peru) has crafted a name for itself that belies its modest size. The firm is best known for its corporate, banking and project finance and infrastructure teams, areas in which it aims to give competitors a good game. American Tower’s $9.4 billion acquisition of Telefónica’s subsidiary Telxius allowed the firm to flex its muscle, while other highlights include a string of debtor-in-possession loans for LATAM Airline, worth billions of dollars in total.
Recognition of its non-transactional capabilities is also growing. Arbitration and litigation are established offerings, while a developing white-collar crime and compliance group, including criminal law, is already doling out plenty of advice. Meanwhile, DLA Piper restructured its tax practice in Peru and now includes a new private wealth group. The firm is also eyeing the option of carving out stand-alone data privacy and antitrust groups, which currently sit within the corporate department. Energy and natural resources are other areas the partnership wants to add further resources to.
The firm is constantly looking to renew itself and further build on its existing capabilities. It launched a restructuring practice amid the start of the pandemic, while a former partner returned as of counsel to lead the relaunched IP practice. More recently, an experienced tax lawyer joined in 2021 as a partner and a disputes lawyer was promoted to the senior rank.
Clients praise the office for its smart lawyers, flexibility and personalised attention. One client says lawyers are focused on problem-solving and creating value for their company while also describing them as efficient and driven by results.
Alliances & networks
Through its relationship with DLA Piper, the firm is linked to a global network that includes offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.