Guyer & Regules has garnered an impeccable reputation for its sophisticated legal expertise and industry know-how, undoubtedly placing the firm as one of the two leaders in the Uruguayan market. Its esteemed transactional prowess has been forged over the firm’s 100-year-long history. Its track record distinguishes it as one of the two most sought-after and prestigious firms in the country.
Guyer & Regules’ internationally minded leadership is steered by highly accomplished partners that continue to attract a star-studded roster of clients from all over the world, which is a pull also for vastly experienced talent from rival firms. Its lawyers are often educated at Ivy League institutions and have held positions at international law firms. This global reach helps with deal flow, with the firm estimating that more than half of its work comes from clients outside of Uruguay. This international mindset allows it to tap into a steady flow of work from household names such as Petrobras, Telefónica and Shell.
The firm’s penchant for cross-border mandates is an important draw for its prominent client roster, time and again, and it has built a rock-solid foundation for adding new names to that list. It manages multi-jurisdictional mandates with impressive ease and dexterity.
Guyer & Regules has a healthy clientele, featuring some of the most sought-after clients on the market, which gives a clear indication of the talent on offer here. The firm represents international clients operating across the full spectrum of sectors, including financial, retail, agribusiness, internet, software, real estate, fintech, energy, and oil and gas industries. Regional companies such as LATAM Airlines and AES are also among those that regularly rely on Guyer & Regules when operating in Uruguay, in addition to América Móvil and Petrobras. Recent research into “Who Represents Latin America’s Biggest Companies”, conducted by the Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA) which is affiliated to Latin Lawyer, finds that out of the top 100 largest companies operating in Latin America, Guyer & Regules advises 30. This is no mean feat when considering the size of the Uruguayan market.
Year after year, Guyer & Regules records a high volume of deals in the M&A, project finance and capital markets groups. It was even the busiest firm in Uruguay in 2022, according to Latin Lawyer’s Deal Tracker Report. However, Guyer & Regules’ core practice groups are perfectly complemented by equally impressive non-transactional departments. The firm tends to oversee sophisticated antitrust, tax and litigation work. It also helped with the passing of Uruguay’s merger control reform last year. This expansive spectrum of expertise feeds into a multidisciplinary approach that allows Guyer & Regules to market itself as a one-stop firm in terms of legal services, often leading clients to return for several matters.
Guyer & Regules is also well equipped to oversee deals in Uruguay’s buzzing fintech market. The firm made history when it advised on a US$200 million funding round for Uruguayan fintech company dLocal. The financing pushed the company over the billion-dollar valuation threshold, making it Uruguay’s first unicorn. As fintech laws evolve across Latin America, it remains to be seen whether Uruguay will crack down on the unregulated sector, but Guyer & Regules is well positioned to advise clients looking to explore a burgeoning market.
The firm uses a lockstep compensation system, which according to the management fosters healthy relationships across the staff. Guyer & Regules is dedicated to promoting diversity both among its employees and in the wider local legal market. Its diversity committee is highly active and has conducted internal training in unconscious bias, to reduce incidences of prejudice. The firm has also implemented a sustainability committee under its corporate social responsibility framework, looking to grow environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives within the firm. Guyer & Regules strongly believes that ESG and pro bono strategies should be integrated and combined, with the pro bono coordinator describing the practice as one of the firm’s sustainability goals. For this, and its decades of work helping some of the most vulnerable in Uruguay, Guyer & Regules was given the Latin Lawyer Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year Award in 2023.
Management
Nicolás Piaggio took over as co-managing partner in January 2023, alongside accountancy partner Nicolás Juan. They replaced Nicolás Herrera, who had led the firm for more than two decades. At the same time, the firm refreshed its executive committee. The members now include legal partners Piaggio, Corina Bove and Federico Susena, as well as accountancy professionals Juan and Diego Licio.
Offices
Guyer & Regules is headquartered in Montevideo and has an additional office in the city’s free trade zone, an important draw for international clients. The firm also maintains an office in the tourist hotspot Punta del Este. It has also inaugurated an office in the affluent suburb of Carrasco in Montevideo to meet client demand.
Alliances & networks
Guyer & Regules is a member of Lex Mundi, World Services Group, Multilaw, World Law Group, Club de Abogados and Interlex.