Latin Lawyer Elite 2024: the firms

Latin Lawyer Elite firms have each created their own paths towards excellence and show unique areas of strength. Here, we announce this year’s Elite.

The Latin Lawyer Elite 2024 firms lead the way in their respective markets thanks to the outstanding work they do for clients, but also because they invest significant resources in maintaining their competitive edge through astute business development and careful talent management.

For the first time, this year we present International Elite, revealing the international firms that we believe operate at the very top of Latin America’s legal market. The eight firms included in the ranking have all achieved a market-leading position in the region as a result of the strategic vision, investment in local relationships, exceptional legal skills and geographical reach demonstrated by their Latin American practice groups.

To finalise this list of Elite firms, Latin Lawyer has drawn on years of on-the-ground knowledge; data compiled through our own leading independent surveys into management practices, including diversity, international experience and pro bono; our research into each legal marketplace as part of the Latin Lawyer 250; and our ongoing news coverage of the leading deals and cases across Latin America. We have focused on the region’s largest economies – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela – as well as Panama and the Central American region. For the 2024 edition, we added International Elite and it is our intention to add further countries in the near future.

To evaluate firms we have awarded them points in 12 areas of excellence, among them: total volume and value of M&A, capital markets and finance deals, practice area breadth, international exposure, partner to associate ratio, gender diversity and pro bono. You can see a key detailing how we have applied these points in graphics for each firm here.

Since we first launched Latin Lawyer Elite eight years ago we have supplemented our research with conversations with clients through our affiliate publication, the Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA). This is something we have expanded of the years and now we measure contender firms in three areas of excellence from LACCA’s research. These are LACCA Approved (a list of partners personally recommended by top general counsel from around the region), Who represents Latin America's biggest companies? (a list of the law firms representing Latin America’s 100 largest companies, as ranked by revenue) and Who represents Latin America's biggest banks? (a list of the law firms representing Latin America’s 50 largest banks, as ranked by revenue).

The selection process to identify the group of Latin Lawyer Elite firms allows firms to move on or off the list each year. The 2024 list of firms is not exhaustive, but the selected firms are there for good reason. They all bring successful, innovative strategies and experiences to the table.

This year, we reveal the Latin Lawyer 250 Performance Index, which provides a full market view of law firms. Users can easily get instant 360-view of the market to evaluate competitors, identify opportunities and inform their own firm’s business generation strategy. You can access the tool here and more information can be found here.

International

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Clifford Chance LLP

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Milbank

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

White & Case LLP

Argentina

Beccar Varela

Bruchou & Funes de Rioja