Pérez del Castillo & Asociados

Managing Partner: Matías Pérez del Castillo
Number of partners: 7
Number of professionals: 25
General Contact: Matías Pérez del Castillo
Languages: English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

Firm Overview:
Pérez del Castillo & Asociados is especially renowned for providing comprehensive legal and notarial counsel to national and international clients (both companies and individuals), which operate in Uruguay and abroad. Although the firm deals with foreign matters, it is particularly specialized in rendering services at national level. In this sense, a deep insight of the Uruguayan legal and business environment and its players is its distinctive feature, all of which generates an added value to its clients.

Pérez del Castillo & Asociados counts with an outstanding team of professionals who are highly qualified, and thoroughly analyse the core of its client’s business and needs to provide creative solutions. The team is constantly keeping ahead of the latest laws and regulations, as well as the local and international context, promoting a personalized counsel, efficiency and expeditiousness.

The firm combines the solid expertise of very well-known attorneys with the dynamism of recognised young, top-qualified professionals. In addition to this, the firm regards investment in legal tech as a vital tool to improve lawyers´ performance, productivity, and efficiency.

The firm´s reputation for its legal services is reflected in various Chambers Latin America reviews of the last years. As follows in the current 2021 review:

“Stellar firm with a leading reputation in the labour and employment arena. Regularly advises multinational corporations on labour policy implementation, as well as conducting audits. Highly experienced drafting new collective bargaining agreements and managing existing relationships with unions. Boasts additional expertise on personnel restructuring, along with disputes resulting in litigation and arbitration” (The team)

"This is one of the most prestigious firms in the area and its work is spectacular"; “They are some of the most knowledgeable labour lawyers in the country" (labour department)

“Established team assisting clients with an array of corporate matters. Known to provide corporate advice to banking entities, dealing with day-to-day mandates and M&A. Experienced handling transactions involving publicly traded companies, counselling on share purchase agreements. Provides further assistance with commercial contracts, such as distribution agreements" (corporate team).

Main Areas of Practice:
The firm´s main areas of practice are labour & employment, corporate & M&A, dispute resolution and real estate. In addition to this, the firm offers comprehensive legal services on a wide range of practice areas that include banking and finance, agribusiness, civil law, administrative procedures (permits and authorizations), compliance, data privacy, environmental and renewable energy, family business, investments, mining, and migration, among others.

Corporate & M&A:
Pérez del Castillo & Asociados is recognized for providing comprehensive advice in a wide range of corporate law matters, such as mergers, acquisitions and joint-ventures transactions, shareholders agreements, commercial contracts, corporate governance practices, due diligence operations, corporate restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings, financing, trusts, among others. The firm provides tailor-made advice to foreign companies willing to operate in Uruguay throughout their incorporation process, advising them on the suitable legal structure that best meets their needs, assisting in compliance, legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the request of work permits, visas and residency documents needed for foreign workers.

Last years’ Chambers reviews stated: “Dynamic practice assisting domestic and foreign clients from a broad range of sectors, such as food and beverages, retail and technology. Experienced advising on the negotiation of commercial agreements, shareholder matters and corporate governance issues”.

Labour & Employment:
Pérez del Castillo & Asociados is widely recognized as the number one firm in labour matters in Uruguay. Its qualified attorneys provide legal advice in a broad variety of both individual and collective labour relations matters, conflict prevention (mainly through the implementation of labour practices, policies and negotiations with unions and Government offices), personnel restructuring, audits, collective bargaining, dispute resolution and labour litigation.

Last years’ Chambers Latin America review stated: “Eminent team acting on a broad range of labour and employment cases. Represents both foreign and local companies from various industries, including banks and food and beverage producers. Advises on the implementation of labour policies and conducts audits focused on conflict prevention. Has ample experience handling collective bargaining agreements and negotiations with trade unions, as well as conflicts resulting in both litigation and arbitration”. The firm members expertise is reflected in several ‘best seller’ practical handbooks and papers published by the firm partners and associates covering the most relevant aspects of labour, employment, and social security law, inspiring both court rules and business managers.

Litigation, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution:
Pérez del Castillo has broad experience in defending both companies and individuals in civil, corporate (bankruptcy and enforcement proceedings) and labour litigation procedures, as well as in administrative proceedings before government agencies and the Administrative Court. The professionals of the firm participate in corporate conflicts between companies, shareholders, or directors, acting as private arbitrators and mediators. They also intervene in labour dispute resolution proceedings between employers and employees, and in collective bargaining with unions and government entities seeking to resolve both individual and collective conflicts. Based on legal practitioners’ knowledge and on the judicial and arbitral background, the firm proposes practical tailor- made strategies protecting its clients’ interests, with the aim of settling disputes in the least burdensome and more practical and effective ways.

Notary Services & Real Estate:
Pérez del Castillo offers notary and real estate services. The firm has a strong presence in residential and industrial developments, representing investors, developers, and consumers in different types of transactions including social housing, tourism, leisure, rental offices and urban construction projects, assisting clients in the negotiation and execution of all kinds of agreements, purchase, sale and leases of real estate properties for commercial, industrial or housing purposes. Moreover, the firm has a solid team of professionals with broad experience in structuring real estate agribusiness transactions. Their area of practice further involves active participation in mortgages, pledges, leasing and real estate transactions in general.

Clients:
Pérez del Castillo gives great importance to the confidentiality of its client portfolio. However, the following description of the various sectors and industries in which the firm’s clients operates shows the expertise and specialization of the firm: banking and financial institutions, construction, pharmaceuticals, health and social welfare, industries (textile, leather, tobacco, food, milk and meat industry), other services (logistics, call centres, media, technology, consulting firms and tourism), educational institutions,
agribusiness, renewable energies, telecommunications, transportation and real estate.