Latin America
Practice Areas
Nicolás Potdevin Stein is a Partner in the Customs and International Trade practice at Pérez-Llorca. With more than two decades of experience, he advises national and multinational companies on customs law, foreign trade, foreign exchange regulation, and free trade zone regimes. His practice spans litigation, administrative investigations, specialised consulting, business structuring, customs planning, and audits, and combines deep regulatory expertise with a strategic perspective.
Career
Nicolás began his legal career in 2003, later joining a Big Four professional services firm as senior consultant before moving to Pérez-Llorca in 2010. He was named partner in 2022. He is ranked Band 2 in International Trade by Chambers Latin America 2025 and has been recognised as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 2025 in International Trade and Customs.
Personal
Nicolás is a member of the Colombian Institute of Customs Law (ICDA) and the International Bar Association (IBA). A frequent lecturer on customs legislation, he is co academic director of the book Customs Valuation in Colombia and author of several academic papers. He holds a law degree from the Universidad de La Sabana, Chia, and a specialisation in Customs Law from the Universidad Externado de Colombia; as well as diplomas in Rules of Origin in FTAs and International Foreign Exchange Regime (Universidad Externado de Colombia), and Colombian Tax Regime (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia).
Work Highlights
Nicolás has advised companies including Procter & Gamble, Ingredion, GlaxoSmithKline, Zona Franca de Santander, St. Jude Laboratories, Baxter Laboratories, and Bavaria. Representative matters include foreign exchange litigation; the structuring and expansion of free trade zones, including Reficar; and unconstitutionality and annulment actions against tax reforms affecting the customs sanction regime and free trade zones. He also guides clients through regulatory investigations, compliance strategies, and cross border trade operations.