Latin America continues to be an attractive destination market for international law firms who seek to grow their Latin America footprint and consolidate their presence within the region following their client’s interests, mobility, and international expansion.

The entry of global law firms into Latin America has been a significant trend in recent years. Over the course of our research, we have seen new international law firms opening offices in key jurisdictions such as Chile and Argentina to support their clients with critical issues in the country. 

Building directly on my previous point, law firms lead their efforts to stay competitive and distinguish themselves from competitors by attracting and retaining the best legal talent so that they can deliver high-quality legal services and advice.

With that in mind, we have seen a significant number of team moves and lateral hires across several jurisdictions over the past 12 months. A noteworthy trend is the rise of new boutique legal offerings, mergers and spin-offs in the legal market, not only as the result of the economic and political challenges and the ever-evolving legal landscape but also the increasing demand for specialist legal services, especially in areas such as tax, environment, IP, compliance and fintech.   

Another trend worth mentioning is the steady development of venture capital investments in Latin America. 

The venture capital ecosystem in Latin America continues to experience a remarkable transformation across the region, becoming a thriving hub of an unprecedented number of fast-growing start-ups. Countries such as Argentina, Chile and Mexico concentrate the largest share of venture capital investment, with FinTechs, e-commerce and tech companies sitting at the top of the unicorn’s horn.

To watch the full Chamers Latin America 2024 Guide launch, click here.