Baker & McKenzie opens doors in Peru

US law firm Baker & McKenzie is to expand its presence in South America by merging with a Lima-based legal practice, becoming the first global player to launch an office in Peru, the Chicago-based lawyers announced yesterday.

Peru: Bakers cuts deal with Estudio Echecoper

The deal with Estudio Echecoper will be Baker’s 15th office in Latin America and the 72nd worldwide.

Andean Three

Expansion to Peru will be seen as recognition of the potential importance of the rapidly growing economies in the ‘Andean Three’--Peru, Chile, and Colombia -- which many predict will grow faster than Brazil and Mexico over the next five years. Recently, the three nations have developed close free-trade ties and have merged their stock exchanges to encourage investment.
‘Clients increasingly are looking to Latin America -- and especially the promising nations of the Andean Three -- for growth opportunities as well as resources,’ said Eduardo Leite, chairman of Baker & McKenzie’s executive committee. ‘We have worked with the talented lawyers of Estudio Echecoper for more than a decade and could not have found a stronger team to help us meet our clients’ growing needs.’

Eager to grow

Founded in 1950, Estudio Echecoper employs more than 200 lawyers and staff and is renowned regionally for its banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, mining and energy, and foreign investment practices.
‘The combination of our rich local knowledge and experience with the global resources and reach of Baker & McKenzie will open new doors for our domestic clients and create opportunities for our lawyers and staff to serve an expanded roster of international companies eager to grow in Peru,’ commented Estudio Echecopar managing partner Ismael Noya.

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