Venezuelan law firm Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque has expanded its corporate, labor, and dispute resolution practices with the incorporation of all nine lawyers on the staff of boutique Mangieri Benavente & Asociados (MBA). Both firms have been based in Caracas. The incorporation represents a crucial component of a strategic initiative set in motion two years ago.
“[These practice] areas are in high demand from clients because of the new laws and regulations introduced under former President Hugo Chávez and because traditionally those are areas that are a priority for companies in jurisdictions such as Venezuela,” Luis López-Durán, co-managing partner of Hoet Pelaez, said. “The incorporation of MBA Abogados is a strategic move that forms part of a long-term plan to maintain the firm's position at the top of the market. In order to stay at the top, it is necessary to adapt and this is what the firm has done, by responding to clients' increasing demands for services in the tax and labor areas.”
The senior founding partner of MBA, Pablo Benavente, comes to Hoet Pelaez as equity partner, Mark Melilli-Silva as partner, Leopoldo Ignacio Sarria as junior partner and the rest of the team – Alfredo Jose Lameda Venero, Victoria Montero, Barbara Campisciano, Karen Torres, Isabel Pestana de Freitas, and Andres Chacon – as associates.
With this move, the labor department has more than doubled, from 6 to 13 lawyers. The 71-year old firm now has 54 lawyers, including 26 partners.
Seven of the lawyers joining Hoet Pelaez have developed a specialty in labor law and litigation, including commercial litigation, while two lawyers focus on corporate transactional matters. Benavente, who has racked up nearly 20 years of experience, advises on individual and collective labor matters; Melilli-Silva has 14 years’ experience advising local and international corporations on labor, civil and commercial litigation as well as IP litigation. Sarriaand Montero bring their corporate practice to Hoet Pelaez.
Moreover, MBA brings with it a number of national and multinational clients, such as Diageo Venezuela, Ferrostaal de Venezuela, China Aluminum International Engineering Co., Servicios Médicos Asismed (Clínica La Urbina), Farmacia Locatel (Master Franchise), Consorcio Credicard, C.A., La Oriental de Seguros, S.A., Seguros Guayana, Corporación Digitel, Spirax Sarco, Impsa,and Rotork Control de Venezuela.
Benavente called the merger an exciting opportunity.
“We will now be able to take our services to the next level with the full-service platform provided by HPCD,” he said. “We look forward to combining our expertise and experience and providing clients with comprehensive services of the highest quality.”
In October 2012, the firm added one partner and two associates to the tax department from KPMG in Caracas.