FERRERE is pleased to announce the addition of three new partners to the firm as of January 1, 2018: Carlos Falco, Isabel Laventure and Manuel Lecuona. The firm will now have a total of 26 regional partners, consolidating its practice in key areas such as tax disputes, real estate deals and the booming renewable energy industry.

Carlos Falco, who graduated from Universidad de la República as a lawyer and notary public, joined FERRERE in 2007. His practice focuses on counselling on development of real estate transactions, agribusiness, and real estate litigation.

He has worked on designing the legal structuring and financing of Uruguay’s largest residential condominium venture, as well as counselling on the acquisitions of the country’s first REIT (real estate investment trust). He also advises foreign investors in important residential building developments in Punta del Este. He is a professor in the Real Estate Transaction Specialization Diploma graduate program at Universidad ORT (Uruguay). Carlos is recommended by international publications in his area and clients praise him as “a spectacularly innovative problem solver”.

Isabel Laventure, a lawyer with a degree from Universidad de Montevideo, and an LLM from Columbia Law School, joined FERRERE in 2004. Her practice focuses on tax advice and litigation, as well as corporate matters. She also worked at the FERRERE Paraguay office in 2009. Isabel is regularly involved in deal structuring and tax planning for numerous local and foreign companies, including Sequoia's first private equity In Latin America.  She also has an intense litigation practice and has participated actively in leading cases in taxes, including successfully challenging the shutdown of Uruguay's largest supermarket chain, actions for legislative liability for violation of tax exemption guarantees contained in the Forestry Law, and nullity of the regulations on cross-border income in digital markets

She teaches several courses at the Taxation Department of Universidad ORT (Uruguay). International publications praise Isabel as an "excellent" practitioner” who has “considerable strength in tax consultancy and disputes, having led several litigations against the tax authority.”

Manuel Lecuona, a lawyer with a degree from Universidad de la República, joined the firm in 2004. He advises on company mergers and acquisitions, as well as Company Law matters, where he has counseled clients on optimization of corporate structures and successfully led cases of conflicts between shareholders and between shareholders and directors of diverse companies.

Manuel is professor of Commercial Contracts at the School of Law of Universidad de Montevideo.

In recent years, he has had a relevant participation in the energy sector, leading several projects related to the installation of renewable energy plants. He is recognized by several international publications as a professional who is “very strong in corporate regulation”.

The new partners will be based at FERRERE’s Uruguay offices.

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FERRERE’s managing partner, Agustín Mayer West, said: "It is a great honor to announce that Carlos, Isabel and Manuel are joining the team of FERRERE partners. These three professionals have been part of the firm for over ten years, playing important roles in three key areas for our business, and who will now continue to contribute from positions of leadership in the organization."

He added: "I am proud to have seen them grow as professionals and individuals, and I have no doubt that they will play a fundamental role in our strategic development, set in a legal market that faces great changes and challenges."