Source: Latin Lawyer
Latin Lawyer is pleased to present our Leading Lights for 2025, the law firms making a noteworthy contribution to strengthening a culture of pro bono in Latin America.
Several factors played a role in drawing up this list. These include firms’ answers to the survey with regards to institutionalisation of the practice, work done and examples of their recent pro bono cases. We also asked for feedback from clearinghouses and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice and considered the development of firms’ pro bono practices if they participated in earlier surveys, as well as further research. The list includes behemoths of the regional legal community bringing significant resources to bear, and small firms from whom personal dedication can make a significant difference.
This is by no means an exhaustive list (for a start, it only mentions firms that participated in our survey), but we hope it will give readers an idea of the efforts that firms across Latin America are taking to provide free legal services to those in need.
Of course, it should be noted that simply participating in this survey demonstrates awareness among all participants of the need for pro bono, and each one had interesting developments to report. We hope that all respondents will continue to advance their pro bono practices and come back to us to report their efforts in the years to come.
Methodology
Latin Lawyer and the Vance Center draw heavily on responses to the pro bono survey when compiling the list of Leading Lights, so only law firms that participated in the most recent survey are eligible. Firms are compared against others in their jurisdiction. In countries with functioning clearing houses at the time research was conducted (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela), firms are awarded up to 30 points based on their responses to the survey across the following categories: law firm’s pro bono infrastructure (23%), recognition of lawyers’ pro bono work (14%), pro bono work done (43%) and support of clearinghouses (20%). Clearinghouses are also given the opportunity to provide information on the firms they see supporting their organisation and doing a high level of pro bono work. In countries where there was no clearinghouse at the time of research (Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama) points are awarded between the first three categories (law firm’s pro bono infrastructure, recognition of lawyers’ pro bono work and pro bono work done). Those with the most points have a strong chance of being a Leading Light, depending on further considerations and taking into account comparisons within their jurisdiction.
The following firms are our Leading Lights for 2025.
Argentina
Allende & Brea
Beccar Varela
Martínez de Hoz & Rueda
Marval O’Farrell Mairal
MBP Partners
Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen (PAGBAM)
Bolivia
Ferrere (Bolivia)
PPO Indacochea
Brazil
Cescon Barrieu
Demarest Advogados
Lefosse
Machado Meyer Advogados
Mattos Filho
SiqueiraCastro
Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown
TozziniFreire Advogados
Central America
Arias (regional)
Consortium Legal (regional)
Mollerlaw (regional)
Chile
Aninat Abogados
Barros & Errázuriz Abogados
Bofill Mir Abogados
CMS Carey & Allende
Guerrero Olivos
Jara del Favero
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Chile)
Prieto
Colombia
Arrubla Devis
Baker McKenzie (Colombia)
Cuatrecasas (Colombia)
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas
Escandón Abogados
Medellín & Durán Abogados
Pérez-Llorca (Colombia)
Prias Cadavid Abogados
Quarta Acompañamiento de Negocios
Costa Rica
Aguilar Castillo Love (Costa Rica)
BLP (Costa Rica)
Dominican Republic
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández
Ecuador
Pérez Bustamante & Ponce (PBP)
Guatemala
Alta (Guatemala)
Carrillo & Asociados
Clarity Law
Mexico
Baker McKenzie (Mexico)
Basham, Ringe y Correa
BGBG – Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, SC
Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía SC
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez SC
Cuatrecasas (Mexico)
DLA Piper (Mexico)
Hogan Lovells (Mexico)
Holland & Knight (Mexico)
Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes SC
Pérez-Llorca (Mexico)
Von Wobeser y Sierra SC
White & Case (Mexico)
Panama
Morgan & Morgan
Paraguay
Centro de Estudios de Derechos Humanos
Vouga Abogados
Peru
Benites, Vargas & Ugaz Abogados
Hernández & Cía
Monroy & Shima Abogados
Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Pérez Abogados
Uruguay
Ferrere (Uruguay)
Posadas
Venezuela
D’Empaire
Despacho de Abogados miembros de Dentons
Tinoco Travieso Planchart & Núñez
- Thank you to all of this survey’s participating firms for helping us. Those firms that did not request anonymity are listed here.
Argentina
Abeledo Gottheil Abogados SC
Allende & Brea
Baker McKenzie (Argentina)
Beccar Varela
Bomchil
Bruchou & Funes de Rioja
Cerolini & Ferrari Abogados
GFM Abogados
Martínez de Hoz & Rueda
Marval O’Farrell Mairal
MBP Partners
Mitrani Caballero
O’Farrell
Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen (PAGBAM)
Pozo Gowland Abogados
Tavarone Rovelli Salim Miani Abogados
TCA Tanoira Cassagne
Bolivia
CR & F Rojas Abogados
Dentons Guevara & Gutiérrez
Ferrere (Bolivia)
PPO IndacocheaAbogados
Brazil
Azevedo Sette Advogados
BMA Advogados
Cescon Barrieu
Demarest Advogados
Lavez e Coutinho Advogados
Lefosse
Machado Meyer Advogados
Madrona Advogados
Martinelli Advogados
Mattos Filho
Miguel Neto Advogados
Murray Advogados
Peck Advogados
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Possídio, Rosemberg, Espinheira, Sá Advogados
SiqueiraCastro
SoutoCorrea Advogados
Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown
Toron Advogados
TozziniFreire Advogados
Trench Rossi Watanabe
Veirano Advogados
Wongtschowski Kleiman Advogados
Central America
Aguilar Castillo Love
Arias
BLP
Consortium Legal
GarciaBodan
Mollerlaw
Chile
Albagli Zaliasnik
Alessandri
Aninat Abogados
Baker McKenzie (Chile)
Barros & Errázuriz Abogados
Bofill Mir Abogados
Carey
Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos
Claro y Cía
Clyde & Co (Chile)
CMS Carey & Allende
Cuatrecasas (Chile)
FerradaNehme
Guerrero Olivos
Jara del Favero
Kehr Abuid Abogados
Morales & Besa
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Chile)
Porzio Ríos García
PricewaterhouseCoopers Chile
Prieto
Urenda Rencoret Orrego & Dörr
Vergara Galindo Correa Abogados
Colombia
Ariza & Marín
Arrubla Devis
Baker McKenzie (Colombia)
Contexto Legal
Cuatrecasas (Colombia)
Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas
Escandón Abogados
Jaramillo Villamizar
Lloreda Camacho & Co
López & Asociados
Martínez Quintero Mendoza González Laguado & De La Rosa
Medellín & Durán Abogados
Parra Rodríguez Abogados
Pérez-Llorca (Colombia)
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Colombia)
Pinilla, González y Prieto Abogados
Posse Herrera Ruiz
Prias Cadavid Abogados
Quarta Acompañamiento de Negocios
Quip
Serrano Martínez CMA
Uribe Henao Abogados
Veria Asesores
Costa Rica
Facio & Cañas
Dominican Republic
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández
Ecuador
Aguilar Castillo Love (Ecuador)
Dentons Paz Horowitz
Flor Bustamante Pizarro & Hurtado
Pérez Bustamante & Ponce (PBP)
Guatemala
Alta (Guatemala)
Carrillo & Asociados
Clarity Law
Mayora & Mayora (Guatemala)
Nassar Abogados
Palomo Abogados
Honduras
Ulloa & Asociados
Mexico
Baker McKenzie (Mexico)
Basham, Ringe y Correa
BGBG – Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, SC
Cannizzo, Ortiz y Asociados, S.C
CEM Abogados
Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía SC
Creel, García-Cuellar, Aiza y Enríquez SC
Cuatrecasas (Mexico)
DLA Piper (Mexico)
Galicia Abogados
Garrigues (Mexico)
Greenberg Traurig (Mexico)
Hogan Lovells (Mexico)
Holland & Knight (Mexico)
Ibarra, del Paso y Gallego, SC
Jones Day (Mexico)
Maillard Abogados Laborales
Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes SC
Pérez-Llorca (Mexico)
Ritch Mueller
Robles Miaja Abogados
Sainz Abogados
Santos-Elizondo, SC
SMPS Legal
Turanzas, Bravo & Ambrosi
Von Wobeser y Sierra SC
White & Case SC
Nicaragua
CALA Attorneys & Counselors at Law
Panama
Infante & Pérez Almillano
Morgan & Morgan
Paraguay
Aguilar Castillo Love (Paraguay)
Centro de Estudios de Derechos Humanos
Ferrere (Paraguay)
Fiorio, Cardozo & Alvarado
Montero, Palazón & Asociados
Vinclum Abogados & Consultores
Vouga Abogados
Peru
Benites, Vargas & Ugaz Abogados
Cuatrecasas (Peru)
Echecopar
Estudio Colmenares & Asociados
GSA Legal
Hernández & Cía
Miranda & Amado
Monroy & Shima Abogados
Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Pérez Abogados
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (Peru)
Rebaza, Alcázar & De Las Casas
Rodríguez Angobaldo Abogados
Rubio Leguía Normand
Santiváñez Abogados
Valencia
Yon Ruesta, Sánchez Málaga & Bassino Abogados
Uruguay
Bergstein Abogados
Bragard Abogados
Ferrere (Uruguay)
Guyer & Regules
Posadas
Vanrell
Venezuela
Baker McKenzie (Venezuela)
D’Empaire
Despacho de Abogados miembros de Dentons
MENPA – Mendoza, Palacios, Acedo, Borjas, Páez Pumar & Cía
Tinoco Travieso Planchart & Núñez