Vizquerra, Córdova & Gálvez Abogados

Managing Partner: Carlos Raúl Vizquerra
Partners: Luis E Córdova, Elizabeth Nima, Shirley Gamarra
Number of partners: 4
Number of other lawyers: 11

Firm Overview:
Founded in 1984 as Estudio Gálvez Abogados, Vizquerra, Córdova & Gálvez Abogados defines itself as a legal powerhouse boutique that has developed its reputation as one of the leading law firms specialized in oil and gas matters related to the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons. In 2008, Vizquerra, Córdova & Gálvez Abogados added on some new members and expanded its specialized professional practice, positioning itself as well in corporate law, projects, mergers and acquisitions, tax law, environmental law, and labor law. Vizquerra, Córdova & Gálvez Abogados has participated in relevant international and local projects and transactions for the Peruvian legal market, which has been recognized by the main publications dedicated to performing studies of the practice of law.

CONTACTS
Contacts: Carlos Raúl Vizquerra, Luis E Córdova

Main Areas of Practice:

Administrative: 11%
Corporate/M&A: 20%
Energy & Natural Resources, Oil & Gas: 25%
Environmental: 10%
Financial: 5%
Labour / Immigration: 10%
Real Estate: 5%
Tax: 14%

Administrative:
The firm provides advice on the obtaining of general and sectorial permits, authorizations, and licenses required by Peruvian regulations during the initial investment stage, as well as their renewal for ongoing activities. It also ensures compliance with the applicable administrative regulations. The firm provides preventive advice on administrative matters, supporting the adaptation of the activities to the applicable regulatory changes of their respective sectors or specific municipal jurisdictions.

Corporate/M&A:
 The firm provides legal advice on corporate planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate aspects related to ongoing activities, relations among shareholders, corporate governance, and compliance policies. In mergers and acquisitions operations, the firm conducts legal audits (due diligence) of the target companies, which involve multidisciplinary participation of the different areas of the firm.

Energy & Natural Resources, Oil & Gas:
The firm advises its clients on the regulatory legal aspects related to hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation activities in Peru. It also provides legal advice on the participation of public tenders or direct negotiations to execute license agreements for the exploration and/or exploitation of hydrocarbons in Peru’s different basins. The firm participates in the preparation and negotiation of farm-in, farm-out and joint operation agreements related to the transfer of participating interests and investments, respectively, in license agreements for the exploration and/or exploitation of hydrocarbons. The firm provides advice on the particularities of the tax, labor and environmental legislation of the hydrocarbons sector.

Environmental:
The firm provides advice on the planning of the environmental management of new projects and ongoing activities in different industrial and productive sectors. Also on the preparation, evaluation and approval of environmental management instruments before the competent environmental authorities. It also gives direct consulting for compliance with environmental obligations, including the filing of annual environmental reports, statements and solid waste management plans, hazardous solid waste manifests, compliance reports, among others.

Financial:
The firm provides consulting on a wide range of national and international credit operations, negotiating financing contracts, trusts and guarantees in general. Also participates as advisors in bond issuances, securitized bonds and other debt securities. The firm provides legal advice on investment funds, REITs, and in general on regulatory issues related to the fulfillment of obligations before the Peruvian Securities and Exchange Commission and Peruvian Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Pension Fund Management Companies.

Labour / Immigration:
The firm provides comprehensive and preventive advice on labor matters, implementation of personnel hiring policies, planning of labor strategies and verification of the adequate fulfillment of labor obligations. It has experience in the planning and development of remuneration policies and salary bands, implementation of prevention policies, investigation and punishment procedures for sexual harassment at work, execution of outsourcing services and/or labor intermediation. The firm advises and represents its clients on labor judicial proceedings and administrative proceedings before the National Superintendency for Labor Audits (SUNAFIL), the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion and the Peruvian Social Security Institute (ESSALUD). The firm also provides advice on immigration procedures for obtaining residence visas according to their various categories, such as a worker's residence visa, an investor visa, an independent professional visa, among others.

Real Estate:
The firm provides legal advice on real estate matters of urban and agricultural properties, which includes the examination of titles, habilitation, property title clearance, accumulation, municipal certificate of construction and real estate partition. It also advices on the obtaining of the different authorizations, permits or licenses required for the various types of real estate property, which includes water and dumping permits. Likewise, in the acquisition processes the firm verifies the existence and compliance of such permits.

Tax:
The firm provides advise tax audit procedures and other control actions initiated by the Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration (SUNAT) and other tax administrations, such as municipalities, the Supervisory Body for Investment in Energy and Mining (OSINERGMIN) and the Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA); on business reorganizations and business acquisition processes; tax planning and preventive advice; as well as on reviews of compliance with formal tax obligations. It also provides legal sponsorship in non-contentious administrative proceedings (tax refunds, invested capital certifications), as well as in contentious administrative proceedings (claims or appeals) and legal proceedings in tax matters. The firm provides legal advice on matters regarding expatriates, non-domiciled operations and the application of Avoidance of Double Taxation agreements signed by Peru. International Work: The firm has experience assisting domestic and international clients in cross-border transactions and its practice complies with the global standards of quality, efficiency and personal involvement.

Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, German.

Clients:
The firm clients mainly belong to the following sectors: oil and gas, energy, pharmaceutical, mining, manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, logistic operators, and retail. The firm’s clients include companies from Algeria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Scotland, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, and Vietnam.