Carlos A. Espindola-Scarpetta

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Leaders in Law endorses Carlos A. Espindola-Scarpetta as our exclusively recommended Trade Law expert in Colombia. If you wish to get in touch with Carlos, please use the contact information provided above.

Founder of the firm Espíndola International Consultants, created in 1979, which has been dedicated to specialized subjects such as International Contracting, Private International Law, International Conflict Resolution, Maritime Law, Transportation Law, International Trade, Compliance and Customs Law.

Professor in Graduate programs in Customs Law and International Trade, International Business Law and Contracting, at Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Bogtotá/Cali and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali.

Areas of Expertise

  • Customs Law & Exchange Control regulations
  • Foreign Investment
  • M&A
  • International Contracting
  • Private International Law
  • International Conflict Resolution
  • Maritime Law
  • Transport Law
  • International Trade
  • Compliance
  • Customs Law

Education

  • Doctor in Jurisprudence Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario
  • Bogotá and L.L.M., Master of Laws, from Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana. USA.

Memberships

  • Member of the Academic Comission at the Instituto Colombiano de Derecho Tributario y Aduanero (ICDTA)
  • Pannelist and author of many articles and papers published by the ICDTA, Bogotá, Colombia.
  • Chair of the International Trade and Business Committee at the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, Sur Occidente, AMCHAM, Cali, Colombia.

Experience
In his long career Carlos has advised the main national and international companies, such as ADM Colombia, Cadbury Adams, Abbott, Sanofi, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, among others.

International Trade
We advise our clients and accompany them in the planning, analysis and implementation of alternatives that allow the optimization of their resources and sustainability of their business in the areas of Foreign Trade and International Business, offering as an added value in our services the experience and innovation of the global consultants team.

Service portfolio

  • Accompaniment and advice on Procedures and Procedures of Customs and Foreign Trade, claims and appeals before competent authorities.
  • Advice on customs valuation, antidumping practices and trade defense measures such as safeguards and countervailing duties.
  • Audits and implementation of Compliance Manuals in Customs, Tax and Exchange for International Operations and Foreign Trade.
  • Training and education on international contracting, international business and internationalization strategies.
  • Consultancies on tariff classifications, splitting and tariff and / or tax effects.
  • Consultancy in the implementation of international trade terms (“Incoterms”).
  • Design of strategies for the use of Foreign Trade Promotion Mechanisms.
  • Customs planning and transnational operations of goods and services flow.

Firm Description:

Espindola International Consultants, created in 1979, is an office of lawyers and consultants specializing in national and international business and international trade. Our office is a versatile, flexible, professional and competitive lawyer organization that has successfully addressed the legal and strategic needs of Colombian and multinational companies located throughout the Americas, respecting the highest professional and ethical standards.

We are prepared to accompany entrepreneurs to face the challenges derived from the trend of regional, and worldwide integration, creating projects, designing strategies and practical solutions within multijurisdictional legal parameters. Our portfolio of services includes participation in the decision-making processes of our clients, not only from a legal perspective, but also from a strategic point of view through integrated logistics.

In Colombia we have offices in Cali and Bogota D.C., as well as correspondent offices in the most important financial centers of the world. The Legal 500 rankings , Tier 1, Latin America, 2022. Prior years ranked by The Legal 500, Top Firm.

 

Gabriel Buscarini Leutewiler

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Leaders in Law endorses Gabriel Buscarini Leutewiler as our exclusively recommended Trade Law expert in Brasil. If you wish to get in touch with Gabriel please use the contact information provided above.

Gabriel Buscarini Leutewiler is a partner at Santos Neto Advogados, and co-head of the agribusiness, project finance, trade finance, capital markets, OTC and derivatives, real estate, corporate finance, and banking departments of the firm. Gabriel is a former in-house counsel at Louis Dreyfus Company and a former associate at major Brazilian law firms focused on financial and capital markets (mainly private funds), and corporate law. Gabriel’s vast experience includes helping foreign and local investors to structure and implement debt transactions in Brazil, and advising local players on the structure of securitisation transactions in respect of any assets. Internationally, he is distinguished his responsiveness and promptness in identifying and solving problems, as well as his ability to provide very personalised services and a high level of commitment and availability.

Gabriel has a PhD in commercial law from the University of São Paulo and a master’s degree in contractual law from the University of Avignon. Gabriel is a speaker at conferences and the author of several articles, published in specialist media, on agribusiness, capital markets, banking and general commercial law.

Firm Description:

Santos Neto Advogados (“SNA”) is a full service law firm, founded in 1992. Over the years, the firm stood out in Banking and Finance, Agribusiness, Trade Finance, Corporate Restructuring, Capital Markets, Litigation, Corporate, Labor and Tax law, with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.

With lead offices in São Paulo, Brazil and branch offices in New York City, USA, SNA offers a whole new concept of lawyering called “lean full service”, where each lawyer offers specialty services in two or three areas of law, to keep legal teams lean and efficient, driven to fully understanding the client’s business need with whom we aim to build close and strong relationships.

SNA also has strategic partnerships with foreign lawyers and even counts with an internal consultant in foreign law, that allows expanding the provision of legal services to other jurisdictions besides Brazil, highlighting France and New York State (USA).

 

Dr. Thomas M. Nitsche

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Leaders in Law endorses Dr. Thomas M. Nitsche as our exclusively recommended Trade Law expert in Germany. If you wish to get in touch with Dr. Nitsche please use the contact information provided above.

Dr. Thomas M. Nitsche, born 6 August 1970, studied law with focus on international business transactions (Prof. Dr. Oscar Hartwieg) at the Universities of Göttingen and Hannover, Germany, and Cambridge UK (Trinity College). He was a research assistant for foreign and international law at the Max-Planck Institute in Hamburg. During that time and later at the Universidad Austral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he wrote his dissertation with the topic: “Konzernfolgeverantwortung nach lex fori concursus”. The thesis deals with international corporate and insolvency law, especially EU/Germany/Argentina. Main focus is the legal risk assessment for the capital transfer and the processing of credit-financed commercial transactions.

He completed his legal clerkship at the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg. He gained practical experience in the German embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1999 as well as with the law firm Pritchard Englefield, London, Curschmann (Taylor Wessing), Hamburg, and with Arthur Andersen, AndersenLegal in Hamburg.

Dr. Thomas Nitsche works in international and national corporate and insolvency law as well as in trade law. Beside the recapitalisation of companies (corporate finance), he does consulting in risk assessment for project financing and international commercial transactions on the side of investors, banks and initiators.

Practice Areas:

– Corporate Law
– Insolvency Law
– Trade Law, UN Sales Law (CISG)
– Litigation and Arbitration
– Criminal Business Law

Languages:

– German
– English
– Spanish

Firm Description

The company, since 15 years

Brief overview of the law firm’s history and current national and international presence.

The firm was founded in 2003 in Hamburg by a former Andersen lawyer, Dr. Thomas M. Nitsche. By the end of 2005 nitschelegal has launched his own branch office in Berlin within a joint corporation with TLC. The Berlin office established within one year a well known reputation in tax law. nitschelegal is located in London, Hamburg, Berlin with affiliated offices in Buenos Aires, Rio, Santiago, Palma, Cannes, Roma, Milan, Düsseldorf.

The character of nitscheLegal

nitscheLegal is a typical corporate law firm. Within managing restructuring processes for small an medium sized companies, the firm could establish his own successful style based on the academic and practical experience of the founder. Doctorate thesis: “Konzernfolgeverantwortung nach lex fori concursus”. The firm gives advice in corporate finance matters, especially under comprehension of international and national insolvency regulations.

Due to the fact of this special expertise, the firm is now assigned by banks and private equity funds to execute due diligences for new projects. The main focus of nitschelegal is the company law field. The distinction of the nitschelegal boutique is the composition of corporate and insolvency law, which can not be found in equal law firms. The firm serves in national and international affairs and has a well known reputation , especially in Latin-American subjects.

Strengths and changes of the crisis

The main strengths of nitscheLegal is the daily update in all company, tax and insolvency legal matters.

The firm is now requested to assist in upcoming new projects, rather in the field of winding up processes. The restructuring praxis, distressed M&A is still one of the main items, but the assignment for structuring processes is taking a more and more important place. Same mistakes should not be done twice.

The most relevant point is, that the nitschelegal boutique is able to assist in critical situations very fast. The client can bank on the experiences of the well trained lawyers.

nitschelegal is part of IRG. This alliance has grown by practise experiences with these law firms, so all lawyers within this alliance do know each other an are able to manage cases cross border.

 

Dr. Philip Haellmigk, LL.M.

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Leaders in Law endorses Dr. Philip Haellmigk as our exclusively recommended Export Control Law and Trade Law expert in Germany. If you wish to get in touch with Dr. Haellmigk please use the contact information provided above.

Attorney at law (Germany)

Solicitor (England and Wales)

Licencié en Droit (France)

Dr. Haellmigk is the founding partner of HAELLMIGK and heads the firm. He has practised foreign trade and export control law for more than 10 years. Dr. Haellmigk is a leading expert on export control, embargoes/sanctions and other export compliance matters. Dr. Haellmigk is particularly well regarded for his very strong capabilities in the advice on EU and international sanctions regimes. 

Philip is admitted both as a German lawyer and as a solicitor (England and Wales). Further, he holds a degree in French law (Licence en Droit). Besides his academic training in Germany and England, Philip first studied violin and the piano. He then studied law in Germany, France Switzerland, the United States, England and Scotland. After his postgraduate studies in Scotland, where he focused on comparative law, he was awarded a LL.M. degree. He also holds a PhD in comparative law.

Philip is a frequent contributor to legal journals, handbooks and newspapers. He is a highly-sought-after speaker on export control matters. Philip is also a lecturer at international business schools where he teaches international business and contract law.

Philip is fluent in English, French and German. He also speaks Spanish and Italian and has basic knowledge in Mandarin.

Firm description

HAELLMIGK is a leading boutique law firm in Germany for export compliance matters. HAELLMIGK focuses on providing legal services in the areas export control, embargos/sanctions, compliance, commercial matter and all other regulatory aspects of trade. 

Its legal services include:

– Advice on EU and national export controls

– Advice on US export controls

– Support in the classification of goods, representation before the authorities in relation to information requests

– Advice on shipments within and outside of the European Union

– Advice on trade restrictions due to current embargos/sanctions

– Support in customs laws issues: customs simplifications, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), customs audit

– Carrying out internal export control audits: analysis of sensitive shipments, assessment of classification lists, analysis of process instruction

– Support in the organisation and setup of internal export control compliance processes (Internal Compliance Programme): preparation of procedure instructions, implementation of working procedures, setup of an export control management

– Advice on the appointment of persons responsible for export and export control

– Support in the integration of export control compliance software, IT solutions for export control

– Preparation of voluntary disclosures of export control law infringements, representation before the authorities

– Foreign trade audits: preparation of companies, communication with the auditing authorities

– Representing companies and the management board in criminal and administrative proceedings

– Contractual advice: review of export and supply agreements, agreements with subcontractors and logistics companies, Incoterms, CISG

– German and English seminars for the management, senior staff, export and logistics departments

 

János Zafír

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János Zafir, Head of the firm, born in 1949 and graduated from ELTE University’s Faculty of Law in 1975. Following his graduation hewas working as a company lawyer, later as Head of the Legal Department at one of the biggest international freight forwarding companies in Budapest. He founded his law firm in 1987 with three of his colleagues. Mr. Zafir is a lawyer specialised in international trade; his areas of expertise are International Freight Forwarding Law and International Insurance Law. He has published several books and articles in these fields, was a lecturer at the Institute of Post-graduate Legal Studies as well as at the College of International Management and Business in Budapest.

Trade Law Practice:

We prepare national and international contracts of sale and contracting agreements; we provide legal assistance in Corporate Law cases and represent our clients in legal proceedings before the Courts and Arbitration. Our main areas of expertise are International Freight Forwarding-Transport Law and International Insurance Law; our firm being one of the most prominent ones in these areas in Hungary.

Zafir Law Office:

Zafir Law Office was established in 1987 as one of the first law firms specialising in Economic Law cases. Besides possessing a Juris Doctor masters, our members all have specialised post-graduate qualifications in International Trade Law, Insurance Law or Company Law and gained professional experience at the legal departments of big corporations. Our firm cooperates with well-known Western European, Asian and American law firms. We have been working with a number of prestigious Hungarian and international corporations.

Samir Hadjiyev

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PwC Azerbaijan:

We know that value goes beyond a single engagement, or a single result. Value is defined by a relationship—one that is born of an intelligent, engaged, highly collaborative process. As our client, you expect us to understand your business, and the unique context within which you define value. With our global network, our people, tools and experience, we are ready and able to help you achieve that value wherever you do business.

Rafique Bachour

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Rafique has worked in offices around our network (London, New York, and Brussels). He has an LLM in international business law, and combines a strong commercial edge with a global outlook. His practice focuses on all aspects of European competition law, with a particular emphasis on projects with a worldwide angle.
On mandates, his first priority is to understand his clients’ business and commercial objectives. He maintains close contact with his client teams in order to ensure collaborative working relationships and the confidence and peace of mind that his clients appreciate.
He has built significant sectoral experience through transactions in the chemicals and plastics, mining, and air transport and rail sectors, among others. He works in mainly global teams for clients in Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Australia, South Africa and Russia. His multinational clients come to him for practical, creative solutions based on a thorough understanding of how their industry operates.
Rafique complements his client work by lecturing in competition law at King’s College London and the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
Firm Overview:

We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for help on the mandates that matter most to them, wherever in the world that may be.

To succeed, we must be widely recognised as standing apart from other firms because our people are exceptional and because we are international and integrated in the way we work, we add value in everything we do and we are uncompromisingly committed to our values.