Ignacio J. Minorini Lima
Partner at Bruchou & Funes de RiojaWLG Key Contact Partner, Business Development Committee Chair, and Co-chair of WLG’s Energy Group
1) Tell us about the recent merger at Bruchou.
The integration process took more than a year, and the decision arose from a deep affinity in values and high standards of corporate legal services delivery, coupled with a strong complementarity. Through the new unified platform under the same brand and governance, Bruchou & Funes de Rioja will be led by 55 partners covering all the practices required for corporate legal advice in Argentina and leading a team of experts composed of more than 150 lawyers, who will offer excellent services with deep business knowledge.
This new platform has enhanced our full-service capabilities, with more than 20 practice areas, and opened opportunities to develop new business with prospective clients. Cross-selling and perfecting a multi-niche strategy have become key. Within this process, World Law Group constitutes one of the firm’s core elements of its global strategy, strengthening the firm’s capability to provide high-quality, effective, and efficient global legal services to clients and member firms.
2) What is one of your fondest WLG conference memories?
I have good memories of each and every WLG conference. Since my first conference in Houston in 2016, there was something unique in each meeting that made it unforgettable. Certainly, the best part of each conference is the opportunity to meet and create bonds among ourselves. I had to cancel my trip to Lisbon (due to COVID), and it was sad to miss the chance to see everyone again after more than two years.
When it comes to the fun part of the conferences, WLG has pushed me to the limits! It had never crossed my mind that in my very first conference I would end up dancing to country music or, some years after, I would dance the Macarena jointly with top-notch lawyers across the world in Da Nang. Hopefully, there are no videos of that!
3) Can you tell us about a recent WLG collaboration you've worked on with other member firms?
In 2021, Bruchou acted as Lead Latin American counsel in the acquisition by the Werthein Group of DirecTV—Sky's regional business in 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, originally owned by AT&T Inc. The deal was awarded Latin Lawyer Deal of the Year 2021 in the M&A category.
We collaborated closely with Guyer & Regules (Uruguay) and D’Empaire (Venezuela). Both firms led all regulatory, antitrust, and intellectual property matters involved in Uruguay and Venezuela, respectively. This is a great success story and an excellent example of collaboration among three WLG member firms in a high-profile cross-border deal.
4) If someone were to visit your country, what is a must see/do?
There are so many places to see in Argentina. If I had to choose my top three, I would say: (i) the Iguazú Falls, with more than 250 falls, is one of the new natural wonders of the world; (ii) The Glaciers National Park, a gateway to more than 40 glaciers, including the famous Perito Moreno Glacier; and (iii) Buenos Aires, the capital city, with its architecture, magnificent cuisine, and museums.