D'Empaire’s banking, finance and restructuring team maintains a steady presence in the Venezuelan market, assisting both local and international clients across a wide spectrum of financial matters. The firm is regularly sought after for its experience in advising on complex restructuring processes and cross-border finance issues. Practice co-heads Fulvio Italiani and Carlos Omaña are active across regulatory, compliance and transactional mandates, including real estate and international finance. The wider team includes Inés Parra, Roberto Mas and Roland Pettersson, who are engaged on various corporate finance and restructuring matters.

Dentons‘ banking and finance team offers a comprehensive service to international financial institutions, with experience spanning acquisition finance, debt and equity transactions, and debt restructuring. The practice is also active in advising on fintech developments and regulatory issues linked to the Venezuelan market, including those arising from US economic sanctions. Rubén Eduardo Luján leads the team and regularly advises on asset-based and energy-related financings. Daniela Jaimes brings particular expertise in financings within the energy sector, while Natalija Vojvodic has notable experience in project finance and related matters.

Lega is a reference in the market for banking and finance matters, providing a full-service offering including advising on complex financial transactions and the establishment of investment funds for national and international banks, as well as corporate clients. The team is jointly steered by José Alberto Ramírez, who handles complex international financial structures for government entities, and Pedro Urdaneta, a specialist in cross-border transactions for large multinational companies, financial institutions, and private equity investors. Miguel Rivero is equipped to handle foreign investments for oil, gas, mining and steel companies, with extensive knowledge of the impact of Venezuelan laws on such investments. Elias Tarbay is also a key team member.

Mendoza, Palacios, Acedo, Borjas, Paez Pumar & Cia. advises a broad range of financial institutions on transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. The firm has developed a strong focus on advising on the financial implications of international sanctions, with Diego Lepervanche and Luisa Lepervanche leading this area. They are work alongside Manuel Acedo Sucre and Luisa Acedo, particularly on compliance and insurance-related issues. The practice also handles syndicated lending, project finance and restructuring, and regularly assists both local and international banks on contractual and regulatory matters. Carlos Eduardo Acedo is recognised for his work in the insurance and reinsurance space.

Covering the entire scope of banking and finance matters, the team at Araquereyna advises on corporate, private, and investment banking, alongside trusts, capital markets, insurance, and crypto-asset issues. Pedro Luis Planchart advises financial institutions on contractual, regulatory, and negotiation issues, while Gustavo J. Reyna handles a mix of securities and exchange control issues, for both public and private sector clients. The team also includes Pedro Ignacio Sosa Mendoza and Juan José Figueroa, who focuses on matters concerning the stock market.

Joining the rankings this year is Arnstein Legal S.C., a firm which provides advisory services covering corporate finance, insurance, capital markets and exchange control regulations. The team is led by Alfonso Porras Machado, whose experience includes advising multinational companies on high-stakes negotiations in corporate finance, debt restructuring and securities matters. Other members of the team include senior associate Froila Eugenia Pimentel and associate José Ignacio Arcaya, both of whom have extensive experience in corporate finance and other financial transactions.

Baker McKenzie advises on a wide spectrum of financial matters, including acquisition and project finance, structured finance, financial restructurings and regulatory compliance. The firm often coordinates with its international network to support clients on cross-border transactions. Practice heads Eugenio Hernández-Bretón and Jesús Dávila are well versed in regulatory issues affecting international financial institutions, as is María Eugenia Salazar-Furiati. Senior associates Adriana Gonçalves and Marie Roschelle Quintero also play active roles in the team.

InterJuris Abogados advises a broad range of financial service providers, including banks, fintech companies, and multilateral organisations, on domestic and international banking and finance matters. The firm is recognised for its knowledge of the evolving legal framework around digital assets, and team members are active in industry discussions on crypto-related developments in Venezuela. Operating from Caracas, Miami and Madrid, the team is well placed to handle cross-border matters and support international clients with their regional strategies. Juan José Delgado focuses on project finance throughout Latin America, while Antonio Ramírez brings expertise in investment structuring and protection. Gonzalo Pérez and José Alejandro Corbán Obadía are also prominent members of the team.

LEC Abogados maintains a well-established banking and finance practice, with particular strength in sovereign and quasi-sovereign matters. The team frequently advises international financial institutions and multilateral organisations on lending structures and has notable experience of supporting counterparties involved in debt restructuring and refinancing, including transactions linked to Venezuela’s state-owned enterprises. Leopoldo Cadenas advises on project finance and cross-border lending, while Rodolfo Belloso has a focus on debt restructuring and infrastructure finance. Associate Sabrina Pérez Viña also plays an active role in the practice.