Cali, officially Santiago de Cali, is Colombia’s third-largest city, with an estimated 2.2m residents. Situated in the southwest of the country, the city is the principal urban and commercial hub of Valle del Cauca, a department recognised for its industrial and agricultural output. Cali is the only major Colombian city with direct access to the Pacific Ocean via the port of Buenaventura — the country’s most important Pacific gateway — through which around 42% of Colombia’s foreign trade passes.

The legal market in Cali reflects these economic strengths, with notable activity in international trade, customs and tax law. Local firms also advise on matters arising from the region’s manufacturing, agribusiness and industrial sectors, which include significant sugar cane, coffee, pharmaceutical and chemical production. This diversified economic base generates steady demand for expertise in corporate and commercial law, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution.

In recent years, Cali — which is home to several large technology companies, including Carvajal and Óptima — has also been positioning itself as an emerging technology and start-up hub. While the city’s traditional industries remain central to its economy, local firms are increasingly developing capabilities in IT-related legal services, including data protection, privacy and digital regulation, to meet the evolving needs of clients in the growing tech and innovation sectors.

Unsurprisingly, the city’s growing economic diversity has driven a parallel evolution in its legal market. Over recent years, several national players have moved in to capitalise on the city’s business attractions, concurrently Cali firms are increasingly likely to launch in Bogotá.

Cali still supports several one-site offices including tax boutiques Franco Murgueitio & Asociados, Santiago Meza Abogados & Asesores and Avila Toro Boutique Legal; the insurance and dispute resolution focused Hurtado Gandini Dávalos Abogados; and multi-practice players such as Mora Abogados S.A.S.

Former single-site Cali firms that are now split between Cali and Bogotá include Advocat, which is noted for its prominence in the fintech sphere; Ayerbe Abogados; and international trade and transport stalwart, Espíndola International Consultants. National brands with well-staffed operations in the city include corporate giant Brigard Urrutia, leading IP specialists OlarteMoure and international audit, tax and advisory firm Mazars en Colombia, while Pérez-Llorca — which entered the Colombian market in July 2025 via a merger with domestic heavyweight Gómez-Pinzón Abogados — maintains a Cali desk in its Bogotá office.

Initially based in Cali but now headquartered in Bogotá, Advocat continues to build its national presence, particularly in banking and finance, where it maintains a thriving practice. Key banking partner Nicolás Fernández De Soto splits his time between regulatory and transactional work and recently advised Canada-based First Principles Fund (FPF), as lender, on structuring an asset-based loan facility. The firm also houses an active corporate and M&A department, co-led by Cali-based María Isabel Rodríguez together with Bogotá partners María Claudia Armenta and Francisco Cabal. Additional senior figures include regulatory partner Victor Ayalde, noted for TMT and competition; labour and employment head Camilo Bernal; and tax-focused Juan Guillermo Becerra.

‘A team well-primed to support’, Avila Toro Boutique Legal is distinguished by its focus on corporate law, wealth management, and tax and fiscal planning. It is primarily active in the latter sphere, acting for an array of private and corporate clients on domestic and cross-border tax planning, transaction structuring, regulatory compliance and litigation. Managing partner Juan Sebastián Ávila Toro is noted for tax work. Key associates include Andrea Beltrán Solano, who serves as litigation co-ordinator; and Daniela Aristizábal, who focuses on corporate and commercial matters.

A key pillar of the Cali market for over 80 years, Ayerbe Abogados also has a long-standing presence in the capital (it launched its Bogotá office in 1997). Acting for an exhaustive range of regional, national and foreign companies, the firm’s services span a wide scope of transactional, regulatory and contentious matters, with a focus on corporate and employment law. Rodrigo Ayerbe Muñoz heads the Cali office, while Felipe Ayerbe Muñoz leads the Bogotá office; both handle corporate transactions and dispute resolution. Key contacts for labour and employment include Andrés Rodrigo Flórez and Rodrigo Ayerbe Arango.

‘Bringing all the experience and expertise of the Bogotá office to Cali’, Brigard Urrutia stands as one of the few major national firms with a significant on-the-ground presence in the city. The local team comprises six lawyers, including high-profile regulatory expert Alejandro Garcia de Brigard, who divides his time between Bogotá and Cali and provides ‘internationally recognised professional services with local sensitivity’. He recently advised the shareholders of Grupo BIT on the sale of their shares in the company to Accel-KKR. At associate level, senior Jimena Rincon stands out for her ‘tremendous transactional skills’, while intermediate Rafael Reyes is noted for labour and employment work.

Headquartered in Cali, with a secondary base in Bogotá, Espíndola International Consultants is perfectly positioned to advise on international trade law. Acting for a wide range of domestic and foreign companies, the team is well versed in advising both inbound and outbound investors on the full spectrum of customs law, exchange regulations, trade policy and related litigation. Firm founder and international trade veteran Carlos Espindola-Scarpetta remains an active member of the team and contributes 45 years’ experience to his role.

From its sole Cali platform, Franco Murgueitio & Asociados remains dedicated to serving clients from the local market and beyond. For those seeking cross-border representation, the firm maintains an extensive referral network that enables it to draw on lawyers across Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the USA. Tax law is the cornerstone of the practice, with firm founder Luis Hernando Franco Murgueitio enjoying a prominent reputation for both corporate tax planning and family wealth structuring. Director of legal affairs Juan David Seba Gironza specialises in tax compliance.

Lauded as a ‘young firm with innovative and highly efficient ideas’, Cali-headquartered Hurtado Gandini Dávalos Abogados continues to gain traction in the local market. The firm, which also benefits from a platform in Bogotá, has an emphasis on contentious work, including dispute resolution, insurance and labour law. It also advises on corporate matters, data protection, and sports and entertainment. Key practitioners include general manager Francisco José Hurtado, who leads the litigation team; Fernando Gandini, who directs the corporate law area; Julián Dávalos, who heads the labour and employment practice; Ana María Olave, who fronts the tax department; and maritime specialist Gloria Inés Hurtado. Insurance-focused senior associate Christián Camilo Vallecilla is also noted.

The Cali platform of Mazars en Colombia is one of four offices maintained by the international tax law and accountancy firm in Colombia, ensuring seamless national coverage. While mainly focused on tax issues, the group also advises on employment law, litigation and corporate migration matters. National tax co-heads Andrés Cortés Hernández and Juan Esteban Sanin work across multiple offices, with both spending a significant amount of time in Cali. Senior manager Lina Toro is exclusively based in Cali and is a qualified lawyer and accountant with experience in tax planning, regulatory compliance, and administrative and judicial litigation.

A Cali-based business law boutique, Mora Abogados S.A.S. handles a mix of corporate and commercial matters, as well as administrative and judicial disputes, including administrative sanctioning proceedings. Founding partner Luis Alfonso Mora Tejada maintains a broad practice focus, with notable experience in securities offerings, corporate transactions and arbitration. Luis Alfonso Mora Sarria (the son of Mora Tejada) also specialises in transactional matters, with his recent activity spanning M&A deals and restructurings. In December 2024, senior associate Nur Alejandra Bultaif Ghattas left for an in-house position at Emcali.

The Cali platform of IP powerhouse OlarteMoure is distinguished by its ‘specialisation, international presence and proactive approach’, according to some. A hub for work in the western region, the Cali office works to integrate all the firm’s areas with regional agents within the innovation ecosystem. Clients also benefit from the local team’s ability to draw on the firm’s wider network for further cross-practice support. Office head Isabella Herrera, who specialises in IP and competition law, anchors a practice that acts for major local companies such as Carvajal and Fundación Valle del Lili. In November 2024, Cali-based litigation co-ordinator Nathalia Nieto joined ClarkeModet Colombia, while in August 2025, Cali-based compliance chair Daniella Chahin also left the firm.

Cali-based tax boutique Santiago Meza Abogados & Asesores — a 2021 spin-off from fellow boutique Franco Murgueitio & Asociados — continues to develop its profile in the national market. Particularly noted for its impressive 90% success rate in contentious cases, the group represents a broad portfolio of domestic and multinational companies, as well as private individuals, in administrative and judicial disputes. Founding partner Santiago Meza Mafla is also a qualified accountant and heads the corporate and tax law teams; he is particularly recognised for transactional tax and tax litigation. Other key figures include director David Ernesto Martinez, who leads the tax controversy practice; Julieth Hernández, who serves as director of the tax area; and associate Oscar Martinez Marin, who co-ordinates the labour unit.