The second-largest city in Colombia, with a population of around 2.6m, Medellín contributes approximately 14% of the country’s GDP and has risen to become an important strategic platform for both companies and law firms. Significantly, the city has worked to position itself as a unique regional investment hub rather than a direct competitor to Bogotá.

As the industrial and commercial capital of the Antioquia department — the second-largest departmental economy in the country — Medellín has historically attracted investors through its manufacturing clusters, particularly textiles, electrical equipment, automotive parts and food processing. The city’s geographical proximity to coffee-growing regions and flower farms also makes it a key player in the export logistics for these sectors.

More recently, Medellín has evolved into a globally recognised innovation centre. Specialist support infrastructure — including incubators and accelerators — together with tax incentives has fostered a dynamic start-up scene, which now ranks among the leaders in South America. The city is also home to mature technology companies and, in May 2024, Google Cloud opened an office on the ground, cementing its status as a go-to destination for high-tech businesses at all stages of growth. According to figures published by Corporation Ruta-N, Medellín currently supports over 1200 tech companies.

This combination of traditional and emerging industries is reflected in Medellín’s legal market, which hosts a mix of long-standing single-site firms, through to major multinational players. Among the latter, Spanish heavyweight Pérez-Llorca became the newest arrival when it merged with domestic giant Gómez-Pinzón Abogados in July 2025.

Among the more longstanding market participants, Medellín is home to a sizeable group of mid-sized, regional firms, with Contexto Legal Abogados, Estudio Siete Legal Abogados, Suma Legal, Serrano Martínez CMA, and UH Abogados all recognised as key players — many of which appear in Colombia’s national practice rankings.

The market is also mature enough to support several sector-focused industry specialists such as insurance boutiques Tamayo Jaramillo & Asociados and Londoño & Arango Abogados; dispute resolution firm Arrubla Devis Asociados; public law outfit Ariza & Marin; corporate firms B&O Abogados and Quarta Acompañamiento de Negocios; tax specialist DNI Abogados y Contadores; IP boutique Provimarcas; and the aviation-focused CMC Abogados. Further, micro-boutique Alvarez Zuluaga Consultores Legales is recognised for the strong local profile of administrative and constitutional law specialist Luis Fernando Alvarez Jaramillo.

Moreover, as the recent success of Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas and Mazars en Colombia’s respective Medellín branches demonstrate, the city also provides opportunities for growth for large-scale, national heavyweights, with Pérez-Llorca, OlarteMoure, and Posse Herrera Ruiz all based in the city.

Three-partner boutique Alvarez Zuluaga Consultores Legales punches above its weight in dispute resolution, where it stands out for its impressive record in complex administrative, judicial and arbitral disputes. The team is active across all key business sectors, with an emphasis on highly regulated industries including agribusiness, financial services, TMT, and energy and natural resources. Founding partner Luis Fernando Álvarez Jaramillo enjoys a strong local profile for his focus on dispute resolution, administrative law and public law. The group also draws on Geneva-based dispute resolution specialist Luisa Fernanda Álvarez Zuluaga, who handles IP and data privacy matters. Alongside its signature strength in contentious work, the firm additionally houses a significant transactional offering. Corporate and technology partner Alejandro Álvarez Zuluaga is noted for his experience in cross-border M&A and private equity transactions.

Single-site Medellín heavyweight Ariza & Marin is distinguished by its national profile across several key practice areas. The firm is primarily oriented towards contentious work, including litigation, insurance and public law, with its strength in the latter also driving its growing activity in project development and tender processes. In particular, it is developing niche expertise in water-related infrastructure, including aqueduct replacement projects and sewage systems. Firm co-founder Carolina Ariza is a key contact for public law, projects and dispute resolution; she recently represented Vías de las Américas in arbitration proceedings seeking compensation for damages related to a 3G concession contract. Fellow co-founder Camilo Marín specialises in dispute resolution and public and private infrastructure projects; he advised Consortium Redes Fonseca 2022 on the contract for optimising the aqueduct system of the municipality of Fonseca. Other notable team members include senior associate and director of the insurance area Luis Felipe Estrada; senior counsel Tomás Cuartas Orrego, who leads the dispute resolution group; and senior associate María Paz Restrepo, who co-ordinates the public law unit.

A nationally recognised dispute resolution specialist, Arrubla Devis Asociados brings together strong skills sets in arbitral and judicial disputes as well as public law litigation. From its bases in Medellín (where it was founded) and Bogotá, the team is particularly noted for its track record in litigation involving public-sector clients, where it acts for both state and corporate entities. The firm additionally secures a steady stream of commercial disputes' mandates. Few litigators in the country can rival the credentials of high-profile firm founder Jaime Alberto Arrubla Paucar, former chief justice of the Colombian Supreme Court and a former legal counsel to the President of Colombia. Arrubla, who is located in Medellín, recently paired up with Bogotá-based litigator Rafael McCausland to represent Marina Park in litigation against the Colombian State concerning the illegal revocation of a maritime concession. The team’s deep bench of Medellín-based litigators also draws on Cristina Arrubla, who was promoted to partner in June 2025; associate director Sebastián Montoya, who leads the litigation and arbitration practice for that office; and experienced associate director Gustavo Amaya Yepes. In Bogotá, managing partner Jaime Esteban Arrubla Devis is additionally noted for contentious work.

Boutique firm B&O Abogados specialises in corporate work, with notable expertise in compliance, M&A transactions, tax, IP and foreign exchange law. Co-founding partner Juan David Ocampo leads the corporate and commercial practice and handles M&A, investment deals and restructurings — he is also equipped to advise on arbitral disputes. Fellow co-founder Maria Mercedes Bermúdez heads the tax department and is recognised for her focus on regulatory compliance, tax planning and transactional tax. Rounding out the partner group is Juan David Lalinde, who advises on corporate and tax matters. In April 2025, senior associate Valentina Trujillo joined from the National Agency for the Legal Defence of the State (ANDJE). Intermediate associate Catalina Moreno left for an in-house role at Celsia Energía in March 2025.

Headquartered in Medellín, with a secondary base in Bogotá, CMC Abogados is a mid-sized law firm with an increasingly broad service offering. Housing dedicated teams in core business practice areas — including corporate, compliance, litigation, labour and tax — the firm also brings niche strength in aviation law, where it acts for representative clients such as Delta Airlines, Gol Airlines and Atlas Air. Names to note include Marcela Palacio Botero, who leads the tax practice and co-leads the corporate and contract law departments. Mónica Arango Espinal serves as director of the corporate, foreign exchange and consumer law areas, and handles regulatory, transactional and contentious matters. Camilo Trujillo Millán, who fronts the labour and immigration team; and Alfonso Plana Boden, who specialises in aviation and finance law, are also recommended. The firm additionally draws on a deep pool of associates including Jairo Fierro Garzón, who supports on aviation and corporate mandates; and Daniel Rueda, who has an emphasis on litigation and real estate. In January 2025, associate Daniela Acosta Baena departed to join SURA Investments.

A true Medellín success story, Contexto Legal S.A. maintains a full-service practice from its sole office in its home market, with nationally recognised offerings in corporate and IP law. The firm’s steadily expanding client portfolio includes a diverse mix of local, national and multinational companies, with Premex, Evonik and Grupo Bios among its representative names. Managing partner Guillermo Villegas Ortega heads the corporate and M&A team and also handles labour and immigration matters; he recently advised national vehicle dealership, Autoland, on the merger of two of its subsidiaries in Colombia as part of an internal reorganisation. Andrés Márquez co-ordinates the IP department with senior support from regulatory partner Maria Carolina Vieira, who co-leads the IP and competition teams with an emphasis on contentious work. Other department heads include Federico Escobar, who fronts the tax, estate planning, and customs and international trade areas; Melissa Echeverri, who directs the labour relations and social security division; and Juan Luis Escobar, who oversees the insolvency and restructuring unit. Also noted are Marcela García, who was elevated to the partnership in January 2025 and specialises in tax and wealth management; and Felipe Restrepo, who made partner in April 2025 and advises on corporate, foreign exchange and real estate law.

One of the few global brands with an on-the-ground presence in Medellín, Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas launched its platform in the city in 2020. Following the pandemic, the office has made significant strides to increase its share of the local market and now counts leading regional players such as C.I. Conserba and Puerto Bahía de Colombia among its key clients. Tax is a core service offering of the group, with tax specialist Ernesto López the key local partner. López is particularly recognised for his experience in the manufacturing, mining, and food and beverage sectors, and recently advised Medellín-based paper manufacturer Tann Colombiana on a correction of a tax refund request regarding VAT. The team also benefits from the expertise of projects specialist Pablo Jaramillo, who splits his practice between Bogotá and Medellín. At associate level, Medellín-based Pedro Santamaría is recommended for tax matters, including tax structuring, tax planning, regulatory compliance and litigation.

Established in 2012, DNI Abogados y Contadores is an increasingly prominent tax boutique noted for its ‘great ability to explain complex topics in a simple way’. The multidisciplinary practice draws on a mix of lawyers and accountants to handle a wide range of corporate and private wealth-related tax issues, with a focus on tax planning, tax consulting and regulatory compliance. Key contacts include tax and legal director Felipe Vásquez Jaramillo, who is a qualified lawyer and public accountant with a focus on tax and public law; and legal area leader Julian Buitrago, who has an emphasis on corporate matters.

Single-site Medellín stalwart Estudio Siete Legal Abogados offers a broad range of business law services, with notable expertise in labour and employment, corporate and commercial, and aviation law. Key figures in the seven-partner team include Luis Carlos Jaramillo, who leads the labour department and represents employers in regulatory compliance, collective bargaining negotiations and dispute resolution. The sizeable labour group also includes partners Maria Clara Saldarriaga Bustamante, Flavia Victoria Arboleda Lopera and Hernán Montoya Echeverri, all of whom exclusively focus on the area. Liliana Velásquez Escobar heads the firm’s thriving aviation practice, where she advises airlines and aircraft owners on financing, operational and leasing matters. Rounding out the partners are tax specialist Juan Pablo Molina Álvarez and Sergio Yepes Restrepo, who handles dispute resolution, including commercial litigation, contentious insurance and arbitration.

From its Medellín platform, micro-boutique Giraldo Angel Asociados is increasingly active nationwide for its diverse client base of family businesses, and national and foreign companies. Despite its compact size, the one-partner team covers a broad range of disciplines, bringing notable experience in corporate, IP, tax, private client, labour and social security law. Name partner Maria Isabel Giraldo Ángel focuses on corporate and commercial law and heads the practice. The team also draws on associates Diana White, who handles real estate, urban law and financial services; Melissa Jaramillo-Lopera, who acts on a wide scope of IP, real estate, compliance and foreign exchange law; and Laura Victoria Lopez, who specialises in family law.

Medellín-based dispute resolution boutique Londoño & Arango Abogados is widely recognised as a local and national leader in contentious insurance work. Over recent years, the firm has worked to diversify its practice away from its traditional dependence on insurance disputes to demonstrate growing activity in litigation involving energy generation, infrastructure and other heavily regulated industries. The firm was co-founded by Daniel Arango, who ranks among the market leaders for insurance work, and Maximiliano Londoño, who also specialises in insurance law and has an impressive track record in multi-jurisdictional cases; together, they recently represented Celsia Colombia and Compañía de Electricidad de Tuluá in a complex dispute involving six international arbitrations initiated by EDPR Group, arising from a series of long-term power supply contracts. The senior partner trio also includes Agustín Londoño, who likewise leverages a strong insurance background. A capable second line of senior associates includes Mauricio Moreno, who focuses on civil liability, insurance and dispute resolution; and Juanita Arbeláez Jaramillo, who handles civil liability, insurance and administrative law.

The Medellín team of global tax law and accountancy firm Mazars en Colombia stands out for its ‘technical knowledge, availability and reliability’, according to some. Distinguished by its ability to plug into both an extensive national and international platform, the local multidisciplinary practice combines strength in law and accountancy matters for its diverse roster of domestic and multinational clients. Key local partner Juan Esteban Sanín is a former Deputy Superintendent for Economic Affairs at the Superintendence of Companies; he splits his time between Medellín and Cali, where he advises on tax law, business reorganisations and corporate matters. The group also draws on national head of legal and tax services Andrés Cortés Hernandez; Medellín-based senior manager Gina Marcela Ortiz, who is additionally a qualified public accountant; and Medellín-based Ángela Hoyos, who was promoted to director of legal services in September 2024.

A destination practice for IP in Colombia and throughout the wider region, OlarteMoure fields a ‘cutting-edge team’ in Medellín. The firm’s growing prominence in regulatory areas complementary to IP, such as data privacy and life sciences, marks it as a go-to adviser for IP-rich tech companies, while it also acts for local clients on compliance, competition, consumer law and regulatory affairs. Medellín office head María Clara Múnera ‘connects with the needs of businesses’ and advises on IP law — with a focus on patents, trade marks and copyright — as well as corporate and commercial matters. Among her recent mandates, Múnera provided ongoing support to Metro de Medellín on its IP portfolio. The local group also draws on associate Luciana Moreno, who serves as trade mark co-ordinator. Medellín- and Bogotá-based litigation head Juan Felipe Acosta left the firm in October 2024.

Major Spanish firm Pérez-Llorca entered Colombia’s second-largest city in July 2025 through its merger with domestic heavyweight Gómez-Pinzón Abogados. The legacy local firm has been established in Medellín for over two decades and counts ten lawyers, including one partner, among its local team. Its long-standing practice has evolved to cover a broad spectrum of regulatory, transactional and contentious areas — clients highlight its ‘comprehensive consulting services’ — with a focus on the manufacturing, financial services, energy, infrastructure and real estate industries. Office head Adriana Moreno Márquez is particularly recommended for her financial services expertise, while also bringing experience in corporate and M&A, compliance and infrastructure-related matters; she recently handled a cross-border finance deal for an Antioquia-based company. A sizeable bench of local associates includes senior regulatory attorney Catalina Arango, who specialises in IP and competition; and junior Manuel Londoño, who sits in the administrative, constitutional and infrastructure departments and focuses on public law.

National powerhouse Posse Herrera Ruiz hosts a well-staffed Medellín office that ‘anticipates client needs and adequately meets them’. The firm fields ten full-time on-site lawyers, including two partners, and is equipped to handle a broad spectrum of regulatory, transactional and contentious matters, with dominant local offerings in infrastructure, corporate transactions, public law, dispute resolution, real estate, tax, and international trade and customs law. As national leader of the infrastructure and public law practice, Medellín-based Cristina Vásquez is highlighted for her ‘knowledge of infrastructure projects’; she recently advised Concesión Tunel Aburra Oriente on the negotiation and signing of the bilateral modification agreement to commence works on the second stage of the Oriente Tunnel project. International trade specialist María Paula Sánchez — who was promoted to partner in March 2024 — is also based in the city, while tax and international trade head Juan Camilo De Bedout divides his time between Bogotá and Medellín. Carolina Posada, who co-leads the dispute resolution department, similarly splits her practice between the two cities. Medellín-based tax litigator Ana Isabel Mejia provides associate support. In January 2025, former fintech associate director Julián Aguirre left to join fintech Cobre.

A Medellín-based IP boutique, Provimarcas is ‘composed of experienced, professional, and diligent lawyers’, according to clients. Leveraging nearly three decades of experience in advising domestic and multinational clients on IP and corporate law, the firm is geared to advise on trade marks, patents, industrial designs, copyright and entertainment law issues. Partner Gustavo Ortega serves as director of the legal team and advises on the full range of IP portfolio management and litigation. Senior associate Pamela Ortega, who serves as legal co-ordinator, is also recommended.

Established in 2014, two-partner corporate boutique Quarta Acompañamiento de Negocios stands out for its focus on M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. A former corporate affairs attorney for the Argos Group, M&A head Tulio Flórez Alzate is noted for his experience in highly structured domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions. Corporate lead Esteban Mejía Arango also brings strong in-house experience gained during his role as international legal chief for Servicios Nutresa. The growing team recently welcomed the arrivals of senior associate Felipe Mejía Duque and junior associate Julián Osorio Restrepo, both of whom joined from Serrano Martínez CMA in May 2024.

Serrano Martínez CMA’s national presence is well balanced between Colombia’s two largest cities following the October 2023 merger of legacy firms Correa Merino Agudelo Abogados — centred in Medellín — and Bogotá-based corporate and competition boutique, Serrano Martínez. The combined firm is particularly geared towards regulatory work, where it excels in competition and antitrust, and also stands out in mid-market M&A, among other areas. The Medellín office is home to Camilo Merino, who serves as co-head of the M&A department and specialises in corporate, M&A, and private equity transactions; he recently advised Seguros de Vida Suramericana 0n SURA’s acquisition of a majority stake in Longevo. Real estate head Juan Esteban Agudelo, who additionally co-leads the dispute resolution area, is also highly recommended; he recently advised Mexican pharmaceutical chain Farmacias de Similares on its expansion into Colombia. Other senior practitioners in Medellín include labour and employment co-head Darío Ramírez and tax co-head Sebastián Correa Ruíz. A strong bench of associate practice directors includes Michelle Visbal (tax), Alejandro Medina (corporate and M&A), and Sebastián Morales Agudelo (corporate and compliance). Senior associate Dayana Parra (labour and employment) is also noted.

Medellín-based boutique Suma Legal maintains a broader service offering than its compact size might suggest, with experience in corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, labour and employment, public law and tax, among other areas. On the corporate side, managing partner Mauricio Ortega Jaramillo is the key contact; he recently paired up with fellow corporate partner Carmela Rodriguez Jaramillo to advise Medipiel on structuring two corporate acquisitions in Costa Rica and Ecuador. Following the departure of dispute resolution head Mateo Peláez García in December 2023, Ortega additionally spearheads the litigation practice. Rounding out the three-partner team is José Daniel Porras, who was elevated to the partnership in February 2024 and specialises in start-ups and innovation projects. The team further benefits from the associate support of dispute resolution co-ordinator Daniel Eduardo Robledo Orrego; and senior Marcela Flórez Sierra, who focuses on corporate, contractual and tax law.

Medellín-headquartered dispute resolution boutique Tamayo Jaramillo & Asociados ranks among the market leaders nationally for litigation and insurance work. The firm, which has specialised exclusively in contentious matters since its foundation in 1980, also benefits from an additional platform in Bogotá and offers strong capabilities in liability, general civil law and transport. The team is particularly distinguished by its close links to major domestic and multinational insurers and reinsurers, with Mapfre Seguros Generales de Colombia, HDI Seguros and Chubb Seguros Colombia among its representative clients. High-profile firm founder Javier Tamayo Jaramillo is widely revered as a dean of Colombia’s insurance bar; he recently represented Inversiones Techcolombia in its successful appeal before the Supreme Court in a high-value dispute against Seguros Bolívar. Other recommended insurance partners include Carlos Andres Gonzales Galvís, Laura Castaño Echeverri, Daniel Ossa Gómez and Margarita Rosa Jaramillo. Luis Miguel Gómez is also recognised for his broad dispute resolution focus, which spans judicial and arbitral proceedings involving all key industries. Up-and-coming associate duo Daniel Bedoya and Manuel Cadavid Valencia are also noted.

From Medellín, UH Abogados continues to raise its profile in the Colombian market, with its thriving litigation offering now taking its place alongside its corporate and real estate practices in the national rankings. Valued by local, national and multinational clients alike as ‘an excellent ally’, the firm maintains a full-service model with experience in real estate and corporate transactions, financial services, dispute resolution, insurance, IP, labour and employment, and tax law, among others. Co-founding partners Carolina Uribe and Carlos Henao jointly lead the firm’s flagship corporate and real estate departments. Among their recent transactional highlights, Uribe advised Crearcimientos Propiedad Raíz on the structuring of the second phase of the Florida Parque Comercial shopping centre in Medellín; while Henao advised Sociedad Portafolio on its corporate restructuring, share swaps, and voluntary liquidation involving over COP$3tn in assets. Juan Bernardo Tascón leads the dispute resolution department, where he is particularly recommended for financial and insurance litigation. Other key figures include associate director of the corporate practice Daniela Vélez and labour and employment director Sebastián Mejía Paternina. Additionally, the firm fields a strong cadre of senior associates, with Maria Adelaida Zapata (real estate), Óscar Fernando Jiménez (dispute resolution), and Maria Clara Palacio (corporate and M&A), all names to note.

Founded in Medellín in 2012, VM Legal has been a feature of the local legal market for well over a decade. As a corporate and tax law boutique, the firm stands out for its specialist focus on tax, corporate transactions, commercial matters and foreign exchange law. Firm co-founders Adriana Melo and Beatriz Villegas both handle tax, corporate advisory, foreign exchange consulting and M&A transactions for a diverse mix of domestic and multinational companies. At associate level, the team can call on Juliana Hoyos Barba, who joined in June 2024 from SURA Investments. The team also saw a trio of associate exits: with Ana María Tobón departing in July 2024, and both Sebastián Zapata Rincón and Sergio Duque leaving in January 2025.