We are pleased to announce that we have appointed Fernando Hurtado de Mendoza as a partner and Kodiak Semsch as a senior associate to our office in Lima as we continue to build a heavyweight practice in Peru.
Fernando moves from Rodrigo Elias y Medrano, the largest law firm in the country, and is immediately joined by associate Alejandra Vicuna. Kodiak was formerly a litigation partner at Osterling Abogados.
Fernando’s practice is split between aviation, corporate and insurance work. Kodiak, who will join the team later this month as the head of our Lima office’s litigation practice, is a dispute resolution specialist.
Their combined experience and knowledge will significantly strengthen our practice both globally and in Peru
Our new arrivals are bilingual – Fernando has LLMs from both New York University and the National University of Singapore, whilst Kodiak is a candidate for a Litigation Master Degree at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.
We were the first global law firm specialising in insurance law to open in Peru and have built up a strong practice headed by Marco Rivera. We now have two partners and, upon Kodiak’s arrival, 11 lawyers.
Commenting on Fernando’s and Kodiak’s appointment, Marco says: “Fernando’s and Kodiak’s arrival is a real coup for Kennedys. With corporate, aviation and litigation instructions in particular on the rise, the breadth of his practice plays to our strengths, while their reputation in the market is second to none.
“Peru has long had one of the best performing economies in Latin America and though, like everywhere, the coronavirus crisis will have a major impact, it is well placed to bounce back.”
Alex Guillamont, Head of Kennedys’ Latin America and the Caribbean practice, adds: “Peru is an important market in many ways. Pre-coronavirus, the government had outlined its plans to increase spending on infrastructure and social protection, making it a very attractive location.
“Hiring lawyers of Fernando and Kodiak’s calibre speaks volumes to the quality already on offer from our Lima office, as well as what Kennedys’ global network can offer someone like them. Their combined experience and knowledge will significantly strengthen our practice both globally and in Peru.”
Fernando says: “I have been looking to join an agile and insurance-oriented law firm with global reach to further support my clients, and Kennedy fits the bill perfectly. Once we get through the current crisis, we have plans to grow the practice further as there are a lot of opportunities in this region for a firm such as Kennedys.”
Kodiak adds: “Kennedys has a solid litigation and arbitration reputation globally and I am looking forward to joining the highly-skilled team in the Lima office, a number of whom I have worked with previously.”
We have had a physical presence in the region since 2010, via our hub in Miami and ten fully-fledged offices and associations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
