Lina Velez

Having practiced law in different jurisdictions for several years, Lina has an overreaching understanding of transactions involving multijurisdictional parties, with a special emphasis in Latin America. Lina has worked in multiple M&A and Finance deals related to industries such as banking, consumer services, and oil and gas. She advised clients and worked with counterparties from different countries, such as Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Germany and France.

Lina was recognized by Legal 500 as a “Rising Star” in 2020, and was awarded a merit-based scholarship by NYU.

Lina's experience includes advising:

• Credicorp, the Peruvian financial group, in the acquisition of 100% of the stock of the Colombian broker dealer, Ultraserfinco S.A., and its Panamanian and U.S. subsidiaries*
• Credicorp in the acquisition of shares representing the majority of the equity of the bank, Bancompartir S.A., and the negotiation of the corresponding shareholders' agreement*
• Terpel S.A., the Colombian subsidiary of the Chilean entity Copec, in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of ExxonMobil de Colombia S.A.*
•  the German entity, Jungehinrich, in the acquisition of its operations in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador*
• IFM Investors in the acquisition of 100% of OHL Concesiones S.A.U. and its Colombian subsidiaries*
• Canacol BNP  in the credit agreement for a US$ 200 million senior secured term loan with a syndicate of banks led by BNP Paribas*
• Finanzauto S.A. in the secured loan agreement entered into with IDB*

*prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills

Background

Lina is fluent in Spanish and English and is licensed to practice law in New York and Colombia. Lina obtained an LL.M. as a Dean's Scholar from NYU in 2014, studied law in Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, and obtained a Finance Law degree from Universidad de los Andes.