The Colombian office of global law firm CMS has brought on a five-person tax, customs and trade team from Unión Navas Arbouin Abogados in Bogotá.

The integration of partner Santiago Arbouin, associates Laura Rodríguez, Manuela Jaramillo and Natalia Recio, plus paralegal Francia Madero, clears the way for CMS Rodríguez-Azuero to launch a customs law and trade area, the firm said.

"In a moment as complex as the current one, continuing to strengthen our areas and our firm is particularly important," said Juan Camilo Rodríguez, managing partner for CMS in Colombia.

Rodríguez said the additions broaden the firm's customs and trade capabilities while increasing the CMS service portfolio.

Santiago Arboin Santiago Arbouin/courtesy photo

Arbouin has more than 15 years of experience advising national and international clients in local, international and customs tax, foreign trade and customs law.

He also has experience in the application of free trade agreements and multilateral and binational foreign trade agreements, as well as in treaties to avoid double taxation and in the creation and negotiation of Free Zones and special customs areas.

For more than 10 years, Arbouin has taught tax planning at the Universidad de la Sabana, where he obtained his law degree, and corporate taxation and foreign investment at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, where he obtained a specialization in tax law.

In addition to Bogotá, CMS has established local practices in several major cities in Latin America: Lima, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago, Chile.