José Francisco Mafla (Bogotá)

Before he joined Brigard Urrutia in 2006, José Francisco Mafla worked as foreign attorney in Harkins Cunningham LLP in New York, and in Uría Menéndez in Madrid, Spain. He became a Partner of the Brigard Urrutia in 2015, focusing on the Corporate/M&A, and Customs and International Trade practices. Mr. Mafla is admitted to practice law in Colombia (2001), in the state of New York (2006) and in the United States Court of International Trade (2015).

Attorney with wide expertise in commercial law, international business law, mergers and acquisitions, and customs and international trade. Mr. Mafla is also an arbitrator at the Center for Conciliation and Arbitration of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá, and currently is the Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM Colombia). He is also member of the Academic Committee of Customs and Foreign Trade of the Colombian Institute of Tax Law.

Mr. Mafla is an attorney from the School of Law of Universidad de los Andes, and obtained a postgraduate degree in Business Law from Universidad Externado in Colombia. He also holds an LL.M from New York University School of Law. Aside from his legal practice, He is professor (undergraduate and postgraduate studies) of Commercial Law and International Economic and International Trade Law at Universidad Externado, Universidad de los Andes, ICESI and EAFIT in Colombia.

He was recognized as star associate by Chambers and Partners Latin America in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He was also recognized as a leading lawyer by Legal 500 in 2012 and 2013 and by Who’s Who Legal. After his appointment as partner in 2015, Chambers and Partners recognized him as an “Up and Coming” lawyer for Colombia in connection with International Trade/WTO.Mr. Mafla obtained the scholarship Lucía Patiño at Universidad de los Andes in 1999.