NICHOLAS ESPITIA FRASSER
Founding Partner
Nicholas Espitia Frasser is a distinguished lawyer, specialized in Commercial and Corporate Law, recognized for his strategic approach and his leadership at EF Abogados. He holds a law degree from the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario and a specialization in Corporate and Business Law from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá, in addition to advanced studies in Private International Law.
He has advised national and international companies in sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, technology, construction, security, and defense, and has also supported governments and diplomatic missions in investment-related initiatives. He has extensive experience in litigation, arbitration, and high-impact conciliation, particularly in complex shareholder disputes before the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce.
He is a member of the Colegio de Abogados Rosaristas and the Institute of Corporate Analysis, reaffirming his commitment to academic excellence and the advancement of corporate law.
YUSUF ALWATTAR
Regional Partner - Saudi Arabia
Based in Saudi Arabia, Yusuf Alwattar is responsible for Middle East operations and serves as the firm’s lead liaison on all matters in the region. He advises on cross-border M&A, corporate structuring, risk advisory, and regulatory compliance, bridging Latin American and Gulf markets. His most recent position was with McKinsey & Co.‘s risk and compliance department in Riyadh. Earlier in his career, he practiced civil litigation and worked in FINRA’s dispute resolution office in the United States. His practice is built on a conviction that the most durable deals are the creative ones: solutions that resolve entrenched problems for every party at the table, and cross-border transactions that open markets and possibilities that neither side could reach alone.
Yusuf also holds a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law, with an award and certificate in cross-cultural and alternative dispute resolution, and a B.A., cum laude, from New York University.
Native English and Spanish; fluent French; intermediate Arabic.
ALEX CEBALLOS
Legal Coordinator
Alex Ceballos is a lawyer from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with graduate studies in Private and Economic Law from the same university. He has an extensive professional background in the practice of law and has served as an advisor to Colombia's Ministry of Transportation and as a member of renowned law firms in the country, where he has gained solid experience advising companies across different economic sectors.
His professional practice includes comprehensive support for companies in matters related to Financial Law, Corporate Law, Business Law, and Labor Law, as well as in structuring financial transactions, business operations, and large-scale infrastructure projects nationwide, including power plants, hydroelectric plants, and data centers, among others. Throughout his career, he has advised numerous companies in addressing their legal needs and designing legal solutions for the development of their activities and businesses.
He currently works at EF Abogados, where he contributes his experience and knowledge to the legal advisory services provided to clients and to the development of legal solutions tailored to the needs of companies and their businesses.
JUAN JOSÉ GOYENECHE
Tax Lawyer
Juan José Goyeneche is an attorney from Universidad del Rosario and holds a specialization in Tax Law from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. He has extensive experience advising companies, business groups, investors, and investment structures on highly complex tax matters.
His practice focuses on domestic and international taxation, tax planning and structuring, corporate reorganizations, investment structuring, and corporate transactions, as well as the analysis of the tax implications of sophisticated transactions and business operations.
Throughout his career, he has participated in the design of legal solutions for transactions involving multiple jurisdictions, corporate structures, and investment scenarios, integrating technical tax analysis with a strategic understanding of his clients’ business objectives.
His experience includes advising on matters related to international taxation, the digital economy, digital assets, wealth planning, and emerging regulatory trends, as well as assisting companies with expansion, investment, and business structuring processes.
His approach combines technical rigor, transactional insight, and the ability to address complex legal and tax structures, enabling him to advise both domestic and international clients on transactions requiring standards of legal counsel comparable to those of leading law firms in the market.
JESÚS BARROS DE CASTRO
Counsel – Intellectual Property
He is a lawyer from Universidad de los Andes, with specialized studies in Intellectual Property through coursework completed as part of the Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property at the same university. His professional practice has focused primarily on Intellectual Property Law and Corporate Law. He has experience in the registration and protection of trademarks and other distinctive signs, industrial property, and patents.
His interest in Entertainment Law has developed through both his academic background and professional practice. He was a member of the Cultural and Entertainment Law Research Group at Universidad de los Andes and has worked on matters related to the film and audiovisual industries, the Colombian Film Law, contracting and rights negotiations, the music industry, and collective management organizations.
His practice combines legal expertise in intellectual property with a particular interest in the creative, cultural, technological, and scientific industries, with a focus on the protection, management, and exploitation of intangible assets, as well as the legal challenges arising from innovation and creation.
