Cuatrecasas brings Ina María Drago and Iván Blume on board as new partners in Lima

Cuatrecasas brings on board lawyers Ina María Drago and Iván Blume as new Natural Resources and Labor and Employment partners, respectively, whose professional expertise will help consolidate these practice areas that are becoming increasingly more relevant. Their appointments confirm the firm’s commitment to developing these areas and offer clients increasingly more cross-functional services. 

Oscar Trelles, managing partner of Cuatrecasas in Perú, highlights the following about the new hires: “They are both renowned lawyers with extensive experience in Mining and Natural Resources and Labor Law, respectively, who reinforce our high quality, added-value legal services for our clients. We are quite optimistic about the trend in the mining sector in Perú in the next few years caused by the e-mobility demand for copper, so Ina joining the firm will enable us to deal with the expected new wave of investments. Likewise, having Iván at the firm will strengthen our service portfolio in the complex world of  Peruvian labor, which every year imposes new requirements on formal businesses.”

Ina María Drago has an outstanding professional track record focused on advising companies engaged in exploration and exploitation of mining and natural resources on all legal aspects and transactions associated to launching, operating, financing and selling projects. She is highly trained in environmental regulations and sustainability policies and ESG, advising companies in different production sectors.

Ina María has a Bachelor in Law with honors from Universidad de Lima (2005) and an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law (2010). She lectures on Mining Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and has published extensively, mainly about legal and mining topics, and her name has been highlighted by legal directories like Chambers & Partners. 

“I am excited to join the team at such an important firm as Cuatrecasas that is growing in a steady, well-planned manner in Latin America. I am grateful for the trust they are placing in me to develop the Mining and Natural Resources practice areas and  extend the services offered by the Lima office under the same quality, professional and value standards that are the hallmark of Cuatrecasas,” remarked Ina María Drago about her appointment.   

Iván Blume specializes in Labor Law and has significant international and interdisciplinary experience. Throughout his career, he has advised domestic and international companies on labor matters, compliance, internal investigations, immigration, lawsuits, anti-discrimination policies and personal data and privacy protection, among others. 

He has a Bachelor in Law with honors from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and was awarded the Best Labor Law Thesis prize (2009), and he has a Master in Professional Studies, Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University (2013). Iván Blume enjoys widespread international recognition, as proven by his name appearing in The Legal 500 Latin America. He also advised the Ministry of Labor on drafting the “Best practices guidelines on equality and non discrimination in access to employment and occupation” approved by Ministerial Resolution 159-2013-TR and was commended as in-house counsel for CB&I. 

“I am delighted to join as partner to head the Labor and Employment practice are in Perú. The market offers great opportunities because companies increasingly require more specialized legal advice to face the constant regulatory changes and tightening of Labor Authority inspections. Cuatrecasas has a unique regional platform from where to work to offer excellence of service and become a benchmark in this matter in Perú,” remarked Ivan Blume.

The new hires are another step forward in consolidating Cuatrecasas as a solid regional platform. In the words of Antonio Baena, head of International Practice at Cuatrecasas, “The arrival of Ina and Iván gives a real boost to our Lima office and our business in the region. Ina will enable us to have a reference lawyer in such an important practice as Mining and Natural Resources, strategic in several of our regions. With Iván we guarantee the depth and sophistication of Labor and Employment practice in Lima, increasing the number of partners and our local capacity. Recruiting them ratifies Cuatrecasas commitment to its project in Latin America and confirms our plans to continue positioning our regional offices as benchmarks in every jurisdiction.”