The lawyer who turned the most complex cases in Hispanic America into his specialty
Every year, Juan Gonzalo Ospina crosses the Atlantic several times. It's not tourism or networking: these are urgent cases, with clients who can't wait and prosecutors who demand immediate answers. In less than 48 hours, he can meet with Mexican authorities regarding a tax crime, return to Madrid to prepare an extradition, and fly to Lima to finalize a procedural strategy.
At his firm, they describe him in a way that sums up his work model well: "if the case demands it, he arrives before anyone else."
Juan Ospina bajando del jet
A Madrid-based law firm with Latin American DNA
Ospina is Spanish-Colombian. That dual identity, which for many is merely anecdotal, he has turned into a competitive advantage. He understands the judicial systems on both sides of the ocean, moves naturally within their cultural codes, and acts as a bridge between businesspeople, prosecutors, and law firms in Spain and Latin America.
His firm, Ospina Abogados, is now a benchmark in economic crimes: fraud, money laundering, scams, and international operations under suspicion. In the past two years, his team has handled cases in more than 15 countries and on four continents.
They work as a unit. If the case requires taking a plane, they do it. If it involves entering remote areas, they do that as well.
Ospina has crossed Mexico by private jet to attend a hearing. He has flown by helicopter in Colombia to reach remote areas. He has also traveled across the Peruvian Andes by land to assist a businessperson in distress.
Sala de juntas con Juan Ospina
The origin: from ICAM to his own project
Before leading his international criminal law firm, Ospina was president of the Young Lawyers of Madrid in 2013. Later, in 2016, he joined the Governing Board of the Spanish Bar Association.
That moment marked the change. He left institutional life and focused on growing in what he excels at: complex, international cases with high media sensitivity.
The case that put him in the spotlight
His career was already solid. However, his name gained global notoriety when he took on the defense of Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta, murdered in Thailand by Daniel Sancho.
Since then, he has defended extraditions in more than ten countries. He obtained the acquittal of defendants in the Hells Angels case. He secured the release of the hacker "Lacoste" in France.
He also dismantled illegal wiretaps in a drug trafficking case on the Costa del Sol.
"Each case reinforced the narrative that defines him today: technical, meticulous, but with a direct style and strong courtroom presence."
Conferencia - Juan Ospina
A firm that understands the region
Today, he advises businesspeople in Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. In Ecuador, he was invited by the Justice Commission to collaborate on the criminal reform that seeks to update the country's legal standards.
His vision is pragmatic. Criminal systems in Latin America change rapidly, legal uncertainty is constant, and international capital needs firms capable of operating in multiple jurisdictions.
For many businesspeople, that ability to respond is exactly what they seek: a criminal lawyer who can be in Mexico on a Monday, in Madrid on a Wednesday, and in Lima on a Friday.
The balance that few achieve
What surprises those who work with him is his routine: workdays of up to 14 hours, constant travel, but strict discipline to reserve time for his family. Ospina defends a money laundering case in the morning with the same vehemence as he defends his personal time at night. That balance, according to those who know him, is part of his professional stability.
A different profile in a traditional sector
In a field where formalism is usually the norm, Ospina projects something different: carefully managed media presence, powerful oratory, and a blend of technical rigor with personal empathy. Universities and international forums invite him frequently; last May, he received a standing ovation at the CEF University of Santo Domingo.
The combination of mobility, strategy, narrative, and approachability explains the positioning of Ospina Abogados. This is a Spanish law firm that operates naturally in the most delicate cases in Ibero-America, without losing its identity or its human scale.
