most experienced Colombia lawyer
Cross-border commercial matters involving Colombia call for a clear understanding of both US and Colombian legal frameworks. Atchuthan Sriskandarajah, Esq. — known professionally as Mr. Sris — is a former prosecutor and the founder of Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., a US law firm with an international clientele. Mr. Sris has extensive experience advising clients on cross-border matters that span US and Colombian law, collaborating closely with Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters, who is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted to practice law in the United States. The firm maintains a location in Pereira, Colombia, by appointment only, and serves clients from its Virginia principal location. For a consultation on a Colombia-related commercial matter, reach Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747.
Understanding Colombia Cross-Border Commercial Matters
A cross-border commercial matter involving Colombia typically requires navigating two distinct legal systems — the US common-law and federal statutory framework on one side, and Colombia’s civil-law system rooted in the Colombian Civil Code of 1887 on the other. US companies expanding into Colombia encounter questions of entity formation, foreign investment registration, tax treaty application, and compliance with both US and Colombian regulatory regimes. Colombian businesses entering the US market face parallel challenges: structuring US subsidiaries, complying with state and federal regulations, and managing cross-border contracts enforceable in both jurisdictions.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1 through 78dd-3, imposes anti-bribery and books-and-records obligations on US issuers, domestic concerns, and certain foreign persons acting in US territory. Criminal penalties for FCPA violations are set at 15 U.S.C. § 78ff — an individual faces up to five years imprisonment per anti-bribery violation. Colombian anti-corruption law, including the Estatuto Anticorrupción (Ley 1474 de 2011), imposes separate and sometimes broader obligations. Clients with cross-border commercial interests benefit from coordinated counsel who understand where these frameworks intersect and where they diverge.
How Mr. Sris and the Colombia Of Counsel Network Handle These Matters
Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. divides cross-border commercial matters along jurisdictional lines: Mr. Sris and the firm’s US-admitted attorneys handle the US-law dimension, while Colombia-admitted Of Counsel address the Colombian-law side. This division is not merely procedural — it reflects the ethical obligation of each attorney to practice only within the jurisdiction where they are licensed. Mr. Sris is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. On the Colombian-law side, Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters at Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted to practice law in the United States. Mr. Duport Jaramillo, a former Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Colombia to the European Union and former Executive President of the Pereira Chamber of Commerce, brings substantial institutional knowledge to cross-border commercial engagements.
When a matter involves both US and Colombian law — for example, a Colombian company acquiring a US subsidiary, or a US investor entering the Colombian market — the US-side work (entity formation, FCPA compliance, US contract drafting, federal and state regulatory analysis) is handled by Mr. Sris and the firm’s US-licensed attorneys. The Colombian-side work (Colombian corporate registration, Colombian tax analysis, Colombian regulatory compliance, Colombian contract enforceability) is handled by the Colombia-admitted Of Counsel. The two sides collaborate as needed while maintaining strict jurisdictional separation. OFAC sanctions programs change frequently; as of 2026, clients should verify current sanctions status directly with the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control before initiating any Colombia-related transaction.
About Mr. Sris and the Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. Of Counsel Network
Mr. Sris is the Owner and Founder of Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., a US law firm he founded in 1997. A former prosecutor, Mr. Sris is admitted to practice in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. He testified before the Virginia House Courts of Justice Committee in support of 2019 HB 635 (chief patron Del. David Bulova), the bill that became the 2019 revision to Va. Code § 20-107.3(g). Mr. Sris and his Of Counsel bring extensive combined legal experience across US and foreign jurisdictions, with a practice philosophy grounded in the tagline Advocacy Across Borders.
The firm’s Of Counsel network includes independent foreign-jurisdiction-admitted attorneys who collaborate with the firm on matters involving the law of their home countries. For Colombia matters, Eric Duport Jaramillo — admitted to practice law in Colombia and not admitted to practice law in the United States — serves as Of Counsel for Colombia practice. His background includes service as Minister Counselor at the Colombian Embassy to the European Union and leadership of the Pereira Chamber of Commerce. The firm maintains a location in Pereira, Colombia, by appointment only, and serves international clients from its Virginia principal location. Reach Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747 to discuss your cross-border commercial matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of Colombia-related commercial matters does the firm handle?
Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. handles the US-law dimension of cross-border commercial matters involving Colombia, including FCPA compliance, US entity formation for Colombian businesses, cross-border contract drafting under US law, and US regulatory matters. On the Colombian-law side, the firm’s Colombia-admitted Of Counsel — Eric Duport Jaramillo, who is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted to practice law in the United States — addresses Colombian corporate registration, Colombian tax and regulatory compliance, and Colombian contract enforceability. The firm does not provide legal representation directly under Colombian law; that work is performed by the Colombia-admitted Of Counsel in collaboration with the US team. For guidance on your specific cross-border situation, reach Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747.
Do I need a Colombia-admitted attorney for my cross-border commercial matter?
If your matter involves Colombian law — such as forming a Colombian subsidiary, registering with Colombian regulatory agencies, or enforcing a contract in Colombian courts — you need an attorney admitted by the Consejo Superior de la Judicatura in Colombia. The US-admitted attorneys at Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., including Mr. Sris (admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York), handle the US-law aspects of cross-border matters. For the Colombian-law side, the firm collaborates with Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters, who is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted to practice law in the United States. This division ensures each aspect of your matter is handled by an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. For a consultation on cross-border counsel, reach Mr. Sris and his Of Counsel network at (888) 437-7747.
How does the firm coordinate US and Colombian legal work on a single matter?
The firm uses a jurisdictional-separation model: the US-admitted team handles all US-law work, and the Colombia-admitted Of Counsel handles all Colombian-law work, with coordination on matters where the two legal frameworks intersect. Mr. Sris, as the responsible US attorney, oversees the US-side strategy, including FCPA compliance analysis, US contract drafting, and federal and state regulatory matters. Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters — admitted to practice law in Colombia and not admitted to practice law in the United States — leads the Colombian-law analysis. The teams coordinate on issues such as cross-border enforceability of contracts, dual-jurisdiction regulatory compliance, and treaty-based considerations. To discuss the details of your international matter, contact Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747.
What should I prepare for a consultation about a Colombia-related commercial matter?
For an initial consultation, gather documents describing the commercial transaction or dispute, identify the jurisdictions involved, and note any deadlines or pending regulatory actions. Relevant materials may include existing contracts, corporate formation documents from either country, correspondence with regulatory agencies, and any prior legal opinions addressing the cross-border aspects