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Carolina Gajate

Lima, Peru
Languages
  • Spanish
  • German
  • English

Carolina Gajate is a partner in the Real Estate and Construction practice at CMS Grau. She has more than 20 years of experience advising on real estate and corporate projects, with a particular focus on the retail, hospitality and real estate development sectors.

Her practice covers the structuring, planning and execution of real estate developments, including the acquisition of properties and real estate rights, urban planning feasibility assessments, real estate and financing due diligence, the obtaining and management of permits and administrative authorisations, as well as the negotiation of construction and operation agreements. 

She has advised on more than 200 projects representing investments in excess of USD 7 billion, including shopping centres, supermarkets, department stores, home improvement centres, hotels and residential developments, for clients across the retail, real estate, healthcare, education and investment fund sectors, among others.

Awards & Recognitions
01 –
  • Quote
    Up-and-coming Carolina Gajate offers experience in due diligence mandates, commercial property acquisitions and general civil law issues.
    Chambers Latin America 2016 (Real Estate)
  • Quote
    Interviewees recognize associate Carolina Gajate´s legal skills in this space. Her practice focuses on real estate, corporate and finance law. She is particularly adept at handling retail and property projects.
    Chambers Latin America 2015 (Real Estate)

Relevant experience

  • Jockey Plaza: Assessment on the structuring and design, as well as in the development of a project, for the construction of a Hypermarket (Tottus) and a home improvement store (Sodimac) within the Jockey Plaza Shopping Center, which involved an investment of more than US$ 80'000,000.00 million, using the new figure of the sub surface or surface of second grade – this second grade surface right was the first one to be registered before the Public Registry of Lima-. Our advice, in addition to the design of the structure of this project, included obtaining building permits, the registration of contracts, the negotiation of labor contracts, the financing of the project, among others.
  • Sodimac Perú S.A.: Advice on the purchase of 100% (one hundred percent) of the shares of Maestro Perú S.A. for an amount exceeding USD $490'000,000.00 funded through an international bank lending. The transaction meant to Sodimac Peru S.A. the acquisition, in a single act, of more than thirty (30) commercial premises. The Advice to Sodimac Peru S.A. included the Due Diligence of all buildings owned by Maestro Perú S.A. and its related companies; as well as the subsequent renegotiation of certain contracts related to the aforementioned commercial premises, and the regularization of the licenses and authorizations required to operate such commercial premises.
  • Open Plaza Huancayo: Advice in the negotiation, structuring and acquisition of three (3) real estate premises owned by one hundred and fourteen (114) people who received the properties in payment of the social benefits of the Cooperativa Industrial Manufacturas del Centro (Cooperative). This transaction involved the design of the strategy and implementation of the same to obtain the restructuring of the real estates, the lifting of liens affecting the properties, the conclusion of judicial processes and the cancellation of the debts of more than two hundred (200) workers and former employees of the Cooperative. In addition, assistance in the obtaining of licenses and authorizations required for the construction and operation of the Shopping Center Open Plaza Huancayo, as well as in the recruitment of civil works. This transaction involved an investment of approximately US$ 280'000,000.00.
  • Brescia Economic Group (Urbanova): Assessment in the preparation of the legal strategy, analysis of possible contingencies and acquisition of a property with a value of more than US$ 17'000,000.00. In addition to the acquisition of the property, CMS Grau advised INVESTMENTS SAN BORJA in the drafting and negotiation of the Security Trust Agreement that was intended to ensure the obligations arising from the real estate Purchase Agreement.
  • Open Plaza Angamos: Design of the project destined to the construction and operation of a Shopping Center in Lima, which involved an investment of US$ 100,000,000.00 million dollars. Our advice included the negotiation with the different owners of the 10 real estate properties where the Shopping Center would be developed and the acquisition of such real estate properties, as well as the financing of the construction of the Shopping Center, the construction contract and the accumulation of the 10 real estate properties. In the framework of the development of the project easements and surface rights were granted, and a Security Trust Agreement was constituted.
  • Interbank Group: Direct and active advice to the Interbank Group in the development of a Due Diligence of buildings owned by third parties that are granted in a trust to the Interbank Group to ensure the debts granted by the Interbank Group in favor of such third parties. The Due Diligence has been drawn up jointly with different areas of CMS Grau. The purpose of performing the Due Diligence for the Interbank Group is to determine if the properties given in trust guarantee in a valid manner and without contingencies the secured obligations set forth in the Trust Agreement.
  • San Agustin Hotels (Miraflores and Arequipa): Advice not only to real estate companies but also to companies that have as their purpose the purchase of properties for the operation of hotels. About this, in the year 2015 Carolina provided advice to San Agustin in the acquisition of real estate both in Lima and Arequipa in order to build and deploy three- and four-star hotels; the amount invested for the purchase of three real estate premises was of approximately US$ 6'500,000.00.
  • Torres Unidas del Perú S.R.L.: Advice and preparation of a Due Diligence of one hundred and fifty (150) antennas owned by Torres Unidas for the purpose of determining the ownership and validity of the rights granted to Torres Unidas as well as the review of permits and authorizations to determine the validity of the same and if the antennas are equipped with all municipal authorizations required to operate such antennas.

Memberships & Roles

  • Lima Bar Association (CAL)

Education

  • 2024 – Specialisation in Digital Media Legislation, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC).
  • 2008 – Specialization in Construction Law, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • 2003 – Law Degree, Universidad  de Lima

Carolina Gajate is a partner in the Technology, Media and Communications (TMC) and Real Estate practices at CMS Grau. She leads the firm’s TMC practice and has been part of CMS Grau for more than 20 years. 

She has solid experience advising national and international companies on information technology, startups, personal data protection and emerging technologies. Her practice includes providing strategic legal advice on compliance with data protection obligations, as well as leading audit and diagnostic projects and the implementation of personal data protection regulations across websites, mobile applications and non-automated databases. 

Carolina is particularly experienced in helping clients navigate the legal challenges arising from digital business models and new technologies, combining regulatory knowledge with a practical approach to compliance. She holds a specialisation in Digital Media Legislation from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC). 

Practice Areas
Real Estate Commercial Corporate/M&A
sectors
TMC - Technology, Media and Communications Hospitality, Travel & Leisure

Insights by Carolina

See all Insights
Deals Peru

CMS Grau advises Toyota del Perú on the acquisition of land plots for the construction of its Logistics Hub in Lurín

06 Feb 2026 2 min read
Publication Peru

Electronic Wallet Payments in Peru: Regulatory Obligations and Key Considerations for Businesses

16 Jan 2026 4 min read
Newsletter Peru

Approval of the regulations of the Law that promotes the use of AI in Peru

09 Sep 2025 4 min read
News Peru

CMS Grau announces successful integration of a Legal Team to consolidate its Real Estate & Construction Practice

10 Mar 2025 4 min read
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