Alta QIL+4 Abogados fields a comprehensive litigation and arbitration practice, with a strong track record in both domestic and cross-border proceedings, and attracts praise from clients for its ability to ‘understand the interests of international clients‘. The ‘excellent‘ team is a go-to choice for local and multinational companies involved in complex disputes in the energy sector, including high-profile constitutional litigation concerning mining and hydroelectric power projects. Civil, commercial and criminal disputes also feature in the firm’s caseload, along with a steady stream of asset recovery actions. Alejandro Solares Morales, a specialist in commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration, heads the department. Other key figures on the deep bench include senior associates Luis Pedro Martínez, who is active in white-collar and financial criminal litigation, and Ignacio Grazioso, an expert in energy-related arbitration and the current president of Guatemalan arbitration centre Crecig, and associate Estuardo Marchena, who specialises in energy disputes. The team also leans on the senior experience of managing partner Marcos Ibargüen and José Quiñones.

Highlighted for its willingness to ‘take the time to individually analyse each case‘, Arias houses a broad dispute resolution practice with signature strengths in civil, administrative and labour litigation and arbitration. The team represents major local companies and multinationals, and continues to expand the scope of its practice to act for individuals in sensitive family law and human rights cases. Other growing areas of focus include tax litigation and public procurement disputes. Mario René Archila, who also acts as an arbitrator, leads the team; between them, Archila and senior counsel Luis Fernando Zelada bring almost six decades of experience to the practice, handling a vast array of civil, commercial, constitutional and criminal cases. The strong cohort of junior lawyers includes senior associate Mónica Medrano (who focuses on anti-corruption, money laundering and white-collar criminal cases, drawing on her previous experience as a district attorney), and associates Alvaro Reyes (who mainly handles civil litigation) and Karla Gómez (a specialist in labour disputes).

Carrillo & Asociados is widely recognised for its experience in local and international litigation and arbitration, and, thanks to its longstanding strength in constitutional cases, is often the first port of call for individuals involved in complex rule of law disputes. The six-partner team is also well versed in criminal, civil and commercial litigation, as well as having niche expertise in insolvency and asset recovery actions. Ricardo Recinos takes the lead on arbitration; along with Luis Mazariegos (who has notable expertise in labour and intellectual property disputes), he also focuses on civil, constitutional and commercial litigation. Fernando Mendizábal specialises in criminal, including white-collar crime, litigation, where he is supported by experienced senior associate Leopoldo Zeissig and associate Jennifer Bravo. Rodrigo Callejas leads the strategic litigation practice group and is highly active in cross-border insolvency, bankruptcy and asset recovery proceedings; Emanuel Callejas is another prominent figure in these fields. Founding partner Alfonso Carrillo also remains a high-profile name in the practice.

Praised by clients for ‘maximising the strengths of each lawyer‘, the team at dispute resolution powerhouse Legalsa combines the skills of practice heads Henry Comte (whose extensive experience includes previously serving as an alternate magistrate of the Constitutional Court), Alejandro Penados and Marisol Fión to handle a wide range of civil, administrative, commercial, criminal and constitutional litigation and arbitration. In particular, the practice is highly regarded for its prowess in cross-border cases and complex shareholder litigation, routinely representing clients in high-profile disputes involving Guatemala’s largest corporate groups. The team is also active in white-collar crime cases, including fraud investigations and asset recovery, and also counts tax and IP disputes, bet-the-company litigation and disputes involving government procurement, concessions and public tenders among its areas of expertise. The team fields a strong cohort of associates, including Andrés Dubón, who handles corporate, commercial and financial disputes, Marcela Argueta, Juan Carlos Alvizúrez and Julia González, who focus on criminal law.

Arbitration is the cornerstone of the dispute resolution practice at Aguilar Castillo Love, which is particularly prominent in the energy sector, drawing on the wider firm’s strength in the industry to represent major companies, including all three Guatemalan electricity distributors, in high-profile proceedings. The firm also has an active litigation practice, with a track record that includes acting for a growing base of domestic and international clients in commercial, administrative, criminal and constitutional cases. Practice head René Vicente Rodríguez handles a mix of litigation and arbitration, bringing expertise in disputes in the automotive, construction and consumer products sectors to the table. Guatemala managing partner Juan Carlos Castillo Chacón, who is widely considered a leader in energy disputes, is a mainstay on the firm’s arbitration cases. Natalia Callejas Aquino also lends support to the team.

The ‘excellent‘ dispute resolution practice at Alegalis is equally adept at handling civil and criminal litigation, including commercial, constitutional, debt collection, property recovery and environmental damage cases. Notably, the team leverages firm-wide strength in the real estate sector to represent major developers in the region in an array of disputes. Criminal IP litigation is another strength and the practice frequently handles anti-counterfeiting actions on behalf of household-name international brands in the sports, fashion and consumer goods industries. Carlos Gustavo Palacios leads the civil litigation department (with expertise in commercial, banking, real estate and constitutional disputes), and director Cristian Rojas heads the criminal litigation side of the practice. Managing partner Juan Antonio Mazariegos, whose litigation experience spans civil, criminal and constitutional cases, is also a leading practitioner in the team.

BLP continues to grow its diverse dispute resolution practice, which handles a wide array of constitutional, criminal, civil and commercial litigation and arbitration. The team’s recent caseload reflects its strengths in representing both multinational clients (where highlights include assisting international brands with IP and distribution-related litigation) and major domestic companies (including acting for key players in the insurance sector in constitutional and other actions). Rodolfo Salazar draws on extensive experience in handling disputes in the public and private sectors, particularly in the energy and public procurement spaces, to lead the practice. He is supported by an impressive junior team, including senior associate Rubén Fuentes, who focuses on administrative litigation, and associates Javier Chacón, who has an active constitutional litigation practice, and Julio Luján, an expert in criminal law.

Consortium Legal‘s ‘extremely agile‘ dispute resolution team attracts praise for its ability to handle breach of contract claims against public entities; practice co-head Elías Arriaza is particularly prominent in litigation and arbitration (both ad hoc and institutional proceedings) in this space. Arriaza, who focuses on civil, commercial and constitutional disputes, also has a thriving debt recovery practice. On the criminal litigation front, the team represents clients in a wide range of environmental, tax fraud and IP cases. Lionel Aguilar, a founding partner of the Guatemala office, leads the criminal side of the practice, with an emphasis on tax disputes, alongside Astrid Domínguez, who was elevated to the partnership in January 2023. David Erales also has extensive experience in contentious tax matters, and recently promoted senior associate Erick Efrén Pérez provides capable support.

Singled out by clients for its ‘excellent attention to detail‘, the dispute resolution team at Mayora & Mayora, S.C. handles the full range of contentious matters, with a strong track record in civil, commercial, constitutional and criminal litigation and arbitration. Among other areas, the practice has recently been active in administrative and employment disputes, especially cases involving high-level executives. Practice head Paola Galich has extensive experience, both in-house and in private practice, in employment, constitutional, administrative and corporate disputes. The talented line-up of junior lawyers includes senior associates José Ramos (a key contact for civil, commercial and criminal litigation) and Byron Deulofeu (who frequently handles IP litigation with sister firm Mayora IP), and associate Martin Chávez. Regional managing partner Eduardo Mayora is also a key figure at the senior level.

A. D. Sosa & Soto‘s practice spans the full range of civil, commercial, constitutional and criminal litigation, and the team is also experienced in national and international arbitration proceedings, particularly concerning distribution agreements. The bulk of the practice’s caseload is handled by an active team of associates, headed by legal director Daniel Marroquín, who has a strong recent record in arbitration. David Barrientos directs the criminal law practice, which represents clients in financial fraud and criminal IP litigation, and Luis Pedro Guerra returned to the firm from Alta QIL+4 Abogados in December 2022 to head the newly launched tax litigation practice. At partner level, Rodolfo Sosa, Juan Sebastián Soto and Carlos Rafael Pellecer lend senior expertise to the team.

ECIJA INTEGRUM‘s ‘exceptional‘ team is sought after by both domestic and multinational clients for its expertise in arbitration; the practice covers commercial and investment arbitration, with standout strength in international proceedings. Litigation is also taken on by the department, which has an active presence in civil, commercial, family, administrative and constitutional disputes. Edson López, the firm’s director of arbitration for Central America, is highlighted for his ‘excellent capacity in complex arbitrations‘, and senior partner Marcos Palma is also a key name on that side of the practice. The growing associate team includes international arbitration specialist Emanuel Retana, who joined from Legalsa in April 2022; Andrea Miranda, an expert in tax disputes; and María del Pilar Penagos.

The dispute resolution practice at Dentons handles the full spread of litigation, garnering praise for its ‘proactivity and clarity‘, with notable recent activity in commercial, constitutional, employment and IP cases. In particular, the team is well versed in representing national and international companies in the energy, mining, banking and healthcare sectors. ‘Top-level‘ director Paola Haase has a broad practice with standout experience in cases in the oil, energy and mining spaces, and office managing partner Luis Abundio Maldonado and IP director Gabriela Gándara are further names to note.