Arias > Managua, Nicaragua > Firm Profile

Arias > The Legal 500 Rankings

Nicaragua > Corporate and finance Tier 1

The powerhouse team at regional firm Arias remains a market leader, bringing strength to advising major financial institutions and multinational corporations on a comprehensive range of matters, including high-value, cross-border M&A, joint ventures, project finance, antitrust, compliance, concessions and credit agreements. The firm’s broad client base spans sectors ranging from banking, apparel, tech, financial services, and food and beverages to pharmaceuticals, energy, telecoms and professional services. The team is led by managing partner and foreign investment authority Ana Teresa Rizo; Bertha Argüello, an expert in financial regulatory compliance; Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas, a specialist in advising multilateral institutions on the granting of credits, including the structuring and negotiation of agreements; and Rodrigo Ibarra, who handles matters involving hydrocarbons, renewable energies, ports, and infrastructure. Key support is provided at the associate level by Maryeling Guevara, who handles complex due diligence for acquisitions, and Uriel Balladares, who manages tax law and fiscal planning issues.

Nicaragua > Dispute resolution Tier 1

The powerhouse dispute resolution group at regional firm Arias remains a market leader, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations and financial institutions involved in high-value, cross-border disputes. With a client base spanning the food and beverages, mining, telecoms, real estate, manufacturing, financial services and NGO sectors, the team assists with alternative dispute resolution, out-of-court settlements and complex litigation across the key pillars of constitutional, commercial, corporate, criminal, labour, real estate and tax law. The team is led by experienced trial lawyer Róger Pérez. Other key figures include associates Octavio Alarcón, who has represented local investors in national arbitration and foreign companies in mediation with construction unions, and Leonardo Maldonado.

Nicaragua > Energy and natural resources Tier 1

A heavyweight in the energy and natural resources field, regional firm Arias remains a leader in the Nicaraguan market, regularly advising major multinationals seeking to develop significant wind, solar and natural gas projects in the country. The firm’s comprehensive service covers matters ranging from contracts of sale and supply, high-value bond issuances and facility agreements to permits and authorisations, concession contracts, lease agreements and due diligence. The team is led by Rodrigo Ibarra, a specialist in project finance. Other key figures include office managing partner and foreign investment adviser Ana Teresa Rizo and Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas, who brings expertise in high-value, cross-border M&A to transactions the energy space.

Nicaragua > Real estate Tier 1

Regional firm Arias remains a leader in the Nicaraguan real estate field, standing out for its prowess in advising private individuals on domestic property matters and national and multinational corporations on high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Assisting a client base across such sectors as energy, retail, agriculture, food and beverages, NGOs and telecoms, the practice’s comprehensive service extends to purchases and sales, leases and construction contracts, title insurance, zoning and related permits, due diligence procedures and litigation. The team is led by Róger Pérez, who brings his experience as head of the firm’s dispute and tax practices to his advice on acquisitions, tax and investment structuring, the establishment of condominium regimes and tourism projects. Associate Uriel Balladares advises on horizontal property regimes and regulatory matters related to real estate assets. Associate Douglas Vásquez, who frequently defends clients’ interests before municipal tax entities, joined the team in June 2022 from Munguia Vidaurre Law.

Nicaragua > Intellectual property Tier 2

The team at regional firm Arias has longstanding experience of advising major global brands, including Jordache, Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca and 3M, on the safeguarding and management of their international intellectual property portfolios. The firm acts for a diverse client base covering the apparel, consumer goods, tobacco, and food and beverages sectors, displaying particular strength in the pharmaceuticals space. Among the team’s core areas of expertise are the registration of trade marks, patents and copyrights, IP rights protection and enforcement, anti-counterfeiting measures, technology transfers and IP-related due diligence, including the preparation and revision of documents in physical and virtual data rooms. The team is led by Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas, a specialist in the IP aspects of complex, cross-border transactions. Associate Carlos Úbeda has notable expertise in the negotiation of co-existence agreements and pre-judicial meditations in enforcement actions.

Central America > Corporate and finance

Formed following the split of pioneering Central American firm Arias & Munoz, Arias has a well-established network of seven offices in the region, spread across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras (where it has branches in both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The firm has a long history of handling high-profile local and international M&A and financial transactions, acting for an impressive roster of multinationals, global financial institutions and leading regional banks. Diego Gallegos, who has expertise in asset and project finance, and Vicente Lines, an expert in the infrastructure and telecoms spaces, lead the finance practice in Costa Rica and are also key figures in the corporate team, where energy specialist Melania Dittel is also noted. In El Salvador, Mario Lozano is sought after for his advice on fintech and cryptocurrency issues, while Lilian Arias, the M&A-focused Roberta Gallardo and Luisa Rivas are among the key contacts for corporate matters. In Guatemala, Luis Pedro del Valle, who has a strong track record in cross-border M&A, took over leadership of the corporate and finance practices in April 2023. The highly experienced Evangelina Lardizábal steers the corporate and finance teams in Honduras alongside Mario Agüero, while in Nicaragua Ana Teresa Rizo, a go-to partner for foreign investments, Bertha Argüello, Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas and Rodrigo Ibarra, a specialist in the energy sector, are the names to note. María Cristina Fábrega takes the lead on M&A and financial transactions in Panama.