The Legal 500

El Salvador

Banking and finance

Banking and finance - ranked: tier 2

Lexincorp

Highly regarded by financial institutions and corporations alike, Lexincorp is a popular address for lenders and borrowers seeking advice on project finance, traditional and syndicated loans and other credit agreements. In recent years the team has particularly consolidated its standing in the energy sector: led by the renowned Enrique Escobar, the group recently assisted Puma El Salvador with the restructuring and expansion of a credit line (from $10m to $20m); and also advised electric power transmission company ETESAL on a $27m loan granted by Banco Agricola to fund the improvement of its transmission network. On the lender side, the team advised El Salvadoran development bank BANDESAL on more than 70 medium and long term loans in 2016, as well as assisting Banco General with a $25m commercial credit to Grupo Unicomer. Antonio Guirola is also noted.

Leading lawyers

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Corporate and M&A

Corporate and M&A - ranked: tier 2

Lexincorp

Despite decreasing investment activity in El Salvador, Lexincorp’s traditionally strong reputation in corporate and M&A matters and its considerable clout in the energy sector ensure a frequent flow of instructions from both domestic and international clients such as Sony, AT&T and Grupo Monge. Practice head Enrique Escobar recently advised Comisión Ejecutiva Hidroeléctrica del Rio Lempa on all contractual and compliance matters related to the $300m El Chaparral project; and assisted MSEF, a private equity fund which finances energy efficiency projects, with the opening of its operations in El Salvador. In other work, Antonio Guirola successfully represented Puma Energy before the Salvadoran tax authorities to obtain ‘tax free warehouse’-status for its port of Acajutla facilities. Competition expert Celina Escolan, who previously worked at El Salvador’s competition authority, the Superintendencia de la Competencia, joined the team in 2016; she too has longstanding experience in the energy sector.

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