Mayora & Mayora, S.C. > Guatemala, Guatemala > Firm Profile

Mayora & Mayora, S.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Guatemala > Banking and finance Tier 1

With an expanding presence in the Northern Triangle region of Central America, Mayora & Mayora, S.C. is equally skilled in handling domestic and regional financial transactions. Praised for its ‘quality client service‘, the team advises on the gamut of banking and finance matters, from syndicated loans and regulatory issues to project finance and debt restructuring, with particular expertise in acting for international and regional banks and development finance institutions. The capital markets sphere is also a key source of mandates; the practice, which is experienced in international debt issuances and derivatives transactions, counts the National Stock Exchange among its clients. Claudia Pereira, an expert in secured transactions, trusts and project finance, leads the team. María Fernanda Morales Pellecer has significant strength in banking regulation, benefitting from her past in-house experience at several major banks, and regional managing partner Eduardo Mayora remains a leading figure in the practice. Senior associate Carlos Ortega provides support across the full range of matters.

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

In addition to its presence throughout the Northern Triangle region of Central America, Mayora & Mayora, S.C. also benefits from its close links with international firms thanks to its membership of the Lex Mundi legal network, making it a strong choice for multinational clients seeking advice on complex regional M&A and the establishment of operations in Central America. The team is also consistently active in corporate restructuring, joint venture, and corporate governance and compliance mandates, leveraging the firm’s full-service offering to assist with related banking, administrative, tax and labour issues and drawing on firm-wide expertise in energy matters to advise prominent clients in the sector. Department head Sandra Castillo has a broad practice, with an extensive client roster of international companies and major domestic groups. She is ably supported by senior associates Ana Cristina Garita and María de la Concepción Villeda, a specialist in civil and commercial contracts. Managing partner Eduardo Mayora and Claudia Pereira continue to lend senior expertise to the team.

Guatemala > Energy and natural resources/projects Tier 1

Praised by clients for its ‘agility‘ and ‘quality‘, Mayora & Mayora, S.C. fields an impressively broad energy and natural resources practice, which is continuing to expand into the renewable energy space. The department handles a healthy mix of transactional, regulatory and contentious work for a wide-ranging client base of energy distributors and generators, as well as infrastructure and construction companies, frequently teaming up with the firm’s offices in El Salvador and Honduras to advise on cross-border matters in the sector. The practice is highly active in energy-related disputes, with strong skills in administrative litigation and international arbitration, and also advises on the development and financing of power plants, government bids and PPAs. Rafael Briz, who is commended for his comprehensive energy practice, leads the team. Senior associate Juan Carlos Foncea provides capable support on the full range of energy and regulatory matters.

Guatemala > Tax Tier 1

Sought out by clients for its ‘quality, empathy and agility‘, Mayora & Mayora, S.C. handles the full spectrum of transactional, contentious and compliance-related tax matters. Tax litigation is a clear forte for the team, with its recent caseload featuring a number of complex disputes over customs and transfer pricing issues. As a member of Lataxnet, the Latin American network of tax-focused firms, it also enjoys close links with international practices, which it draws upon to assist clients with cross-border tax planning and international trade matters, in addition to joining up with the firm’s offices in El Salvador and Honduras to advise on regional tax strategies. Both renowned practice head Eduardo Mayora and Juan Carlos Casellas bring noteworthy experience with the SAT to the table, Mayora as a former board member and Casellas, who specialises in transfer pricing and tax litigation, as an in-house adviser.

Guatemala > Dispute resolution Tier 2

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.

Guatemala > Labour Tier 2

The labour team at Mayora & Mayora, S.C. handles a healthy mix of advisory work and litigation, with noteworthy expertise in immigration law, where it assists large international and domestic clients with obtaining temporary and permanent residency and work permits for foreign employees. The practice also covers occupational health and safety, employment contracts, internal regulations, the dismissal of employees and calculation of severance pay, and negotiations with labour unions. Department head Rafael Briz is well regarded for his strength in labour litigation and immigration matters, often advising Spanish companies thanks to his role as president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. Senior associate Suzel Obiols is highly experienced in advising international clients across the full range of labour law issues.

Central America > Corporate and finance Tier 2

Mayora & Mayora, S.C. has had a presence in the Guatemalan market for over 50 years, and since then has established itself as a strong choice to advise international companies and financial institutions on cross-border transactions in the ‘Northern Triangle’ region of Central America, with offices in El Salvador and Honduras (located in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula). Clients in all three countries can also take advantage of the IP and domain name services provided by its sister firms, Mayora IP and Mayora Domains, S.A. In Guatemala, where the firm has significant expertise in the capital markets space, counting the national stock exchange among its clients, Claudia Pereira, a specialist in financial transactions, Sandra Castillo, who handles M&A and restructurings, and highly regarded regional managing partner Eduardo Mayora are the primary contacts. Manuel Telles, whose experience spans M&A, company incorporations, project finance and international bond issuances, leads the corporate and finance practices in El Salvador. Odín Guillén Leiva, who is well versed in corporate and commercial matters as well as handling litigation, is the name to note in Honduras.