Legalsa > Guatemala, Guatemala > Firm Profile

Legalsa > The Legal 500 Rankings

Guatemala > Dispute resolution Tier 1

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.

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Clients of Legalsa highlight the full-service firm’s personal approach and praise the team’s ‘humility and seriousness‘. The corporate department has an impressive record in cross-border M&A, advising international companies and major local and regional players, and has recently been active in assisting foreign direct investors with the expansion of their operations into Guatemala. Infrastructure, energy, aviation and telecoms are among the firm’s core sectors of expertise, and it also has a growing niche in the fintech and mobile apps space, as well as a practice dedicated to advising start-ups on corporate and IP issues (with an emphasis on the food and technology industries). David Font, an expert in M&A, foreign direct investment, real estate and fintech, jointly heads the practice with Johann Hartleben, whose experience spans domestic and international transactions. Senior associates Mónica Linares and Andrés Dubón focus on real estate issues and corporate disputes, respectively.

Guatemala > Intellectual property Tier 2

Legalsa‘s IP practice wins praise from clients for its ‘broad command of the subject‘ and ‘mastery of the legal procedures‘, making it a strong choice to advise a host of well-known domestic and multinational companies on the management of their IP portfolios throughout Central America. The team frequently assists with trademark registrations and renewals, and also has notable experience in niche areas such as motion trademarks and copyright licensing agreements for works of art. On the contentious front, the department leans on top-flight litigators Alejandro Penados and Henry Comte in opposition, infringement, unfair competition and anti-counterfeiting claims. The firm also has practices dedicated to advising start-ups and clients in the e-commerce space on IP matters. The ‘committed‘ Karina Calderón heads the practice, ably supported by associate Óscar Herrera.

Guatemala > Real estate Tier 2

Legalsa‘s ‘team of effective professionals‘ brings together expertise in both transactional and contentious matters to handle a wide range of real estate mandates, with particular strength in assisting major local developers with the construction of luxury residential and office buildings. The team stands out for its track record in property-related disputes (supported by the firm’s top-flight litigation department), but is also adept at advising on project finance, construction agreements, the acquisition and sale of properties, and the negotiation of lease agreements (with an emphasis on the retail sector). Jointly leading the practice are founding partner David Font, who has notable experience in project finance, the ‘efficient, knowledgeable and approachable‘ Johann Hartleben and senior associate Mónica Linares, who is an expert in horizontal property regimes and construction permits.