Labour and employment in Dominican Republic
Guzmán Ariza
High-profile tourism and sports-sector companies entrust Guzmán Ariza with sensitive and complex labour law matters; the team handles a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment issues, counting labour litigation, hiring and dismissals, employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and union negotiations among its areas of expertise. The group is also strong in representing senior executives in employment disputes. Labour law expert Rubén García, based in the Samaná office, jointly leads the practice with Rhadaisis Espinal, who is well known for her expertise in litigation. La Romana-based Alfredo Guzmán, real estate law expert Fabio Guzmán Ariza and Julio Brea Guzmán in Puerto Plata are also active in this space.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Club Med
Pawa Dominicana
Major League Baseball
Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort
SH Cacao CO Partners LP
Sosúa Ocean Village
Orica Dominicana, S.A.
Grupo Laugama
GAP Medics
TravelSmart
Work highlights
- Defending PAWA Dominicana in multiple labour lawsuits arising from the company’s high-profile insolvency and subsequent restructuring.
- Assisting GAP Medics with hirings and dismissals.
- Acting for chemical manufacturer Orica Dominicana in a number of contested dismissal cases.
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández
Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández's 'highly professional and knowledgeable' team balances a busy caseload of labour disputes, including cases before the Supreme Court. Other areas of instruction include restructuring, union conflicts and contracts-related work, and the team acts for an international client base, with particular expertise in the telecoms sector. Practice head Tomás Hernández is considered 'one of the most knowledgeable lawyers in labour matters in the Dominican Republic'. Manuel Madera and senior associate Federico Pinchinat are also noted.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is highly professional and knowledgeable‘.
‘Tomás Hernández is one of the most knowledgeable lawyers in labour matters in the Dominican Republic‘.
‘Manuel Madera and Federico Pinchinat have good client care and availability‘.
Key clients
New York Yankees
The Philadelphia Phillies
LA Dodgers
MercaSID, S.A.
Consorcio Azucarero Central
Johnson & Johnson
ARS Palic Salud
ISLA DOMINICANA DE PETRÓLEO CORPORATION (SHELL)
GRUPO PUNTACANA
Claro Dominicana
Work highlights
- Defending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints against a labour lawsuit filed by the Construction Workers’ Pension Scheme (CWPS).
- Defending the Los Angeles Dodgers against a labour lawsuit filed by a former employee.
- Advising GlaxoSmithKline on the labour aspects of its joint venture with Pfizer.
ECIJA DVMS
ECIJA DVMS counts labour litigation as a core strength, although the team is also adept at handling restructuring, dismissals, outsourcing and regulatory matters. The firm benefits from its broad office network, and acts for a client base of high-profile sports teams, banks, technology companies and pharmaceutical corporations. Gabriel Dejarden and Edward Salcedo jointly head the practice; associate Arístides Victoria is noted for his expertise in labour disputes.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Atlanta Braves
Texas Rangers
Houston Astros
Work highlights
- Assisting a professional baseball team with terminating employee contracts in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
- Defended the Atlanta Braves against a labour lawsuit filed by a former team member who claimed unlawful contractual termination.
Pellerano & Herrera
The 'highly prepared' team at Pellerano & Herrera advises multinational companies on labour law matters connected to their operations in the Dominican Republic; clients includes technology, tourism and pharmaceutical companies. Carolina Leon, who was promoted to partner in 2019, led the advice to Carnival Cruise Lines on hiring employees and regulatory matters. The group is led jointly by labour litigation expert Lucy Objío and special counsel Isabel Andrickson.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is highly prepared, and has a lot of knowledge of employment matters in the Dominican Republic‘.
Work highlights
- Provides legal assistance on labour matters in relation to Carnival’s Amber Cove sea port; recent work includes advice on regulations and the hiring of employees.
Russin, Vecchi & Heredia Bonetti
Georges Santoni Recio leads the practice at Russin, Vecchi & Heredia Bonetti, which is 'knowledgeable about regulatory matters'; outsourcing agreements, labour disputes and contracts-related work are also prominent in the group's recent workload. José Maldonado Stark and Ariel Jáquez Núñez are also key contacts, as is senior associate Yissel De León Burgos, who joined from an in-house role in 2019 and draws on previous experience as a labour law judge.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is professional and knowledgeable about regulatory matters‘.
Key clients
Dominican Garden Products Inc.
Senosiain Laboratorios
Renaissance Partners
Siemens Mobility S.R.L.
Acquire BPO
Pfizer Dominicana, SRL
Movix Republic Dominicana, SRL
Brugal
Saint George Education Complex, S.A.
Domicem
Cortes Hermanos
Fresenius Medical Care Dominicana, SRL
Work highlights
- Acted for Mexico-based pharmaceutical company Senosiain Laboratorios in a long-running dispute with a former employee.
- Assisting telecoms company Movix Republic Dominicana with outsourcing agreements and contractual termination matters.