Enrique De Marchena Kaluche has led the team at DMK Abogados on an airport construction dispute, representing the owner of the Punta Cana airport in an administrative appeal against the Bavaro International Airport project. As well as day-to-day advice on permits and licences, the firm assists hotels with litigation over property, reputational and labour disputes, aided by dispute resolution partner Iván García Elsevyf. Patricia Guzmán counts Marriott as a regular client, for whom she has negotiated franchising agreements and concession contracts and provided due diligence. The firm often advises clients on tourism incentive tax exemptions and regulations, as well as gaining approval from the Tourism Promotion Council for a golf resort project.

Fabio Guzmán Ariza heads the real estate department at Guzmán Ariza, where Alfredo Guzmán Saladín handles a variety of matters, aided by close involvement of of counsel Giselle Pérez Reyes and senior counsel Marianne Olivares. Guzmán Saladín’s work includes acting for long-term client Club Med and a real estate developer on their land and property acquisitions – including construction permits, operating licences and tax exemptions – as well as handling service contract negotiations and leasing and commercialisation agreements for Meliá Hotels International, and environmental and corporate work. Julio Brea Guzmán regularly acts for tourism clients in construction disputes; he represented Sosúa Ocean Village and Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort in adjudication and litigation respectively against building companies. Rubén García and César Calderón  oversaw the development of a gated community, including corporate and land purchase advice, while associate Achelis Santana works on real estate and corporate law.

ECIJA DVMS‘ Gabriel Dejarden and associate Deydania Comas are experienced in advising Major League Baseball clients on real estate in the Dominican Republic, with the pair acting for the Texas Rangers in its purchase of land for a baseball academy, including due diligence, title insurance, negotiation of purchase and contracting agreements and permits. Polibio Valenzuela advises finance and investment institutions on financing real estate projects, such as negotiating for Capital Crédito e Inversiones regarding a mixed-use development. Christian Molina oversaw the purchase of three properties for a construction client, involving the incorporation of condominium regimes.

Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández has handled the development of the Playa Grande Golf Resort, with the ‘attentive’ and ‘realistic’  Jaime Senior taking on purchase, sale and construction agreements, contracts and permits. Marisol Vicens oversees acquisitions of plots for development, notably for a plastics manufacturer, while Mary Fernández covers easement disputes and due diligence on land. Free trade zones are an area of experience, with Sarah De León negotiating leases for buildings in an industrial free trade zone park for a cigar factory.

Structuring trusts for real estate project developments is a key part of OMG‘s work, as well as designing corporate structures for purchase and ownership of projects, led by corporate specialist Esperanza Cabral and often aided by associate Mairení Silvestre. Silvestre and fellow associate Patricia Losada assisted Park Adventure Group with the building and operation of a sustainable theme park and hotel, including permits, financing and corporate structures, and zoning specialist Losada also advised an NGO on architectural and engineering interventions in cities. The team also cover restructuring of time shares for Meliá Hotel International and condominium regulations. Former practice head Laura Troncoso left the firm to become general counsel for Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club.

Aviation is a key area for Pellerano & Herrera and practice co-head Ricardo Pellerano, with Vitelio Mejía Ortiz covering permits and authorisations for Interjet, as well as corporate and financial advice for tourism resorts, and Alessandra Di Carlo working on property financing and acquisitions. Day-to-day advice for clients in the tourism sector is also covered; Di Carlo and Mejia Ortiz advise Amhsa Marina Hotels & Resorts on operational matters as well as defending the client against IP and negligence lawsuits.  Carolina Leon oversaw service agreements for the restart of Carnival Cruise Corporation’s operations, including tour operator and lease agreements, as well as counting Expedia, for whom she provides day-to-day assistance, as a client. Practice co-head Ramón Luciano advised on land demarcation issues for both a tourist resort and Avon, as well as real estate matters for individuals such as recovery of real estate in a will dispute, and property sales for foreign investors. Tourism industry partner Caroline Bonó left the firm to join Pellerano Nadal.

Boosted by the hire of Caroline Bonó from Pellerano & Herrera, the team at Pellerano Nadal advises clients from the transport sector on corporate, labour and regulatory issues. Luis Rafael Pellerano provides ongoing assistance to airline JetBlue, including regulatory and PR advice during the pandemic, and has helped a client bidding to take on the concession of Manzanillo Port. The firm also oversees project financing in the tourism sector and acquisitions of real estate assets in other sectors.

Led by Román Medina Diplán, the team at Russin, Vecchi & Heredia Bonetti focuses on advice for individual investors on their purchases and sales of property and land, occasionally in tourist areas; work includes due diligence, title research, contracts and tax incentives. The firm also covers condominium rules, demarcation of land and litigation. José Maldonado Stark handles real estate issues for energy clients, such as advising BAS Corporation on a long-term lease, easements and due diligence on land prior to project development. Luis Heredia Valenzuela provides oversight on transactional and contentious matters.

Ulises Cabrera counts the Asociación Popular de Ahorros y Préstamo (APAP) as a key client, advising the bank frequently on foreclosure litigation against debtors. The firm represents clients in lawsuits against the Dominican state, defending APAP in a title fraud matter and suing on behalf of land owner SONULI regarding compensation for land affected by road building. The team has also advised SONULI on title and demarcation issues, two areas of which the firm has much experience. Name partner Ulises Cabrera leads and ‘excellent’ senior associate Jeanny Aristy Santana assists in the majority of the firm’s matters, which are often for private clients; Cabrera co-led with Leslie Cabrera on an individual’s sale of lands amounting to 150m sq m. Freddy Zarzuela advises on housing projects, with experience in foreclosure cases.

José Manuel Alburquerque Prieto and Gina Hernández Vólquez co-lead the majority of Alburquerque Abogados – Consultores‘ real estate work, with GSM Investissements Dominicana as a key client; the pair advised on its US$403m tourism project, including hotel operation licences, tax exemptions, and negotiated with authorities including the Ministry of Tourism over matters such as a land access agreement and land use non-objection certificate. Laura Polanco Coste co-leads on advice to individuals on their property purchases, as well as acting for a financial institution in its acquisition of a property. Other work includes loan advice for a hotel, due diligence prior to sale of a tourist resort and division of properties due to the split of a corporate group.

Pereyra & Asociados advises lenders, private clients and companies from sectors such as telecoms, manufacturing and food and beverage on real estate matters, with an emphasis on dispute resolution but also including leasing, financing and acquisitions. Luis Miguel Pereyra has experience in real estate finance, litigation and foreclosure of property, with Emma Mejía Batlle assisting in sale/purchase transactions, permits and advice for individuals, and Gregorio García often provides support.