The December 2021 integration of the former Flor Hurtado (FH) firm with the Roque Bustamante-led spin off – briefly known as PabraLaw – from the former Bustamante & Bustamante, resulted in the creation of Flor Bustamante Pizarro Hurtado Abogados. Simply stated, the new entity is an energy powerhouse, combining the strengths of FH in transactional matters, cross-border financings, contract negotiations, and precontractual and structuring advice tailored towards early-stage projects, with the specialist energy and natural resources know-how of Bustamante’s team. The new bench includes: Mario Alejandro Flor, who focuses on banking and finance matters; veteran energy specialist Roque Bernardo Bustamante, who has over 25 years’ experience in the area; and Andrés Ycaza Palacios and Agustin Hurtado, specialists in mining and hydrocarbons, respectively. A strong second tier of experienced associates includes: Ximena Cabezas, who is highly regarded for mining regulatory matters; Alejandro Pérez Arellano, who is a key contact for transactional work; Maria Fernanda Mencías, whose practice includes hydrocarbons and environmental matters; and Sebastian Corral who focuses on oil, gas and energy. Former senior associate Carlos Torres Salinas  moved in house at Dundee Precious Metals in April 2022.

Pérez Bustamante & Ponce remains an undoubted leader in the energy and natural resources sector, with an offering that caters towards clients in the mining, renewables, electricity and oil and gas segments. As a team that features specialists from the firm’s other practice areas, its advice extends to tax, labour, environmental, financing and corporate matters, with a further focus on contentious administrative issues relating to national authorities. With deep experience in contract negotiation for the oil and gas industry, Francisco Roldán co-leads the team alongside managing partner Sebastián Pérez, a transactional expert; Jaime Zaldumbide, who has expertise on environmental issues; natural resources and regulatory specialist Sebastián Cortez (who joined the firm from Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados in January 2021); and senior associate María Isabel Aillón, who is well-regarded for handling disputes in the mining sector. The team was further strengthened in June 2022 with the return of Patricio Albuja (as a senior associate), after a period in house - most recently at ENAP.

Following the merger between Bustamante & Bustamante and Fabara & Compañía in November 2021, Bustamante Fabara’s focus remains primarily on compliance and corporate advice in relation to the oil and gas sectors. Notable members of the team include Juan Carlos Bustamante and José Rafael Bustamante, who both have expertise in M&A and joint venture work. Ximena Cabezas is also noted for her advice on mining regulations. While former energy and natural resources practice head Roque Bernardo Bustamante  left the firm to establish his own boutique (which subsequently merged into the former Flor Hurtado firm in December 2021), the firm has since hired former Robalino practice co-head, Rafael Valdivieso, an oil and gas specialist, along with senior associates Gustavo Almeida and Bruno Pesantes, who both advise energy and natural resources companies on transactions, operations, regulatory matters and infrastructure development – effective as of September 2022. Since publication, the firm has hired Juan Carlos Domínguez as associate director of its infrastructure practice; he arrives from an in-house position as legal director at Santoscmi / Acero de los Andes – effective as of January 2023. 

With a roster of high-profile clients -including the likes of Baker Hughes, Repsol, Schlumberger and Engie- ECIJA GPA has proven strength in the oil and gas sectors. The team, which acts out of Quito, is co-led by Gonzalo González, who has nearly 40 years’ experience handling upstream and downstream matters for public and private hydrocarbons entities; and Bayardo Poveda, who has expertise in corporate and financing arrangements in the sector. Involved in a variety of complex transactions, the team recently advised Baker Hughes on its corporate restructuring, involving the transformation and merger of two foreign and two local companies in the group. Also noted as a key contact, associate Gustavo Arrobo is highly regarded for his experience with alternative dispute resolution and corporate work. Key developments in the team include the arrival of Alvaro Ordóñez from Robalino in September 2021.

Robalino has established itself as one of the leaders in the energy and natural resources sector over the last few years, consistently acting for high-profile clients in the renewables, mining, and oil-and-gas sectors, and earning a strong reputation for its handling of project finance matters, M&A and the structuring of projects. The team is jointly led by Andrés Donoso, who is active in structuring for oil and mining projects; Rafael Valdivieso, whose practice centres on oil-and-gas matters; and Javier Robalino, who has a long established reputation for both his transactional and contentious work. Recent highlights saw the team act for Frontera Energy on gaining approval of its environmental licenses so as to begin exploratory drilling. However, since research concluded, Valdivieso has left the firm, taking specalist former seniors Gustavo Almeida and Bruno Pesantes with him - effective as of September 2022.

Tobar ZVS is noted for its active role in projects relating to the mining sector, acting for the likes of Solgold, Aurania Resources and Lumina Gold in transactional matters as well as in the planning, initial bidding, and construction of a multitude of exploration plans. Recent highlights saw the team act for Solgold on the structuring and negotiation of a financing agreement for the “Cascabel” mining project. Leading the team is César Zumárraga, with expertise in transactional work at a regional and international level. Other notable figures include Juan Fernando Larrea, who joined the partnership in March 2021 and now leads the Environmental and Sustainability unit at the firm, and associate Carla Grefa, who focuses on corporate and regulatory issues in relation to mining projects.

The former Paz Horowitz’ tie up with transnational giant Dentons in July 2021 resulted in the formation of Dentons Paz Horowitz, which now faces the Ecuadorian market as the local face of a global platform and with a consequently expanded capacity for cross-border matters. In the energy and natural resources segment the office fields a team led by Jorge Paz Durini and Juan Carlos Pérez; it is particularly active in the mining sector, with regulatory, corporate and transactional advice representing key areas of work for the practice. Associate practice directors Gabriel Santelices and María del Mar Heredia are also key figures in the group, providing support with respect to environmental compliance and corporate issues.

The energy and natural resources team at Guayaquil-based Pino Elizalde Abogados advises a variety of foreign entities and local companies, including oil traders and mineral processing companies, on regulatory issues relating to the expansion and financing of their local operations. The team is jointly led by dual-qualified (Ecuador/New York)name partner Daniel Pino (who focuses on transactional and financing matters in the sector); senior associate Jorge Cedeño (trading and exportation of natural resources, including trade finance; and dispute resolution) and associate Fernanda Guzmán (contractual and regulatory mattes) and is active in a range of financing and -genreally- downstream matters relating to the oil and mining industries. Recent mandates include acting for minerals and ore trading company Traxys Europe on it's financings of local suppliers and processors, and its resource acquisitions. Associate Paulette Ocampo left in April 2022 to join the Presidencia de la República del Ecuador as a regulatory specialist.

Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados has endured a difficult year with the departure of environmental partner Rafael Pástor (to establish Guayaquil-based boutique, Pástor Estudio Jurídico Ambiental) in March 2022, followed by the loss of associate María Elena Sanmartín   who moved in house at Grupo Cobra the following month. These losses notwithstanding, the practice remains afoot due to the drive of associate director Francisco Larrea, who has expertise in corporate structuring, project financing and particularly, both transactions and dispute resolution in the energy and oil-and-gas sectors. The firm’s broad service offering also allows it to support its oil, gas and mining industry clients on a range of tax, labour, corporate and regulatory matters. Since publication, Larrea has been promoted to the partnership - effective as of March 2023.