The powerhouse team at regional firm Arias remains a market leader, bringing strength to advising major financial institutions and multinational corporations on a comprehensive range of matters, including high-value, cross-border M&A, joint ventures, project finance, antitrust, compliance, concessions and credit agreements. The firm’s broad client base spans sectors ranging from banking, apparel, tech, financial services, and food and beverages to pharmaceuticals, energy, telecoms and professional services. The team is led by managing partner and foreign investment authority Ana Teresa Rizo; Bertha Argüello, an expert in financial regulatory compliance; Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas, a specialist in advising multilateral institutions on the granting of credits, including the structuring and negotiation of agreements; and Rodrigo Ibarra, who handles matters involving hydrocarbons, renewable energies, ports, and infrastructure. Key support is provided at the associate level by Maryeling Guevara, who handles complex due diligence for acquisitions, and Uriel Balladares, who manages tax law and fiscal planning issues.

The corporate and finance team at Consortium Legal remains a leader in the marketplace, marshalling deep bench strength and the expertise of its offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua to advise household-name national and multinational corporates and financial institutions on a comprehensive range of matters. The group’s extensive client roster spans the construction, banking and finance, insurance, tech, retail, energy, food and beverages, life sciences and manufacturing sectors. Core areas of expertise include high-value and complex M&A, company incorporations, due diligence and market strategy, project finance, joint ventures, subordinated agreements, and guaranteed and unsecured credit lines, as well as related tax and regulatory compliance issues. Foreign investment authority Rodrigo Taboada and Olga Barreto, a financial and corporate restructuring expert, lead the team. Other senior figures include former General Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Nicaragua Martha Lorena Icaza, who brings over four decades’ experience to handling M&A. The key names at junior level are senior associates Meyling Sampson (a free trade zone specialist) and Carlos Castrillo (who assists with major transactions and general bidding processes).

The business law team at BLP harnesses the full bench strength of its offices in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala to advise multinational corporates, financial institutions and international development banks on everything from day-to-day corporate and financial matters to complex, high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The team's full-service offering covers M&A, corporate restructurings, distribution agreements, administrative matters, consumer rights issues, credit restructuring and retail banking transactions, with a diverse client base which spans such sectors as tobacco, finance, mining, motor vehicles and textiles. The practice is led by Ernesto Rizo, who brings over 20 years' experience to the practice space, and director Federico Barrios, who specialises in executing business cooperation agreements and handling the purchase and sale of shares or assets.

The experienced corporate and finance team at Central American firm Lexincorp assists household-name multinationals and regional financial institutions with complex, cross-border transactions. With an active client base which encompasses the tech, food, financial services, chemicals and manufacturing sectors, the firm advises on matters ranging from company incorporations, corporate governance, franchise agreements and the drafting and execution of contracts to joint ventures, M&A and distribution, licensing and agency agreements. On the finance front, the firm advises on loan agreements, supplier credit agreements and project financing. Roberto Rodríguez, who brings considerable expertise to contractual issues, asset and securities titling, and portfolio recovery, leads the team. Managing partner Claudia Vivas brings to bear extensive experience in the energy and hydrocarbons space, benefitting from a background as a former senior legal adviser to the Economic Section of the United States Embassy in Nicaragua. Key support is provided by associate Linda Barquero, a banking and finance specialist.

Drawing on the support of regional offices in Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala (as well as a vast international network), the team at Dentons is well equipped to advise major multinational corporations involved in high-value, cross-border transactions across such sectors as energy, education, financial services and pharmaceuticals. The firm’s comprehensive expertise takes in project finance, market entry, M&A, debt restructuring and asset securitisation, due diligence, corporate governance, tax planning and shareholders’ agreements. The team is led by office managing partner, experienced litigator and deal structuring expert Edgard Torres and associate Mario Novoa, a specialist in real estate.