Nicaragua > Corporate and finance > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Arias’ ‘excellent’ corporate and finance department has strength across an array of work including multi-jurisdictional M&A, project finance, and reorganisations and restructurings, as well as excelling in loan agreement and credit facility matters. The four-partner team of ‘credible experts’ is praised for its ‘personalised attention’, ‘quick reaction’ and ‘experience in a range of key areas’, including the agricultural, pharmaceutical and financial sectors. The practice handles an impressive caseload that recently included advising Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelinglanden (FMO) on the granting of a $10m credit facility to Comercial Internacional Exportadora; and assisting the New York branch of Rabobank with a credit facility to Sucden Americas for a sugar pre-export financing and other matters; the highly regarded Bertha Argüello led the advice on both cases. On the transactional side, ‘dedicated’ and ‘meticulous’ Ana Teresa Rizo is representing Bayer before the Nicaraguan competition authority in an authorization process related to its planned acquisition of Monsanto. Other practitioners to note are: corporate and commercial expert Roger Pérez, who is also experienced in tax as well as fiscal planning; and associate Rodrigo Ibarra, who specialises in telecommunications, energy, and banking and finance.

‘Outstanding’ corporate powerhouse Consortium Legal fields a four-partner corporate and finance department that is adept at negotiating loan agreements, undertakes bond issuances and restructurings, and handles high-profile transactions, often with a cross-border element. Jointly led by Olga Barreto and Rodrigo Taboada, the practice group’s expertise spans the energy, food and beverage, transportation and banking sectors among others. Infrastructure investment manager I Squared Capital recently instructed the team to assist with its acquisition of four power generation facilities in Nicaragua from Inkia, an IC Power subsidiary; work included due diligence, financing, tax, labour, IP and regulatory issues. Another major highlight was advising Central America Bottling Corporation (CBC)’s Embotelladora Nacional, on its role as guarantor in the $500m bond issuance and sale to initial buyers Citigroup Global Marketers and JP Morgan Securities. Other notable mandates included acting as local counsel for Grupo Monge in a regional syndicated loan granted by Bladex; and assisting Nica Vista with corporate and debt structuring as well as a regional capital increase. Clients also include Seguros America, Vuela Aviación and Tiempos de Siembra.

‘Excellent’ García & Bodán has carved out a strong position in the Nicaraguan M&A market, having a hand in major transactions in recent years and maintaining a strong client portfolio featuring names such as Cargill, United Airlines, Universal, Grupo Lala and McDonald’s Mesoamérica. The ‘highly competent’ team counsels clients on cross-border transactions, project finance and trust structuring, among other matters, and has a particular focus on the telecommunications, energy, infrastructure and financial services sectors. Recent work saw the team assist Hilton Princess Managua with all aspects of the sale of its assets, including the share sales agreement, tax and competition matters, as well as represent Mondelez Nicaragua in relation to the sale of a manufacturing plant. Another highlight was advising Tienda Universal on its incorporation in Nicaragua, including the procurement of operation permits and customs and labour matters. Leveraging off its leading position in the real estate market, a team led by regional managing partner Terencio García counselled British American Tobacco Centroamerica (BATCA) on $4.5m-worth of real estate transactions involving property located in national capital Managua for the construction of office and storage buildings. ‘Efficient’ Carlos Téllez, who is highly experienced in financing matters, is a name to note.

Regional firm Aguilar Castillo Love advises across all corporate and finance matters, its experience spanning complex cross-border transactions, corporate structuring, capital markets and financing matters as well as tax and labour law advice. The local three-partner department represents a broad, mainly international client base boasting global names such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, AstraZeneca, Hewlett-Packard and Johnson & Johnson. Engagements include assisting Banco Ficohsa Nicaragua with an international microfinance loan program; advising Emerald Peak Private Equity on buy-out opportunities in Central America; and counselling General Electric on the sale of and guarantees relating to medical devices. For recent client addition Bolsa de Valores de Nicaragua, the group is providing a wide range of services including advice on capital markets and labour law issues, trade mark registrations, commercial contract reviews and public offering memorandum reviews. Thelma Carrión Blandón directs the team, which also includes Pol Thielen and Violeta Núñez.

Nicaragua’s Lex Mundi network-member, domestic heavyweight Alvarado y Asociados fields a three-partner corporate and finance team that demonstrates strong expertise in cross-border transactions, corporate structuring, financial restructurings, project finance and loan agreements – where it acts for both lender and borrowers. Compliance, competition, tax and labour matters are other key strengths of a practice group that advises across many sectors, although most instructions come from the telecommunications, aviation, pharmaceuticals, mining and infrastructure sectors. Eminent co-practice head Gloria María de Alvarado is highly experienced in multijurisdictional matters, while Luz Marina Espinoza is the key contact for environmental and labour-related transactional matters. Notable clients include Delta Airlines, Grupo Bimbo, Kielsa Farmaceutica and Grupo Almo.

Praised for ‘timely responses’, ‘high responsiveness’ and ‘very precise advice’, BLP demonstrates strong experience in transactional as well as financing matters and regularly acts for a broad client roster including Colgate-Palmolive, Pepsico and Royal Road Minerals. The practice group’s scope encompasses cross-border M&A transactions, corporate structuring and capital markets advice; the team also handles competition, labour and tax matters. In a recent mandate from agribusiness-sector client, Bean & Co, a team assisted the cocoa producer with its business set-up in Nicaragua, included due diligence on various properties, financing, labour and environmental matters, and corporate and tax structuring. On the financial side, lender World Business Capital (WBC) instructed the team on the structuring of a $7.5m loan to Nicaraguan financial institution FAMA. Department lead Ernesto Rizo and associate Juan Castillo are highly rated advisors. Claudia Prado, who was formerly in-house counsel at Bac-Credomatic, joined in August 2017 and was raised to the partnership in January 2018.

The practice group at Central Law Nicaragua has particular niche-strength in the development of franchise systems; Gabriela Roman is currently assisting restaurant chain Don Candido with the establishment of its franchise structure in the country. The team is also known for its expertise in M&A transactions, labour and tax matters and advises across a broad spectrum of sectors, including energy, telecommunications and technology, as well as food and beverages. Recent mandates include assisting Asistente Virtual and Intelligis Technologies with their entry into the Nicaraguan market; and advising start-up Al Volante on software license agreements, terms and conditions of use and corporate structuring issues among other matters. On the transactional side, practice head Yalí Molina represented the buyer in the acquisition of shares in private security provider INDACASA.

Leveraging off its strong position in the financial sector, ‘reliable’ and ‘solution oriented’ Expertis Castillo & Fiallos regularly handles loan agreements, trust formation, project finance and credit facilities for a variety of clients, including multilateral lenders Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), and regional financial group Banco Ficohsa. Co-led by Edmundo Castillo and ‘responsive’ María Antonieta Fiallos, the team recently advised the Nicaraguan Association of Microfinance Entities (ASOMIF), as a member of the Special Inter-institutional Commission, on the creation of a new security interest registry; and assisted Credifactor with the incorporation of a new leasing company. Herbalife joined long-term clients DHL, Pfizer and Campo Azul on the client list.

Backed by the strength of the firm’s regional network, Latamlex Nicaragua attracts a broad client roster for its expertise in company incorporations, joint ventures and M&A, often with a cross-border element. Other core areas include liquidations, share sales and the structuring of national and international loans. The client roster includes Banco de la Producción, Banco Agromercantil de Guatemala and Grupo Movisa, among others. The practice group is jointly led by Álvaro Caldera and Ana Patricia Carrión.

Lexincorp’s core areas of expertise include financial transactions and corporate matters, as well as banking regulatory and litigation work. 2017 saw the team particularly excel in advising a number of banking institutions and foreign trust funds on loan and credit structures; prominent examples are counselling Banco General Panama on the structuring and securitization of a $15m credit and assisting BlueOrchard Microfinance Fund and Banco Industrial Guatemala with the due diligence for various loan and credit contracts. Other areas of expertise include corporate structuring, tender procedures, antitrust advice and labour matters. The department is led by Claudia Vivas-Sacasa and includes Fernando Midence-Mantilla.