A. D. Sosa & Soto > Guatemala, Guatemala > Firm Profile

A. D. Sosa & Soto > The Legal 500 Rankings

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Full-service domestic firm A. D. Sosa & Soto is hailed by clients as ‘very knowledgeable about the Guatemalan business environment‘, with a wide-ranging corporate practice as well as expertise in the taxation, environmental, IP, labour and real estate aspects of transactions. The team handles a steady stream of M&A and joint venture mandates, advising both multinational and local companies on investments in Guatemala, and assists with the expansion of businesses throughout Mexico and Central America. Another key dimension of the practice is advising on commercial contracts, including franchise and distribution agreements. The ‘brilliant and dynamic‘ Juan Sebastián Soto, Carlos Rafael Pellecer and Einar Klanderud lead the team; all three are recognised for their strength in M&A and international contracts. The firm has also expanded its offering to clients with the launch of a dedicated compliance practice led by director Giovanna Menegazzo, who joined from Deloitte Legal Guatemala in October 2022.

Guatemala > Energy and natural resources/projects Tier 2

A. D. Sosa & Soto‘s energy and natural resources team is highly recommended by clients for its ‘depth of knowledge‘ and ‘commercial judgement‘, and is particularly prominent in the oil and mining spaces, including metallic mining. The practice has considerable expertise in regulatory matters, frequently advising on project permits and related environmental law compliance. Other strengths lie in foreign investment, including cross-border acquisitions and financings, and civil and constitutional litigation. Carlos Rafael Pellecer (who is sought after for his transactional expertise), Rodolfo Sosa (a longstanding expert in Guatemala’s oil industry), José Javier Sosa (a specialist in mining and renewable energy matters and environmental law) and Manuel Arturo Soto (who focuses on contractual issues) jointly lead the practice.

Guatemala > Intellectual property Tier 2

A. D. Sosa & Soto fields a specialist IP division, Innova IP, which is admired by clients for its ‘flexibility‘ and ‘technical knowledge‘. The firm is prolific in registering trademarks in Guatemala, but is also ‘an ideal partner on regional projects‘, frequently teaming up with other firms to manage clients’ IP portfolios across Central America and worldwide. In addition, the team works with other departments in the full-service firm to advise on compliance policies concerning intangible assets and data protection, and the transfer of IP rights in the context of corporate and financial transactions. On the contentious side, the practice is experienced in both civil and criminal enforcement, led by associates Daniel Marroquín and David Barrientos. Director Hania Krück, who has particular expertise in the orange economy, heads the team with Juan Sebastián Soto.

Guatemala > Dispute resolution Tier 3

A. D. Sosa & Soto‘s practice spans the full range of civil, commercial, constitutional and criminal litigation, and the team is also experienced in national and international arbitration proceedings, particularly concerning distribution agreements. The bulk of the practice’s caseload is handled by an active team of associates, headed by legal director Daniel Marroquín, who has a strong recent record in arbitration. David Barrientos directs the criminal law practice, which represents clients in financial fraud and criminal IP litigation, and Luis Pedro Guerra returned to the firm from Alta QIL+4 Abogados in December 2022 to head the newly launched tax litigation practice. At partner level, Rodolfo Sosa, Juan Sebastián Soto and Carlos Rafael Pellecer lend senior expertise to the team.

Guatemala > Real estate Tier 3

A founding member of the Guatemala Green Building Council, which focuses on sustainable development, A. D. Sosa & Soto has a wide-ranging real estate practice. The team has recently seen a significant uptick in project development mandates, particularly in the residential sector, and advises on all stages of the project life cycle, from financing and securing government permits to construction contracts and the sale of the completed units, and also demonstrates strength in assisting retail and hospitality sector clients with the negotiation of lease agreements. José Javier Sosa and Rodolfo Sosa jointly lead the practice; both are experienced across the full spectrum of real estate matters.

Guatemala > Tax Tier 3

A. D. Sosa & Soto is skilled in both contentious and non-contentious tax matters, with an emphasis on advising international companies on the tax structuring of their operations in Guatemala. In addition to assisting with the tax elements of corporate transactions, the team handles a steady stream of disputes with the SAT and has a growing compliance dimension to its practice following the arrival of director Giovanna Menegazzo from Deloitte Legal Guatemala in October 2022. The department is jointly led by Einar Klanderud, whose practice spans tax litigation and compliance, and Juan Pablo Ortiz, who is able to draw on extensive experience as a former general counsel to the SAT and an in-house tax manager for various multinationals.

Guatemala > Banking and finance

Guatemala > Labour