Alta QIL+4 Abogados > Guatemala, Guatemala > Firm Profile

Alta QIL+4 Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Guatemala > Banking and finance Tier 1

A well-established powerhouse in the Guatemalan banking and finance space, Alta QIL+4 Abogados, which formed a regional outfit in May 2021, can now leverage its presence across Central America to handle a greater volume of cross-border transactions. The ‘extremely knowledgeable‘ team is also well versed in international financial deals governed by New York law, with several members who are dual qualified. Its enviably broad practice spans syndicated and bilateral loans, debt refinancing, the financing of infrastructure and energy projects, and capital markets transactions. Leading the five-partner team are managing partner Marcos Ibargüen, Alejandro Cofiño (a high-profile name for international bond offerings and energy project finance), José Quiñones (who brings extensive tax expertise in financial transactions) and the ‘fantastic‘ Andrés Lowenthal (an expert in international deals). The deep bench also includes recently promoted partner Melissa Echeverría and senior associates Santiago Granados and Ignacio Grazioso, who are noted for their expertise in aeronautical matters and public services projects, respectively.

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Corporate heavyweight Alta QIL+4 Abogados leverages its regional network, made up of offices in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras, and full-service model to handle complex M&A transactions spanning multiple Central American jurisdictions, in addition to assisting with related tax, labour, administrative, compliance and environmental issues. Singled out by clients for its ‘great talent and high level of commitment‘, the team also advises on high-profile domestic M&A, divestments and corporate restructurings, with strengths in the telecoms, financial services, agriculture and energy sectors, among others. Managing partner Marcos Ibargüen and María Isabel Luján lead the sizeable team, which also includes José Quiñones (who heads the firm’s tax and compliance practices), Alejandro Cofiño (an expert in energy-related deals), Andrés Lowenthal (a go-to name for advising international clients) and Melissa Echeverría (who was raised to the partnership in March 2023). Senior associates Santiago Granados, who is active in local and regional transactions, and Ignacio Grazioso provide capable support. The firm has also established a robust diversity and inclusion initiative and code of ethics.

Guatemala > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Alta QIL+4 Abogados fields a comprehensive litigation and arbitration practice, with a strong track record in both domestic and cross-border proceedings, and attracts praise from clients for its ability to ‘understand the interests of international clients‘. The ‘excellent‘ team is a go-to choice for local and multinational companies involved in complex disputes in the energy sector, including high-profile constitutional litigation concerning mining and hydroelectric power projects. Civil, commercial and criminal disputes also feature in the firm’s caseload, along with a steady stream of asset recovery actions. Alejandro Solares Morales, a specialist in commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration, heads the department. Other key figures on the deep bench include senior associates Luis Pedro Martínez, who is active in white-collar and financial criminal litigation, and Ignacio Grazioso, an expert in energy-related arbitration and the current president of Guatemalan arbitration centre Crecig, and associate Estuardo Marchena, who specialises in energy disputes. The team also leans on the senior experience of managing partner Marcos Ibargüen and José Quiñones.

Guatemala > Energy and natural resources/projects Tier 1

Alta QIL+4 Abogados‘ thriving energy and natural resources practice advises on the full life cycle of project development, from procurement and financing through to the negotiation of PPAs and EPCs, and regulatory and environmental issues. In particular, the team is renowned for its experience in energy-related disputes, with an enviable recent record in high-profile international arbitration and constitutional litigation in the sector. It is also well versed in advising international clients on public bids and contracts. Practice head Alejandro Cofiño brings extensive experience in project finance, PPAs and concessions, particularly in relation to greenfield renewable energy projects. The talented line-up of junior lawyers includes senior associate Ignacio Grazioso, who handles a wide range of energy and infrastructure-related matters, and associate Héctor Morales, who focuses on environmental and regulatory issues. Alejandro Solares Morales and associate Estuardo Marchena are the key contacts for contentious matters.

Guatemala > Labour Tier 1

Alta QIL+4 Abogados‘ labour team wins praise for its ‘excellent relationships‘ and ‘focus on the specific needs of the client‘, with a wide-ranging practice that covers the gamut of advisory and contentious matters. The team frequently assists with the employment aspects of corporate transactions, including handling due diligence and advising on the dismissal and transfer of employees, and is also highlighted for offering training sessions to HR departments on labour compliance, disciplinary procedures and sexual harassment awareness. Labour disputes are also a steady source of mandates; recently, the practice has been particularly active in litigation for clients in the BPO sector. Practice head Evelyn Rebuli and Javier Castellán, who was promoted to partner in February 2023, are described as ‘experts in labour law‘, while associate Ingrid Fuentes provides capable support, particularly on corporate immigration matters.

Guatemala > Real estate Tier 1

Alta QIL+4 Abogados is highly praised by clients as ‘a group of specialists in the real estate area that has no equivalent in Guatemala‘. The team combines its expertise in this sphere with the wider firm’s strengths in tax, M&A, commercial and financial matters to advise on the full life cycle of real estate projects. The team primarily acts for major developers of residential, commercial and industrial projects, assisting with everything from the acquisition of land and the structuring of agreements with suppliers and sub-contractors to the creation of co-ownership regimes and the sale of the final units. In addition, it has considerable experience in the negotiation of long and short-term lease agreements. Eva Cacacho, who is singled out for her ‘experience and accessibility‘, leads the practice, supported by senior associate María Fernanda Ovalle, who rejoined the team in May 2022 after a short assignment in-house at construction company Grupo Krea, and associate Karen Tzoc.

Guatemala > Tax Tier 1

Alta QIL+4 Abogados fields a diverse tax team, which is equally adept at handling tax structuring, litigation and compliance, with a strong emphasis on international tax matters. Benefitting from the firm’s top-tier banking and corporate departments, the team is well equipped to assist a host of large multinationals with the tax optimisation of financial and corporate transactions, including global restructurings, although it also advises on local matters. On the contentious side of the practice, the firm has established an impressive track record in contentious-administrative litigation against the Guatemalan Tax Authority (SAT), as well as handling criminal cases. Advising on customs tax, transfer pricing and tax compliance also makes up a significant portion of the team’s workload. José Quiñones, whose broad experience encompasses transactional tax and compliance matters, heads the team, while up-and-coming associate Otto Ardón frequently takes the lead in tax disputes.

Guatemala > Intellectual property Tier 3

Thanks to the firm’s strong presence in Central America, Alta QIL+4 Abogados is well positioned to advise its growing client base of domestic and multinational companies on regional strategies to protect their IP rights. The team routinely assists with trademark registrations and renewals, and also advises on data privacy, advertising and trade secrets. IP litigation also features in the team's workload; the practice is active in opposition, cancellation and unfair competition actions, as well as anti-counterfeiting cases. At the helm of the practice, managing partner Marcos Ibargüen has expertise in IP litigation and agency and distribution agreements, and senior associate Alejandro del Valle is noted for his broad experience in contentious and non-contentious matters.

Central America > Corporate and finance

Since its formation in May 2021, Alta has proven itself to be a force to be reckoned with in Central America. The regional outfit – made up of firms in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica – has been highly active in cross-border transactions, drawing on the strong international backgrounds of its lawyers, with robust capabilities in syndicated loans, project finance, M&A and notes issuances. In Guatemala, the firm fields a sizeable finance team headed by Marcos Ibargüen; Alejandro Cofiño, an expert in energy financing and capital markets; José Quiñones, who has complementary strengths in tax and compliance matters; and Andrés Lowenthal, a key contact for international transactions. Ibargüen also heads the corporate practice alongside María Isabel Luján; both are experienced transactional lawyers. Oscar Melara is the name to note in Honduras, handling the full spectrum of corporate and finance matters in addition to IP and litigation. In Costa Rica, Sergio Amador, who has expertise in corporate, real estate and M&A matters, and Rodrigo Zelaya, a high-profile name for private equity transactions, are the leading practitioners.