Mr Gustavo Gamboa > BLP > Guatemala City, Guatemala > Lawyer Profile

In a significant development, the ‘highly committed‘ team at BLP now benefits from the expertise of three partners, following the arrival of Jorge Luis Arenales, who brings an enviable track record in M&A and specialist knowledge of highly regulated industries to the firm, from Arias in June 2023; he joins well-regarded practice heads María Inés Arenales and Luis Ruiz. The corporate department attracts praise for its ‘extensive experience‘, with a wide-ranging practice that encompasses M&A, spin-offs, commercial and distribution issues, and compliance, and can also draw on the full-service firm’s strengths in the environmental, real estate, labour, IP and litigation fields. With a growing international client base, the team is well equipped to handle cross-border transactions, taking advantage of its regional footprint to advise on Central America-wide deals. Senior associates Gustavo Gamboa (who was promoted in April 2023) and Carolina Saadeh (who joined from an independent practice in January 2022) are the key names at the junior level. The firm has also established an Innovation Commission aimed at implementing new technologies, and an internal programme to promote integration and non-discrimination. Since publication, María Inés Arenales has left the firm for her own practice.

BLP garners praise for providing ‘comprehensive advice‘ on labour law to a growing client base of multinational companies, assisting with employee compensation and benefits, occupational health and safety, and HR matters, as well as sensitive issues such as the dismissal of high-level employees and fraud and discrimination investigations. In addition, it has a strong recent track record in labour litigation, including defending employers in claims brought by the social security administration. Practice head Luis Ruiz draws on his ‘extensive experience advising multinational companies‘ to handle the full spectrum of labour matters, ably supported by director Fernando Méndez, who is also an expert in global mobility and relocation. Other key contacts include senior associate Gustavo Gamboa and associate Luisa Thomae. Since publication, María Elena Barrientos has joined as special counsel from Arias, effective as of November 2023.

Regional firm BLP significantly strengthened its banking and finance practice in June 2023 with the high-profile hire of Jorge Luis Arenales, founding partner of Arias‘ Guatemala office. Arenales is renowned for his expertise in financial transactions, particularly project finance. The team advises on the full spread of financial matters, from acquisition finance and debt restructuring to syndicated loans and bond issuances, with a strong skill set in multi-jurisdictional transactions. In particular, the practice is consistently active in assisting international lenders, including banks and multilateral financial institutions, while thanks to the firm’s strength in the corporate sphere, major regional companies also make up a substantial portion of its client base. María Inés Arenales, who brings extensive experience in cross-border financial transactions and capital markets matters to the table, leads the team. The growing associate bench includes senior associates Carolina Saadeh, who joined the firm from independent practice in 2022 and has a focus on regulatory matters, and the recently promoted Gustavo Gamboa. Since publication, María Inés Arenales has left the firm for her own practice.