Ricardo Arias > Morgan & Morgan > Panama, Panama > Lawyer Profile

Morgan & Morgan‘s capital markets practice is particularly distinguished by its expertise in the constitution of Panamanian real estate investment trusts (SIIs) and their registration with the securities regulator, and is lauded by clients as ‘the leading law firm in Panama‘ in this space. The team, which receives further praise for its ‘knowledge, experience and diligence‘, also handles a high volume of public bond offerings on the Latin American Stock Exchange (Latinex) – including transactions with an international component – as well as advising on private issuances. Francisco Arias, who is skilled in advising both issuers and underwriters on capital markets transactions and regulatory matters, leads the team alongside Ricardo Arias, a specialist in SIIs. At the partner level, Roberto Vidal and Ana Carolina Castillo (an expert in energy-related matters) also play a prominent role in the practice, while international associate Miguel Arias M is the name to note at the junior level.

Morgan & Morgan leverages its full-service model to advise an extensive roster of major real estate developers, investors and financial institutions on corporate, financial and regulatory matters in the real estate space, with notable recent experience in tourism-related projects. In addition to handling M&A and joint ventures, the firm routinely assists with the acquisition, sale and leasing of properties, permitting and environmental issues, and project finance. Another standout area of activity is the constitution and registration of SIIs, where Ricardo Arias, who co-heads the firm’s securities practice, has specialist expertise. The firm also fields a dedicated department focused on administrative issues such as the registration of mortgages. Francisco Arias, whose broad practice encompasses real estate-related corporate, financial and securities matters, leads the team. Experienced senior associate Giselle Moncada, who heads the firm’s office in David, Chiriquí, is also a key figure in the team.