Mr Francisco Arias > Morgan & Morgan > Panama, Panama > Lawyer Profile
Morgan & Morgan Offices

MMG TOWER, 23RD FLOOR
AVE PASEO DEL MAR, COSTA DEL ESTE
PANAMA CITY
Panama
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Mr Francisco Arias
Work Department
Business and Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Projects, Securities and Capital Marktets, Energy and Natural Resources, Real Estate, Intellectual Property
Position
Francisco Arias a Partner in the corporate law department and heads the Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Capital Markets and Intellectual Property practice groups of the firm. Mr. Arias has over 20 years of legal experience, first in New York as an associate at Kronish, Lieb, Weiner & Hellman (today Cooley Kronish); and then in Panama as an associate and then a partner of Arias, Fábrega & Fábrega.
As a corporate lawyer, Mr. Arias is regarded as a leading expert in the market and his practice focuses on advising the board and management on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, financial restructurings and other significant corporate matters.
He also has wide local and international experience and has assisted corporate clients and credit institutions in several major transactions such as the Panama Canal Expansion project, the most important infrastructure project in Panamanian history.
Mr. Arias has represented clients in connection with the sale and purchase of businesses as well as joint ventures. During the last years, he has participated in transactions in several industries, including electricity generation, insurance, construction, real estate, hospitality, banking related services, shrimp farms, restaurants, retail, printing and editing, and non-alcoholic beverages, some with cross border components.
Mr. Arias also collaborates with publications in the Corporate and M&A, and he is active in associations of law firms dealing in this sector. He is primarily responsible for the firm for managing the relationship with Terralex, a worldwide organization of 17,000 attorneys in 100 countries.
Mr. Arias also has been recognized as a leading banking and project finance lawyer by Chambers & Partners, IFLR1000, The Legal 500, Who´s Who Legal and the Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA).
Francisco Arias is currently admitted to practice law in the Republic of Panama and was admitted to the bar of New York.
Languages
Englis, Spanish
Memberships
Terralex
Education
Mr. Arias obtained a B.A. in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University (1986) and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center (1989).
Lawyer Rankings
Panama > Corporate and M&A
(Leading individuals)Morgan & Morgan has a broad corporate practice, spanning both domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures, restructuring and corporate governance, and is particularly noted for its advice to multinationals on the establishment of headquarters in Panama. Its diverse client base includes banks and financial institutions and companies from the real estate, transport, energy, and food and beverages sectors, among others. In addition, the firm has launched a new practice focused on advising start-ups on developing their businesses, led by Kharla Aizpurúa and international associate Miguel Arias, and offers pro bono services as a member of the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas. The experienced Francisco Arias leads the team, which also includes Inocencio Galindo, who brings additional banking, mining and tax expertise to the team, Roberto Vidal and Ramón Varela.
Panama > Capital markets
(Leading individuals)With ‘extensive knowledge‘ of capital markets matters, Morgan & Morgan is experienced in public and private offerings, including cross-border mandates. The team acts for both local and international issuers and underwriters, counting major banks and financial institutions, public entities and private corporations among its clients, and has notable expertise in advising investment funds, particularly real estate investment trusts (REITs). It is also experienced in regulatory matters. Francisco Arias, who has a strong client base of banks and financial institutions, leads the practice with Ricardo Arias, a specialist in the establishment and registration of investment funds and REITs. The team also includes Roberto Vidal, who is experienced in high-yield debt and equity securities offerings, Kharla Aizpurúa and Aristides Anguizola.
Panama > Banking and finance
(Leading individuals)Morgan & Morgan acts for both lenders, including major foreign and domestic banks, and borrowers, advising on a wide range of financial matters. Among the areas of strength for the ‘excellent‘ team are project finance, particularly in relation to energy, mining and infrastructure projects, syndicated lending, banking sector M&A, and regulatory matters. It has additional expertise in insolvency and restructuring, areas which have been particularly active during the pandemic. Inocencio Galindo leads the team, which also includes the ‘committed‘ and ‘accessible‘ Kharla Aizpurua Olmos, who stands out for her strength in domestic and cross-border transactions, Francisco Arias, who has expertise in structured finance and regulatory matters, and project finance specialist Ramón Varela. Senior associate Ana Carolina Castillo is also noted.
Lawyer Rankings
- Capital markets - Panama
- Corporate and M&A - Panama
- Leading individuals - Panama > Banking and finance
- Leading individuals - Panama > Capital markets
- Leading individuals - Panama > Corporate and M&A
- Banking and finance - Panama