Ms Ana Carolina Castillo > Morgan & Morgan > Panama, Panama > Lawyer Profile

Winning high praise from clients for its ‘technical capacity‘ and ‘extensive knowledge‘, Morgan & Morgan fields a broad banking and finance practice, encompassing commercial loans, real estate finance, debt refinancing and financial regulatory issues. The firm has also established an active insolvency-related practice (following the introduction of new legislation in Panama) and has growing expertise in the fintech and start-ups space. The financing of high-profile infrastructure and energy projects is another core source of mandates. The team is headed by Kharla Aizpurúa, whose wide-ranging practice takes in syndicated loans, project finance and M&A in the banking sector, and the highly experienced Inocencio Galindo. Ramon Varela and Ana Carolina Castillo, who was promoted to partner in January 2023, are key names to note on the energy and project finance front, and the team also includes Francisco Arias, Roberto Vidal, international associate Miguel Arias M and senior associate Alejandro Vasquez, who joined from Fabrega Molino in June 2022.

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 is hailed by clients for its ‘strong and well-coordinated team‘ in the energy and projects sphere, whose ‘diverse abilities‘ enable the firm to assist clients across the full spectrum of public procurement, permitting, financing and construction matters. The team is widely revered for its strength in the financing and development of significant infrastructure projects – its impressive recent record includes advising on the expansion of the Panama City metro system – but it is also highly experienced in energy projects, with an emphasis on the power industry. Its wide-ranging client base includes banks and multilaterals, public bodies and major developers. Ramon Varela, a go-to specialist in the energy sector, leads the team. Inocencio Galindo also brings his strong corporate and finance background to bear in the financing of public infrastructure projects, while Kharla Aizpurúa, Aristides Anguizola, who has notable expertise in the mining industry, and Ana Carolina Castillo, who was elevated to the partnership in January 2023, are also key members of the practice.