David Font > Legalsa > Guatemala, Guatemala > Lawyer Profile

Legalsa
EUROPLAZA, TORRE II, 5o. NIVEL
5ª. AV. 5-55 ZONA 14
GUATEMALA CITY
Guatemala

Work Department

Corporate/M&A, Administrative Law, Banking and Finance, Foreign Investment, Estate Planning, Real Estate

Position

Partner

Career

David Font is a Founding Partner and Director of Legalsa. His practice focuses on Corporate and Commercial Law; Administrative and Public Law specialized in government procurement and contracts and public bids and concessions;  infrastructure projects; commercial transactions and contracts; Fintech; banking and international financing; design, incorporation, maintenance and modification of corporate vehicles and governance, particularly in cases involving  disputes among shareholders or with third parties; mergers and acquisitions; direct foreign investment; real estate development and transactions; and estate and tax planning.

David’s recent experiences include: comprehensive legal support for the telecommunications sector and for the start-up of operations of multinational companies entering the Guatemalan market; acting as local expert advisor in an international arbitration concerning foreign investment in infrastructure and mining projects; design of legal and tax strategies for real estate developments worth over US$100 million in the last year alone; and structuring of credit facilities of over US$25 million granted by Guatemalan banks for international investments, and guaranteed by assets and revenue in different countries.

Languages

Spanish, English

Memberships

  • Guatemalan Bar Association
  • International Bar Association (IBA)

Education

  • JD, Universidad Rafael Landívar
  • MBA, INCAE Business School, Costa Rica
  • Postgraduate certifications in Maritime Law from Universidad Rafael Landívar and in Tax Law from the Guatemalan College of CPAs

Lawyer Rankings

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A

(Leading individuals)

David Font – Legalsa

Clients of Legalsa highlight the full-service firm’s personal approach and praise the team’s ‘humility and seriousness‘. The corporate department has an impressive record in cross-border M&A, advising international companies and major local and regional players, and has recently been active in assisting foreign direct investors with the expansion of their operations into Guatemala. Infrastructure, energy, aviation and telecoms are among the firm’s core sectors of expertise, and it also has a growing niche in the fintech and mobile apps space, as well as a practice dedicated to advising start-ups on corporate and IP issues (with an emphasis on the food and technology industries). David Font, an expert in M&A, foreign direct investment, real estate and fintech, jointly heads the practice with Johann Hartleben, whose experience spans domestic and international transactions. Senior associates Mónica Linares and Andrés Dubón focus on real estate issues and corporate disputes, respectively.

Guatemala > Real estate

Legalsa‘s ‘team of effective professionals‘ brings together expertise in both transactional and contentious matters to handle a wide range of real estate mandates, with particular strength in assisting major local developers with the construction of luxury residential and office buildings. The team stands out for its track record in property-related disputes (supported by the firm’s top-flight litigation department), but is also adept at advising on project finance, construction agreements, the acquisition and sale of properties, and the negotiation of lease agreements (with an emphasis on the retail sector). Jointly leading the practice are founding partner David Font, who has notable experience in project finance, the ‘efficient, knowledgeable and approachableJohann Hartleben and senior associate Mónica Linares, who is an expert in horizontal property regimes and construction permits.