Johann Hartleben > Legalsa > Guatemala, Guatemala > Lawyer Profile

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.

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 approachable‘ Johann Hartleben and senior associate Mónica Linares, who is an expert in horizontal property regimes and construction permits.