Banking and finance Tier 1

The powerhouse banking and finance practice at Consortium Legal remains a market leader. Providing 'an impeccable service' to top international lenders and private equity firms, it advises on a wide range of matters, including secured and unsecured financing, loans, compliance, regulatory issues, legal due diligence, and asset-based financing. The group, which is led by cross-border finance expert Mario Quesada-Bianchini and regulatory authority David Arturo Campos, represents a diverse portfolio of clients such as Citibank, Scotiabank and the Inter-American Development Bank in a variety of sectors, including finance, tourism, real estate and food. A separate team, headed by Randall Barquero, handles all matters related to fintech.  Andrés Chamberlain manages the retail banking division. The regional firm's expertise extends to the structuring of local and international bond issuances, assisting with licensing requirements and M&A in the financial industry.

Corporate and M&A Tier 1

'Able, knowledgeable in their field, responsible and dedicated', the corporate and M&A lawyers at leading Central American firm Consortium Legal regularly advise multinationals involved in high-value transactions, including M&A, asset purchases and bulk sale processes. The group's other services range from addressing regulatory, environmental and permitting matters to advising on concessions, capital restructuring, investment funds and free trade zones. Assisting a portfolio of high-profile clients including Google, Coca-Cola, Maersk and Walmart, the team’s work spans the pharmaceuticals, real estate, financial services, fintech and manufacturing sectors. The group is headed by M&A expert Rolando Laclé Zuñiga, free trade zone specialist David Reuben, restructuring authority Juan Manuel Cordero, and Juan Manuel Godoy, who brings 21 years of experience to the corporate arena.

Tax Tier 1

The Consortium Legal tax group continues to be a leader in the practice area, providing a ‘professional, diligent service‘ to top multinationals. The team advises on private initiatives, concession projects, internal taxation, free trade zone tax issues, and litigation. The team’s client roster includes household names such as Del Monte, Uber, and Walmart, and spans a wide range of sectors, including energy, pharmaceuticals, tourism, aviation, and retail. The group is headed by experienced tax law experts Diego Salto and Rafael Luna, and Anayansi Mora, who specialises in tax litigation, and is supported by senior associates Johanna Quesada and Felipe Guevara. However, former partner Cristina Sansonetti moved to KPMG in October 2020.

Real estate Tier 2

The real estate group at Consortium Legal advises advise national and multinational clients, with services extending to advice on due diligence processes, antitrust issues, real estate acquisitions and sales, leases, the constitution and modification of condominium regimes, obtaining concessions, and free trade zone regime matters. The 'solid, serious and knowledgeable' team is led by international transaction authority Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, and expert real estate development strategists David Reuben and Juan Manuel Cordero, with key support provided by senior associates Daniel Rojas and Marcela Alfaro. The group acts for high-profile international clients including Walmart, Maersk and Cemex.

Dispute resolution Tier 3

The litigation and arbitration group at Consortium Legal acts for regional and multinational clients. Led by arbitration authority Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, antitrust expert José Pablo Valverde and experienced litigator Andrés Martínez, the group represents such multinational clients from a broad spectrum of sectors, including hospitality, pharmaceuticals, building materials, food and financial services. The group handles banking and public law litigation, commercial and civil litigation, cases involving extra-contractual civil liability and contractual liability, and arbitration at the local and international level.

Intellectual property Tier 3

With its customised trade mark software to assist with daily portfolio management and 'willingness to accommodate clients' different requirements', the group at Consortium Legal advises clients on how to monetise their intellectual property assets from a global perspective. It offers a full service, assisting with regulatory matters, due diligence procedures, patent filings and prosecution, copyright and trade mark infringement assessments. Led by the founder and senior partner of the Costa Rica office Rolando Laclé Castro and 'available and knowledgeable' department director Fabiola Sáenz, the team’s client portfolio includes companies from the banking, food and beverages, and medical device sectors.

Labour and employment Tier 3

The team at Consortium Legal provides an 'excellent client service' to multinationals in relation to a broad spectrum of labour issues, including administrative and judicial employment proceedings, the creation of internal regulations and labour issues relating to M&A transactions. The team’s services also extend to advising on immigration matters, such as temporary and permanent residencies and assistance with visa renewals and naturalisation processes. The group is led by Osvaldo Madriz and Mario Quesada-Bianchini, and supported by associates Gerardo Delgado and Catalina Rivera Sanabria, who are labour litigation experts. The team’s roster includes clients across the financial services, fitness, tourism, restaurant and hospitality, and construction sectors. It was strengthened by the arrival of associate Jose Andrés Gutiérrez, a specialist in immigration issues, from an in-house role in February 2020.

Projects and infrastructure Tier 3

The public law team at Consortium Legal advises local and international clients on a broad span of matters related to the development of large-scale infrastructure projects. Such issues include project finance, public bidding and procurement, public-private participation in projects, and proceedings before the administrative and constitutional authorities. The experienced team is led by foreign investment expert Rolando Laclé Zuñiga and senior associate Roy Ramos, who has extensive experience in the public sector. The group represents clients across the energy, infrastructure and telecoms sectors.

Environment

Advising on compliance with environmental legislation is a key area of activity for the team at regional powerhouse Consortium Legal, led by Rolando Laclé Zuñiga, David Reuben and Juan Manuel Cordero.

Central America > Corporate and finance Tier 1

The largest firm in Central America, Consortium Legal has offices in Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and frequently advises on complex, region-wide corporate and financial transactions, including M&A, corporate restructurings and bond issuances, acting for an impressive roster of regional and international banks and financial institutions and multinational companies. It also has expertise in project finance, particularly in the energy and mining sectors, foreign investment and fintech. Among the key contacts in the Costa Rican office are Mario Quesada-Bianchini, an expert in cross-border finance; and Randall Barquero, who leads the fintech practice, along with the experienced Juan Manuel Godoy and M&A expert Rolando Laclé Zuñiga. In Guatemala, Alfredo Rodríguez and Rafael Alvarado Riedel are the standouts for corporate work, while firm president Álvaro Castellanos specialises in banking and finance matters. Rodrigo Taboada and Olga Barreto, an expert in financial and corporate restructurings, are the key contacts in Nicaragua, while the experienced trio of Gustavo León-Gómez, José Ramón Paz Padilla and José Rafael Rivera are names to note in Honduras. In El Salvador, Óscar Samour leads the banking and finance practice, as well as heading the corporate team alongside Diego Martín and Maria Alejandra Tulipano.