Consortium Legal > Ciudad Guatemala, Guatemala > Firm Profile

Consortium Legal > The Legal 500 Rankings

Guatemala > Banking and finance Tier 1

Regional firm Consortium Legal houses a comprehensive banking and finance practice in Guatemala, with expertise spanning syndicated and cross-border loans, debt restructuring, and the development and implementation of new financial products. Capital markets transactions are an additional strength, where the team has a strong recent record in assisting on both the lender and borrower side. The ‘attentive‘ department, which offers ‘personalised attention‘ to clients, is particularly adept at advising international banks and multilateral development finance institutions and can leverage the firm’s sizeable network of offices in Central America to handle regional mandates. Other thriving areas of the practice include regulatory and, in particular, fintech matters; the firm offers a dedicated team of practitioners from its regional offices in this space. Firm president Álvaro Castellanos leads the department and is widely recognised for his longstanding practice in the banking, fintech and insurtech spheres, and highly experienced senior associate Melissa Morán has also established an active practice, covering syndicated loans, international debt issuances and project finance.

Guatemala > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

M&A transactions are the cornerstone of the corporate practice at regional powerhouse Consortium Legal, which is sought after for its advice to major domestic and multinational clients. The team has a strong track record in cross-border transactions - including deals involving multiple jurisdictions in Central America, thanks to its extensive regional network - and also assists with corporate restructurings and M&A-related tax, labour, IP, real estate, regulatory and litigation matters. The highly experienced duo of Alfredo Rodríguez (who has complementary tax expertise) and Rafael Alvarado Riedel (whose practice spans foreign investment and international commercial contracts) heads the team. Sofia Escribá is a go-to name for M&A, with a specialism in highly regulated sectors such as mining, and the practice also benefits from the expertise of firm president Álvaro Castellanos. Senior associate Maria Fernanda Morales leads a department focused on company incorporations, and associate Roxana Sandoval provides key support. The firm also demonstrates its sustainability credentials through its membership of the Central American Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (INTEGRARSE) and has established a regional equality policy.

Guatemala > Intellectual property Tier 1

Hailed for its ‘wide range of experience‘, Consortium Legal‘s IP team can draw on both the firm’s presence across Central America and its ‘network of legal contacts throughout the world‘ to assist some of the most prominent multinationals in Guatemala with the management of their domestic and international IP portfolios. The department has particular strengths in the food and beverage and pharmaceutical sectors, with a practice that spans the gamut of trademark, patent and copyright matters. It is also well versed in domain names, geographical indications and advertising issues for clients in the retail and hospitality industries, taking advantage of the firm’s region-wide IP software to organise clients’ information. On the contentious side, the team frequently handles cancellation, unfair competition and, particularly, infringement actions. Ninoshka Urrutia, who is widely recognised for her extensive IP experience, leads the practice. She is supported by up-and-coming associate Stephanie Arévalo, who heads the international department (specialising in the registration of trademarks worldwide) and patent department.

Guatemala > Labour Tier 1

Collective bargaining is a clear strong suit of the labour practice at Consortium Legal, which is sought after by an enviable roster of multinational and multilatina clients to assist in negotiations with workers’ unions. Highlighted for its ‘dynamic proposals‘ and ‘knowledge of the client’s line of business‘, the team also has considerable expertise in advising on HR matters, obtaining work permits for foreign nationals and occupational health and safety issues, particularly related to Covid-19 regulations. Lionel Aguilar, who is praised by clients for his ‘extensive experience‘ in both contentious and advisory labour matters, shares leadership of the practice with Federico Zelada, who ‘stands out for his technical knowledge‘, with specialisms in collective bargaining and social security. Senior associate Cristina Sandoval is also a name to note for immigration law.

Guatemala > Tax Tier 1

Consortium Legal is renowned for the depth and breadth of its tax offering, using the firm’s full-service and multi-jurisdictional model to its advantage when advising on a wide range of local and cross-border tax matters. Commended by clients for its ‘knowledge and experience in international taxation‘, the team frequently advises on the tax aspects of foreign investments, including M&A and real estate transactions, and related issues such as customs tax and transfer pricing. The firm also has an enviable reputation in tax litigation, handling both civil and criminal cases before Guatemala’s highest courts. The four-partner team includes Alfredo Rodríguez (who has extensive experience in transactional tax), Olga María Meléndez (a standout in both contentious and non-contentious matters), Mario Estuardo Archila (a high-profile name for tax disputes) and David Erales (who leads the tax litigation practice). Associate Alejandra Fuentes-Pieruccini garners praise for her expertise in cross-border matters.

Guatemala > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Consortium Legal‘s ‘extremely agile‘ dispute resolution team attracts praise for its ability to handle breach of contract claims against public entities; practice co-head Elías Arriaza is particularly prominent in litigation and arbitration (both ad hoc and institutional proceedings) in this space. Arriaza, who focuses on civil, commercial and constitutional disputes, also has a thriving debt recovery practice. On the criminal litigation front, the team represents clients in a wide range of environmental, tax fraud and IP cases. Lionel Aguilar, a founding partner of the Guatemala office, leads the criminal side of the practice, with an emphasis on tax disputes, alongside Astrid Domínguez, who was elevated to the partnership in January 2023. David Erales also has extensive experience in contentious tax matters, and recently promoted senior associate Erick Efrén Pérez provides capable support.

Guatemala > Real estate Tier 2

The real estate team at Consortium Legal leverages the firm’s full-service offering to advise on all financial, environmental, corporate and tax issues relating to the development of major projects, with a recent emphasis on the high-end residential and industrial sectors. The team has broad expertise spanning project finance, the acquisition, sale and renting of properties, the constitution of horizontal property regimes and tourism-related matters, and acts for an impressive array of large developers. At the helm of the practice, Alfredo Rodríguez brings his extensive corporate, tax and foreign investment experience in real estate matters, and Sandra García de Zedán advises on the full range of residential (including public housing), office, industrial park and tourism projects. The talented line-up of associates includes Jaminie Recinos, Mario Pivaral and Cristina Samayoa, who joined from Alegalis in September 2022.

Guatemala > Energy and natural resources/projects

Central America > Corporate and finance

Consortium Legal maintains a formidable offering across Central America, with a presence in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras (in both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), Nicaragua and Costa Rica (where it has branches in San José and Escazú, as well as two offices in Guanacaste, taking advantage of the province’s thriving tourism sector). The firm plays a prominent role in both domestic and cross-border financial transactions, and routinely advises foreign investors on projects in the region. In Costa Rica, Mario Quesada-Bianchini, who has three decades of experience in financial transactions and banking M&A (and also coordinates the firm’s regional finance practice), and fintech lead Randall Barquero are among the key contacts for financial matters, while Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, an expert in M&A and foreign investment, and Juan Manuel Godoy are names to note in the corporate team. Oscar Samour, a go-to specialist in multi-jurisdictional transactions, heads the banking practice in El Salvador, and steers the corporate team alongside Maria Alejandra Tulipano, who has a focus on international commerce, and Diego Martín. Olga Barreto, whose expertise spans the corporate, finance and aviation spheres, leads the team in Nicaragua. In Guatemala, the highly regarded Álvaro Castellanos heads the finance practice, while Alfredo Rodríguez, who has complementary tax expertise, and Rafael Alvarado Riedel lead the corporate team. An experienced quartet of partners – José Ramón Paz Morales, José Ramón Paz Padilla, Gustavo León-Gómez and José Rafael Rivera – handles corporate and finance matters in Honduras.

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose, Costa Rica