Mersán Abogados > Asuncion, Paraguay > Firm Profile

Mersán Abogados Offices

Mersán Abogados
FULGENCIO R. MORENO NO. 509
EDIFICIO DE LA COLINA BUILDING 1ER PISO
ASUNCIÓN
Paraguay
Visit website 595 21 447 739 595 21 496 039

Mersán Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Paraguay > Competition and antitrust Tier 2

Mersán Abogados assists national and international companies in matters involving Paraguay’s antitrust law as part of its hugely experienced offering in corporate law. The team advises on anti-competitive behaviour and practices, market research and concentration operations. Diego Zavala and Tomás Mersán jointly coordinate the department.

Practice head(s):

Diego Zavala; Tomás Mersán

Key clients

Maersk Line

AMX Paraguay

Ball Corporation

Work highlights

  • Advising Maersk on obtaining clearance from Conacom for its acquisition of Hamburg SUD.

Paraguay > Intellectual property Tier 2

Mersán Abogados has a notable history in IP law and maintains a broad practice in both contentious and advisory capacities. A host of clients, both domestic and international and spanning an array of industries, look to the practice for IP advice, and its client base continues to grow year on year. Senior partner Hugo Mersán is an elder statesman of the Paraguayan IP law scene, and he oversees the practice with several other lawyers with considerable IP practices: Lorena Mersán, an up-and-coming expert in the field; trade mark-focused senior associate Melissa Stimson; Liliana Nolan, who has particular strength in patents, plant breeder’s rights, agribusiness and criminal law; and Maria de los Angeles Barrios, who has an IP litigation focus.

Practice head(s):

Hugo Mersan; Lorena Mersan; Melissa Stimson; Liliana Nolan; Maria de los Angeles Barrios

Key clients

British American Tobacco

BASF

Sanofi

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Pernod Ricard

Itaú Unibanco

Millicom International Cellular

International Olympic Committee

Burger King

Ebay

B. Braun Melsungen

3M Company

Calvín Klein

WD-40 Company

Softys

Granja Avícola la Granja

Agrotec

Eno Bronstrup

Prada

Target Brands

Cepas Argentinas

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Babyliss Faco

Microsoft

Pierre Fabre

Eastern Airlines

Capcom

Blackberry

Lumen Technologies

Xiaomi

Mattel

Paraguay > Tax Tier 2

Tax law has been central to Mersán Abogados as a firm since its inception and it has vast experience in advising domestic and multinational companies in a range of sectors. The team’s work covers the full range of matters in the market, including advice on the tax aspects of contracts and commercial transactions, reviews of tax proceedings, export tax credit recovery, litigation before tax or judicial authorities, and tax incentives and special investment regimes. Up-and-coming business and tax law expert Tomás Mersán co-leads the department alongside Diego Zavala, whose multidisciplinary practice allows him to provide broad support to clients on various matters.

Practice head(s):

Diego Zavala; Tomás Mersán

Testimonials

‘The greatest virtue of the firm is the personalised attention, in all the proposed cases.’

‘I’d highlight their professional capacity.’

Key clients

Banco Itaú Paraguay

Pepsico Paraguay

Banco do Brasil

Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción

Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones

British American Tobacco

3M Paraguay

Aseguradora del Este

Verbank Securities de Bolsa

Sudameris Bank

NB Casa de Bolsa

Sudameris Leasing

Albarus

Sidus

Laboratorio Almos

Universidad Columbia del Paraguay

Pure Circle

Granja Avícola La Blanca

Minerva

Etiquetas Adhesivas

Valorix

Vitol

Ball Corporation

Work highlights

  • Acted for Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción at the Administrative Court, successfully challenging its tax obligation.

Paraguay > Banking and finance Tier 4

Highly specialised in capital markets, Mersán Abogados has 80 years of experience in the market; the firm has a traditional transactional focus but has recently handled day-to-day advice and registrations before the National Securities Commission for brokerage houses. Joint practice heads Pablo Cheng Lu and Tomás Mersan Riera are the partner contacts to note; associate Romina Cardozo León supports across all work.

Practice head(s):

Pablo Cheng Lu; Tomás Mersan Riera

Key clients

Banco Itaú Paraguay

Citibank

Banco do Brasil

Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción

Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones

San Francisco (Puerto de Caacupemí)

Itaú BB Brasil

United Nations (ONU)

Sudameris Bank

Sudameris Leasing

NB Casa de Bolsa

Verbank Casa de Bolsa

Itaú Asset Management Administradora de Fondos Patrimoniales de Inversión (IAMAFPISA)

Work highlights

  • Assisted brokerage house NB Casa de Bolsa with the process of its registration before the National Securities Commission and the Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción.
  • Advising Verbank Casa de Bolsa on stock market regulations.
  • Advised IAMAFPISA on the registration before the National Securities Commission of the controlling companies of Grupo Itaú in Paraguay.

Paraguay > Corporate and M&A Tier 5

Mersán Abogados approaches 80 years in the domestic law market, and through its stellar reputation in tax law it has developed a corporate law offering that supports clients on capital markets transactions, business incorporations, restructuring and regulatory compliance. Three lawyers oversee work in the department: Diego Zavala, who draws on international law expertise; Pablo Cheng Lu, the key contact for capital markets transactions; and Tomás Mersán, who has broad finance and corporate law knowledge.

Practice head(s):

Diego Zavala; Tomás Mersan; Pablo Cheng Lu

Key clients

Banco Itaú Paraguay

Pepsico Paraguay

Molinos Asunceno Alberto Helbrun

Frigorífico JBS Paraguay

AMX Paraguay

Santillana

Maersk Line

Interasistencia

3M Paraguay

Rina Paraguay

Aseguradora del Este

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Universidad Columbia del Paraguay

Pure Circle South America

Granja Avícola La Blanca

Sidus

Laboratorio Almos

Maramba

NB Casa de Bolsa

Valorix

Banco do Brasil

Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción (BVPASA)

ANASAC International

United Nations (ONU)

Cámara Paraguaya de Exportadores de Cereales y Oleoginosas (Capeco)

Grupo Craft

Premix (Shagen Group-Holland)

Sudameris Bank

Vitol

Albarus

Familia Scura Rivaldi (Company Don Vito)

Verbank Securities Casa de Bolsa

Work highlights

  • Advised the family owners of Don Vito on the sale of the company’s stock to QSR and Palermo.

Mersán Abogados > Firm Profile

The firm has earned a solid national and international reputation, providing legal advice and consultancy services since 1943. Mersan Abogados represents well-known national, international and multinational clients in diverse commercial and industrial sectors, associations, chambers of commerce and several foreign embassies. The firm has established enduring relationships, with many of its clients consistently returning for advice in the full knowledge that they will receive a quality service tailored to their particular needs and requirements. The firm’s main clients are leading national and international companies in the fields of banking, energy, oil, finance, tobacco, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, automotive, agro-business, multilateral organizations, beverage and food.

The firm is part of the Consulegis group, an international association of independent law firms, and the Bomchil Group, a Latin American association of law firms. Also, is a member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA), an alliance of lawyers located throughout the world with expertise in advertising, marketing and promotion law.

Mersan Abogados is a firm comprising highly qualified and experienced attorneys that provide legal advice in an efficient and creative manner. Its partners and associates have widely contributed to both the Paraguayan and international community. The firm’s lawyers belong to various associations, as directors and active members, including: the International Bar Association (IBA); Paraguayan Bar Association; International Trademark Association (INTA); Association International Pour la Protection de la Propiete Industrielle (AIPPI); Inter-American Industrial Property Association (ASIPI); Paraguayan Intellectual Property Association (APAPI); International Fiscal Association (IFA); Latin-American Institute of Tributary Law (ILADT); Inter-American Bar Association (IAB);  Paraguayan Association of Cyber and Technology Law; Paraguayan Institute of Law and Economics; Paraguayan Chamber of Fintech; Paraguayan Institute of Banking.  In addition, Mersan Abogados contributes to various national and international publications such as: the ICC International Court of Arbitration Bulletin; Latin Finance; International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation; The Inter-American Trade Report; publications of The Paraguayan Centre for Arbitration and Mediation; and the Paraguayan law review La Ley.

Carlos T Mersan Galli is the foremost tax advisor in the country, also with expertise in banking and corporate. Hugo R Mersan Galli leads the intellectual property department, and Oscar Mersan Galli leads foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation. Diego Zavala leads the corporate and arbitration team and Pablo Lu is an expert in corporate, banking and finance.

Areas of practice: Corporate, commercial, banking, tax, intellectual property, litigation, arbitration, telecommunications, maquila, petroleum, mergers and acquisitions, insurance, international commerce, entertainment and sports, internet and information technology, administrative and regulatory.

Main Contacts

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Corporate and commercial Carlos T Mersan Galli
Corporate and commercial Oscar A Mersan Galli
Banking and finance Carlos T Mersan Galli
Banking and finance Pablo Cheng Lu
Tax Carlos T Mersan Galli
Tax Pablo Cheng Lu
Intellectual property, internet and information technology Hugo R Mersan Galli
Intellectual property, internet and information technology Lorena Mersan
Administrative and regulatory Oscar A Mersan Galli
Administrative and regulatory Diego Zavala
Administrative and regulatory Carlos T Mersan Galli
Litigation Diego Zavala
Litigation Pablo Cheng Lu
Arbitration Diego Zavala
Arbitration Pablo Cheng Lu
Foreign investments Oscar A Mersan Galli
Foreign investments Diego Zavala
Telecommunications Carlos T Mersan Galli
Labour Gustavo Gómez
Telecommunications Gustavo Gómez
Tax Tomas Mersan
Banking and finance Tomas Mersan
Corporate and commercial Tomas Mersan
Antitrust Tomas Mersan
Antitrust Diego Zavala
Fintech Pablo Cheng Lu
Fintech Tomas Mersan

Staff Figures

Other fee-earners : 12
Total staff : 30

Languages

Espanol
English
Portugese

Memberships

International Trade Mark Association (INTA)
International Bar Association (IBA)
AIPPI (Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property)
ASIPI
International Fiscal Association (IFA)