Guzmán Ariza > Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic > Firm Profile
Guzmán Ariza Offices
12 PABLO CASALS
SERRALLES
SANTO DOMINGO, 10125
Dominican Republic
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Guzmán Ariza > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dominican Republic > Labour and employment Tier 1
Guzmán Ariza‘s team labour and employment team is frequently instructed by international clients, including the New York Mets and Club Med. The group leverages the firm's full-service offering and 'one of the best reputations in the country' to handle significant employment litigation before the Dominican courts, going as far as the Supreme Court, and is also highlighted for its mediation ability. Other key elements of the firm's recent workload include complex contract negotiations, and payroll and compliance-related advice. The group is headed up by Rubén García, who is well regarded for his experience in collective bargaining agreements, and litigator Rhadaisis Espinal.Practice head(s):
Rubén García; Rhadaisis Espinal
Testimonials
‘Guzmán Ariza has one of the best reputations in the country. Their ability to mediate and resolve conflicts is one of their main achievements.‘
‘Their ability to work as a team is excellent; the absence of one of them does not in any way imply a decrease in results. Their ability to advise you on all areas of law allows them to excel in the legal market.‘
Key clients
Club Med
Pawa Dominicana
New York Mets
Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort
SH Cacao CO Partners
Sosúa Ocean Village
Orica Dominicana
Grupo Laugama
GAP Medics
TravelSmart
Digital Works
Work highlights
- Assisted Club Med with negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the union representing its 1,300 employees.
- Assisted PAWA Dominicana (Pan Am World Airways Dominicana) with labour agreements.
- Representing the New York Mets in a lawsuit filed by a local company that allegedly represented a rookie player from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and signed a contract with his parents for the purposes of training at the Mets’ Spring Training Centre.
Dominican Republic > Real estate and tourism Tier 1
Guzmán Ariza is well known for advising on major real estate and tourism-related transactions in the Dominican Republic, while clients also benefit from its presence in the key locations of Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Samaná. The firm stands out for its expertise in project financing and acquisitions, acting for prominent multinationals including Club Med. The sizeable team is led by experienced managing partner Fabio Guzmán Ariza, Alfredo Guzmán Saladín (an expert in corporate and commercial matters in the real estate and hospitality sectors), Julio Brea Guzmán (who plays a key role in real estate and condominium projects), Rubén García and César Calderón. The team was further strengthened at top level by the addition of senior counsel Patricia Guzmán from DMK Abogados in October 2022 and the promotion of Marianne Olivares in June 2023.Practice head(s):
Fabio Guzmán Ariza; Alfredo Guzmán Saladín; Julio Brea Guzmán; Rubén García; César Calderón
Testimonials
‘Good communication and legal knowledge. They understand the country’s legal and political system.‘
‘What gives me the greatest peace of mind is that I can always count on the collaboration of Guzmán Ariza – my calls and emails are always answered. We have had experiences with other firms that simply do not answer or it is impossible to communicate with the lawyer in charge of our files or even know for sure which lawyer handles a file. With Guzmán Ariza that does not happen, it is quite the opposite.‘
‘I can say without fear of being wrong that Guzmán Ariza’s ethos is transmitted to all the lawyers and staff in general. Alfredo Guzmán and Marianne Olivares are our trusted advisers. As an in-house lawyer, it is reassuring for me to sit down and discuss a strategy with both of them because we work together to achieve an objective – that’s something you don’t get at other law offices.‘
Key clients
Club Mediterranée (Club Med)
Meliá Hotels International
Anex Tours
12Tree Finance
NOVAL Properties
Sunwing Travel Group (Nexus Tours, Royalton)
Viva Wyndham Resorts
Sosúa Ocean Village
Tierra del Sol Beach Hotel and Casino
Elof Hansson
Ani Villas
Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort
Dream City
Acun Medya
Althelia Blue Finance
Villas Infinity
Knauf GIPS
Blue Jack Tar
Dama Hoteles
Nader Enterprises
Grupo Roble/Real Hotel & Resorts/Grupo Poma
Hotels Association of Cap Cana
Vafiadis
Cap Cana
The Mosquito Hotels Group
Work highlights
- Assisting Club Med with obtaining and renewing all operating licences for hotel, restaurant and tourist activities.
- Assisted Melia Hotels with the amendment and renewal of a commercialisation agreement with one of its main tour operator partners (Manatí).
- Representing Althelia Blue Finance in the Althelia Sustainable Ocean Fund project in the Dominican Republic.
Dominican Republic > Corporate and M&A Tier 2
Drawing on the support of eight offices in the jurisdiction, the team at Guzman Ariza is highly experienced in the structuring of M&A deals and foreign investments, company reorganisations, and general corporate and commercial issues. In Santo Domingo, the practice is headed by Fabio Guzmán Saladín, who has a strong track record in the M&A arena, with an emphasis on international business transactions, and of counsel Alberto Reyes, while Alfredo Guzmán Saladín, an expert in the hospitality, entertainment, real estate and sports sectors, leads the team in Punta Cana. The practice was bolstered at senior level by the promotion to partner of Pamela Benzán Arbaje in June 2023.Practice head(s):
Fabio Guzmán Saladín; Alfredo Guzmán Saladín; Alberto Reyes
Key clients
AREND
ALPOSCO Engineering and Construction
The Walt Disney Company
Tyson Foods
HH Global
Ridge Partners
Highgate – Hospitality Investment and Management Company/Hallifax Holdings
KPMG
JTI – Japan Tobacco International
Liquid Agency/McCann
PAWA Dominicana (Pan Am World Airways Dominicana)
12Tree Finance
Elof Hansson
Knauf GIPS
SH Cacao
CO Partners (19 Degrees Services)
Acun Medya
Digital Works Company
UBS Group Investment Bank
Epix Studios – MGM
Gold Star Tobacco
Work highlights
- Acted as outside counsel for Disney in relation the negotiations, contracts, and due diligence for the production of a television series filmed in the Dominican Republic.
- Assisted Tyson Foods with two reorganisations of the company.
- Assisted HH Global with a reorganisation and legal entity integration process internationally.
Dominican Republic > Dispute resolution Tier 2
Guzmán Ariza, whose ‘reputation in the local market‘, ‘integrity‘ and ‘ethics‘ are noted by clients, has a longstanding presence in the dispute resolution sphere in the Dominican Republic and is particularly prominent in bankruptcy cases (where Fabio Guzmán Saladín is a high-profile name). An experienced quartet of partners leads the practice – Fabio Guzmán Ariza, whose broad practice takes in labour and medical malpractice litigation, Rhadaisis Espinal and Alberto Reyes Báez, both of whom handle civil and commercial litigation, are all based in Santo Domingo, while real estate-focused Julio Brea Guzmán is the key contact in Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabrera.Practice head(s):
Fabio Guzmán Ariza; Rhadaisis Espinal; Julio Brea Guzmán; Alberto Reyes Báez
Testimonials
‘I believe that the culture of the firm makes it unique. Its internal collaboration and reputation in the local market is also worth noting.‘
‘They have a commitment to excellence, integrity and ethics in their work as well as being available for urgent cases.‘
Key clients
Pawa Dominicana
Club Med (Club Méditerranée)
JJH Capital Inversiones Extranjeras
Wells Fargo Bank
Sunwing Travel Group
TreviGalante
Meliá Hotels International
Nicholas Tawil
Edesur Dominicana
Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort
Consorcio de Construcciones Planificadas
Dominican Government (Bahía de las Aguilas)
Acun Medya
Bartolo Colón Morales
Alberto Reyes Baez
Francisco Mazzarella
Mesa Investment
Dream City Country Club & Resort
Tierra del Sol – Michael Cohen
Playa Encuentro Beach Resort
Work highlights
- Acting for PAWA Dominicana (Pan Am World Airways Dominicana) in bankruptcy proceedings.
- Representing Club Med (Club Méditerranée) in a dispute with a cigar-producing company over its alleged illegal eviction from premises in the client’s Punta Cana resort.
- Acting for JJH Capital Inversiones Extranjeras in an appeal to the Supreme Court in a contractual dispute.
Dominican Republic > Environment Tier 2
Guzmán Ariza‘s main focus lies on the environmental aspects of real estate and tourism projects, but other sector strengths for the team include the hospitality, construction and entertainment industries. The team’s workload spans sustainability and environmental impact assessments, compliance, permitting issues, and environmental disputes. Giselle Pérez Reyes oversees the team and utilises her significant regulatory expertise to advise on large-scale energy, hydrocarbon, tourism and real estate projects. Corporate department chair Fabio Guzmán Saladín and real estate and tourism specialist Alfredo Guzmán Saladín are also key contacts.Practice head(s):
Giselle Pérez Reyes
Key clients
Club Mediterranée (Club Med)
Anex Tours
12Tree Finance
Noval
Viva Wyndham Resorts
Ani Villas
Dream City
Athelia Blue Finance
Knauf GIPS
Nader Enterprises
Jason Sees
Levitals Grupo Inversor
Potentia Renewables (Emerald Solar Energy)
Pro Miches
Rizek Group
Work highlights
- Assisted Club Med with obtaining the necessary permits and environmental licences for the construction of a five-star hotel on beachfront land in Miches.
- Advised Anex Tours on obtaining the environmental licence for the construction of a mega-project in the Macao-Punta Cana area.
- Assisted 12Tree Finance, a German asset manager and operator active in sustainable forestry and agroforestry projects, with regulatory compliance and environmental issues related to possible greenfield and brownfield opportunities in the Dominican cacao-growing industry.
Dominican Republic > Tax Tier 2
Guzmán Ariza‘s group, which ‘adapts very well to clients' requirements', advises a diverse client base which includes multinationals and foreign financial services companies on all areas of tax planning, transfer pricing (which is a core area of strength) and regulatory compliance in the Dominican Republic. The team also represents clients in audits by the tax authorities and in tax disputes. Managing partner Fabio Guzmán Saladín and Alfredo Guzmán Saladín lead the team; the pair are proficient in the tax aspects of corporate and financial transactions, and the latter is also noted for his knowledge of tax issues in the real estate and hospitality sectors. The group also benefits from the assistance of tax advisor and certified public accountant Mariano Corral, who is based overseas.Practice head(s):
Fabio Guzmán Saladín; Alfredo Guzmán Saladín
Testimonials
‘Guzmán Ariza is able to offer tax solutions adapted to the problems and specific circumstances of our company in each particular case. They adapt very well to clients’ requirements.‘
Key clients
Warner Gaming
Eden Roc at Cap Cana Hotel (Solaya Resorts and Hotel)
12Tree Finance
Club Med
Elof Hansson
Fastenal
Wolverine
Mammoet Caribbean
Francisco Martinez Group
Tecnove Group
SH Cacao CO Partners (19 Degrees Services)
ADELCA
Silva International Investments
Voith Hydro
Noval Properties
JTI Tobacco International
Work highlights
- Assisting 12Tree Finance with its operations in the Dominican Republic, including designing and implementing the most efficient tax structure for the business.
- Assisted Club Med with obtaining tax exemptions from the Dominican government in relation to the development of a hotel in Miches.
- Assisted Elof Hansson with the tax strategy relating to payment in kind and leasing agreements.
Dominican Republic > Banking and finance Tier 3
Guzmán Ariza's banking and finance team is particularly strong in restructuring and bankruptcy matters, and is sought after for its advice to clients hailing from the real estate and construction industries. Key lawyers include Fabio Guzmán Saladín and Alberto Reyes Báez.Dominican Republic > Intellectual property Tier 3
Senior counsel Leandro Corral and Fabio Guzmán Saladín, both of whom are highly active in advising on trade mark registrations, lead Guzmán Ariza‘s intellectual property team, which counts trade marks, patents, industrial designs and copyrights among its key areas of strength. Cross-border matters are a significant feature of the group’s work, thanks to its wide-ranging international client base, which spans the car manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas sectors, among others.Practice head(s):
Leandro Corral; Fabio Guzmán Saladín
Key clients
Rocky Brands/Creative Recreation
Gazprom Neft
Kikkoman
Gold Star Tobacco
Sunwing Travel Group
Agrovet Market Animal Health
T&Beer
Senninger Irrigation
Work highlights
- Assisted Gazprom Neft with amending old registrations and registering 3D marks.
- Assisted Kikkoman with modifying information pertaining to a trade mark registration.
- Assisted Gold Star Tobacco with the registration of seven of its trade marks.
Guzmán Ariza > Firm Profile
Guzmán Ariza is the only national law firm in the Dominican Republic, with seven offices strategically located to serve clients in every major business and tourism centre in the country. The firm is client-oriented and offers a full range of services, across a wide variety of practice areas, through the best team of multilingual lawyers.
Our practices have earned us a reputation in the local and international business community as a respected and trusted firm that produces results.
We are internationally connected. As members of SCG Legal and GGI Geneva Group International — we are able to assist clients effectively in international transactions throughout the world.
Main areas of practice
Corporate: Guzmán Ariza has extensive experience counselling clients in all stages of their business ventures in the Dominican Republic, the largest economy of Central America and the Caribbean. The team of lawyers advise local and international clients in organizing start-ups, managing risks while growing in the market, incorporating new partners, seeking funding for expanding operations, bankruptcy and restructuring procedures or just helping them to comply with all local laws that relate to doing business in the Dominican Republic.
Real estate: Guzmán Ariza’s Dominican real estate department is unsurpassed in its skill, experience and geographical reach. Real estate lawyers work as a cohesive team with other disciplines, including tax, financing, environment, and litigation to ensure that all issues which could impact a transaction are properly and thoroughly addressed.
Mergers and acquisitions: Guzmán Ariza is actively involved in complex corporate transactions in which whole, or portions of businesses, are transferred, divested or restructured. Members of the corporate team include two partners with both law and MBA degrees, as well as in-house tax and accounting counsels, which generally results in smooth transactions with less time spent on due diligence and negotiations.
Banking, finance and securities: The firm’s expert team of attorneys advises international financial institutions, as well as companies seeking traditional or alternative sources of funds, in the negotiation, structuring, documentation and execution of all types of financial transactions related to the industry.
Project finance: The firm has deep expertise in advising clients in any type of financing transaction involving large infrastructure and industrial projects, regardless of the role its clients may play in them.
The firm has a comprehensive team of experts in corporate law, taxation, banking and finance, securitization, restructurings, and other legal disciplines, ready to efficiently and securely put together all kinds of transactions in project finance.
Tourism : The attorneys at the firm have extensive experience providing counsel and all legal services needed for any tourism-related activity in the Dominican Republic and offer clients “area-specific” advice, as well as counsel on the regulatory framework and incentives through the CONFOTUR Law, applicable to all business activities and transactions within the industry.
Foreign investment, international trade: Guzmán Ariza offers a wide range of services to clients in international trade and investment. The firm’s lawyers have the knowledge and expertise to advise clients on trade agreements, double taxation and international conventions involving the Dominican Republic.
Litigation: The firm has a large team of lawyers with extensive litigation and arbitration experience to handle all disputes its clients may find themselves involved in before local courts, once all negotiations and alternative solutions have been explored, expended or discarded.
Environment, climate change: Guzmán Ariza advises clients on all environmental regulatory, compliance and transactions required for the development of projects in the country. The attorneys help clients with the structuring, financing and implementation of the projects, as well as all transfer, operation and restructuring agreements related to them.
The lawyers counsel local and foreign companies and individuals in different industries and practices, including among others; taxation, PPP, infrastructure, cinema, sports, energy, mining, trusts, wealth preservation, manufacturing, food and beverage.
Other offices: Bávaro – Punta Cana, Sosúa – Puerto Plata, Las Terrenas, La Romana – Casa de Campo, Samaná, Cabrera.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Commercial and Corporate | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Commercial and Corporate | Alberto Reyes-Báez | areyes@drlawyer.com | |
Real Estate | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Real Estate | Julio Brea-Guzmán | jbrea@drlawyer.com | |
Real Estate | César Calderón | ccalderon@drlawyer.com | |
Finance (project finance/banking/insurance/securities) | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Finance (project finance/banking/insurance/securities) | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Mergers and Acquisitions | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Mergers and Acquisitions | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Litigation and Arbitration | Fabio J Guzmán-Ariza | fguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Litigation and Arbitration | Rhadaisis Espinal | respinal@drlawyer.com | |
Litigation and Arbitration | Julio Brea-Guzmán | jbrea@drlawyer.com | |
Foreign Investment | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Foreign Investment | Alberto Reyes-Báez | areyes@drlawyer.com | |
Tourism and Hospitality | Julio Brea-Guzmán | jbrea@drlawyer.com | |
Tourism and Hospitality | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Taxation | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Taxation | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Construction | Alberto Reyes-Báez | areyes@drlawyer.com | |
Construction | César Calderón | ccalderon@drlawyer.com | |
Labour and Employment | Rubén J García | rgarcia@drlawyer.com | |
Labour and Employment | Rhadaisis Espinal | respinal@drlawyer.com | |
Energy and Environment | Fabio Guzmán-Saladín | fabio@drlawyer.com | |
Energy and Environment | Giselle Pérez-Reyes E: gperez@drlawyer.com | gperez@drlawyer.com | |
Sports and Entertainment | Alfredo Guzmán-Saladín | aguzman@drlawyer.com | |
Sports and Entertainment | Rubén J García | rgarcia@drlawyer.com |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Mr César Calderón | Real Estate and Condominium Law; Tourism and Hospitality; Corporate and Business Law;… | View Profile | |
Mrs Rhadaisis Espinal | Civil, Commercial and Real Estate Litigation; Contracts and Torts, Banking. | View Profile | |
Mr Rubén García | Real Estate Law; Labor & Employment Law; Corporate and Business; Banking and… | View Profile | |
Mr Alfredo Guzmán | Corporate and Business; Real Estate and Condominium Law; Mergers and Acquisitions; Project… | View Profile | |
Mr Fabio J Guzmán Ariza | Litigation and Arbitration, Real Estate and Condominium Law, Corporate and Business Law,… | View Profile | |
Mr Fabio J Guzmán-Saladín | Corporate and Business; Mergers and Acquisitions; Project Finance; Banking, Insurance and Securities;… | View Profile | |
Mr Alberto Reyes | Corporate and Business; Mergers and Acquisitions; International Trade and Investments; Litigation and… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Other fee-earners : 45 lawyers plus 9 other free earners Total staff : 125Languages
English Spanish Dutch French German Italian Portuguese RussianMemberships
SCG Legal Geneva Group International (GGI)Other
Partners : 8- Labour and employment
- Real estate and tourism
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Environment
- Tax