Medina Garnes Abogados > Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic > Firm Profile

Medina Garnes Abogados Offices

Medina Garnes Abogados
GUSTAVO MEJIA RICART 102, ESQ. ABRAHAM LINCOLN
EDIFICIO CORPORATIVO 20/10, SUITE 904
PIANTINI, SANTO DOMINGO
Dominican Republic
Visit website 1 809 683 4422 1809 547 5122

Medina Garnes Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dominican Republic > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Medina Garnes Abogados‘ ‘exceptional‘ dispute resolution practice is highly regarded for its expertise in administrative, tax, civil, commercial, competition, procurement, labour and constitutional litigation. In addition, the team handles arbitration and high-profile white-collar crime cases. At the head of the practice, founding partner Fabiola Medina is highlighted for her ‘intelligence and skill‘, particularly in tax, administrative and civil litigation, and Jesús Francos stands out for his strength in administrative disputes. New partner Melissa Silié Ruiz, whose expertise spans administrative, regulatory, antitrust and commercial cases, and senior associate Jansy Castro, who focuses on criminal litigation, are also noted.

Practice head(s):

Fabiola Medina Garnes; Jesús Francos

Testimonials

‘They are capable and respond quickly to the needs of our company. In our experience, the team at Medina Garrigo belongs to a small group of important firms in our country that provide personalised services to their clients, always giving priority to the smallest detail. From the point of view of technology, we understand that the firm is at the forefront of billing, diversity, relationships and collaboration and meets a high standard in all these aspects.’

‘It has been a pleasant experience for us to have allies such as Medina Garrigo. All relevant legal decisions for our business pass through their hands, making us feel completely supported and safe in any situation. They differ from the competition in their personalised treatment of clients and their ability to quickly analyse legal situations that sometimes arise unexpectedly, both in business and in dispute resolution.’

‘In particular, we would like to highlight the professionalism of Jesus Francos – his excellent handling of the law and his critical thinking, accompanied by his humane and direct treatment of clients, make him an invaluable asset for any company.’

‘It is a well-rounded team that has specialists in all areas. The ease of communication, and their ability to understand their clients and accept different points of view makes them different from others.’

‘With Fabiola Medina and Jesus Francos, I can confidentially deal with any important issue that, however complex it may be, they end up understanding easily and present more than one alternative.’

‘It is an organised, efficient team that quickly responds to client requests, proceeding in a timely manner to achieve the expected results.’

‘It has an exceptional team led by Fabiola Medina, whose human qualities are matched by her intelligence and skill as a lawyer, and Jesús Francos is a very organised partner, with excellent delivery who conveys confidence with his knowledge and customer service. Melissa Silié is a brilliant professional with a very promising future. Jansy Castro does an excellent job in the litigation area.’

Key clients

Autopista del Nordeste (ADN)/Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico (BTA)

Compañía Dominicana de Teléfonos

Consejo Económico y Social (CES)

Worldwide Seguros

Constructora del País (CODELPA)

García Tejera y Asociados

Dovemco

Work highlights

  • Represented Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico (BTA) and Autopista del Nordeste (ADN) in a dispute with the Dominican state related to the concession agreement for the design, financing, construction, operation and management of the Juan Pablo II toll road and Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico.
  • Representing Compañía Dominicana de Teléfonos (CLARO) in a request for an administrative sanction against Trilogy Dominicana (VIVA) for marketing a 4G service through some frequencies of the radioelectric spectrum without the corresponding administrative licence.
  • Representing Worldwide Seguros in a lawsuit against the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) and Humano Seguros before the Superior Administrative Court.

Dominican Republic > Tax Tier 1

Co-headed by litigation specialist Fabiola Medina, Medina Garnes Abogados focuses on tax dispute resolution, specifically appeals before the Tax Administration and Administrative Court over matters such as fines for lack of permits and inconsistent tax declarations. Fellow co-head Jesús Francos counts Philip Morris Dominicana as a key client, representing it before the Tax Administration and Administrative Court and in settlement negotiations, regarding a US$2m fine for alleged inconsistencies in tax declarations. With senior associate Patricia Álvarez regularly providing support, the team also designs tax-efficient structures and advises clients on responses to new taxes created by the government; Francos acted for three associations in an appeal against the Ministry of Health over a new export-import tax, while Francos and Medina acted for a toll operator in a claim for breach of contract after an asset tax was brought in.

Practice head(s):

Fabiola Medina Garnes; Jesús Francos Rodríguez

Key clients

Cervecería Nacional Dominicana

Asociación Dominicana de Exportadores

Asociación de Industrias de la República Dominicana

Organización Nacional de Empresas Comerciales

Asociación Nacional de Importadores

Philip Morris Dominicana, S. A.

Camusat Rep. Dom., SRL.

Autopista del Nordeste/Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico

Work highlights

  • Representing the Asociación Dominicana de Exportadores, Asociación de Industrias de la República Dominicana, and Asociación Nacional de Importadores, in an appeal against a Resolution of the Ministry of Health that created a new tax of RD$1,000 for each request of export-import of regulated products (medicine, food, beverages) through the counter for international commerce (Ventanilla Única de Comercio Exterior).
  • Acting as legal counsel to Philip Morris Dominicana, S.A., a subsidiary of Philip Morris International, against the Tax Administration (DGII) in a dispute over several tax determination resolutions that established the payment of approximately US$2m for alleged inconsistencies in the tax declarations of VAT and Income Tax of the fiscal periods from 2014-16.
  • Assisting Cervecería Nacional Dominicana in an appeal against a resolution of the Tax Administration imposing a fine for the alleged production of a batch of Modelo Beer without the corresponding permits, brought before the Tax Administration and then before the Administrative Court.

Dominican Republic > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Medina Garnes Abogados‘ strengths lie in multi-jurisdictional M&A and corporate reorganisations, as well as the incorporation of local subsidiaries of international companies. The team’s broad client base spans the banking, energy, mining, infrastructure, telecoms and hospitality sectors, among others. Alexandra Sánchez, who handles M&A and corporate structuring, leads the team with founding partner Fabiola Medina Garnes, while Marielle Garrigó, whose experience includes cross-border M&A, private equity and venture capital deals, is on temporary leave to advise the Superintendence of Banks of the Dominican Republic. Melissa Silié, who was promoted to partner in June 2022 and is experienced in M&A and restructuring, and senior associate Patricia Álvarez, a corporate finance and governance expert, are also key names to note. Since publication, Garrigó has left the firm - effective February 2023.

Practice head(s):

Fabiola Medina Garnes; Alexandra Sánchez

Testimonials

‘Melissa Silié is always involved in the operation which speeds up the negotiations. This was particularly important to us. Patricia Álvarez has significant knowledge of regulatory procedures.’

‘The Medina Garrigó team was extremely efficient in its response times. With its support, we managed to close one of our most important transactions in the Caribbean on time.’

Key clients

Inversiones MomentumAmsha Marina

Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico (BTA)/Autopista del Nordeste (ADN)

IDB Invest

Grupo Macapi

Banco Sabadell Miami Branch

Agilisa Technologies/Dynamic Payments

Constructora del Pais (CODELPA)

Hyunday Motors

Intellysis D

UFP Technologies

Work highlights

  • Assisted UFP Technologies with the acquisition of DAS Medical International, a free trade zone company located in La Romana.
  • Advised Grupo Macapi, a family company dedicated to the commercialisation and export of agricultural products, on the restructuring and organisation of all the group’s assets.
  • Advised Inversiones Momentum and Amsha Marina on the sale of Hotel Grand Paradise Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata to Hodelpa for $17m.

Medina Garnes Abogados > Firm Profile

Medina Garnes Abogados (MGA) is a boutique law firm founded in the Dominican Republic by Fabiola Medina in 2004, under the name Medina Garnes Asociados. Since then, the firm has gained extensive experience assisting clients in legal matters in the areas of telecommunications, administrative law, tax law, litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Additionally, in recent years, and following a careful and sustainable growth strategy, MGA has managed to expand its practice into new areas of law including all corporate and financial matters, mergers & acquisitions, contracts, regulated markets, real estate, employment, economic and criminal law and energy, developing a broader and more comprehensive legal practice, with an emphasis on providing services with the highest quality standards, efficiently, and focused on solutions.

MGA has the distinction of having become one of the most outstanding law firms in the Dominican Republic, a recognition that has resulted from an extraordinary professional practice, marked by great achievements in many relevant cases, for clients from the private and public sectors. The firm has also stood out for its constant and exceptional participation in recent and important legislative processes tending to the creation and reform of key regulations, which has provided its lawyers with a unique perspective on the functioning of the Dominican regulatory system and its effects on business activities and transactions. However, the most significant accolade for MGA is the continued trust of its clients.

The firm offers a wide range of legal teams made up of specialists in different areas of law. The experience gained by our lawyers enables MGA to handle complex matters through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach that draws from all relevant sources within MGA which, while minimizing costs, provides its clients with efficient legal solutions designed to maximize the identification and management of all potential risks in national and multijurisdictional transactions.

What sets MGA apart from other firms in the Dominican Republic is its fundamental principle: getting to know the client deeply and becoming part of their business in a proactive way, always adding value. During their years of practice, our lawyers have learned that an essential part of their work is taking the time to know, identify and understand clients’ needs, as the only way to truly add value to them in the provision of legal services, whether in the context of an operation, or giving them constructive advice in the form of “preventive medicine”, or sometimes simply keeping them up to date with relevant information on local aspects of their industries. The firm has sophisticated clients ranging from local and international financial entities, telecoms, companies from all manufacturing industries, as well as fintech’s and family businesses.

Main Contacts

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Tax, Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Administrative and Regulatory, Telecommunications Founding Partnert- Fabiola Medina Garnesfmedina@mga.com.do809-683-4422
Administrative and Regulatory, Dispute Resolution, Civil and Labor Law, Telecommunications Jesus Francos Rodriguez-Partnerjfrancos@mga.com.do809-683-4422
Corporate and M&A, Capital Markets, Banking and Finance, Competition Law, Melissa Silié Ruiz-Partnermsilie@mga.com.do809-683-4422
Corporate and M&A, Tax, Banking and Finance, Real Estate, Intellectual Property, Energy Law Patricia Alvarez Sosa-Partnerpalvarez@mga.com.do809-683-4422

Meet The Team(s)

Staff Figures

Total staff : 20
Partners : 4
Associates : 8

Languages

Spanish
English
French

Comparative Guides