Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados > Quito, Ecuador > Firm Profile

Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Ecuador > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Marcelo Torres, who ‘shows a commitment to the interests of the client‘, leads the team at Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados together with Patricia Marchán, who ‘provides excellent service'. Together, the pair have over 30 years of experience in the commercial field between them. The team takes a multidisciplinary approach to draw on the expertise of dispute resolution expert Gonzalo Noboa Baquerizo and Francisco Larrea, who was promoted to partner in March 2023 and is a key contact for the group’s energy work, such as shareholder agreements and purchase agreements. The group is based in the firm’s offices in Quito and Guayaquil.

Ecuador > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Operating out of both Quito and Guayaquil, Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados‘ practitioners ‘have a lot of experience in dispute resolution‘ and often work on complex litigation. Its clients stem from the telecoms, oil and gas, energy and infrastructure sectors, among others, and include Banco Pichincha, the largest private bank in Ecuador. With over 30 years’ experience in dispute resolution, experienced civil litigator Gonzalo Noboa Baquerizo leads the team and is well supported by associate Margarita Vélez Casanova, who is valued by clients for her constitutional, administrative, civil and family law and arbitration expertise.

Ecuador > Labour and employment Tier 3

Led out of Guayaquil and Quito by Marcelo Torres and Patricio Peña Romero, respectively, the labour practice at Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados focuses on employment contracts and terminations, with further emphasis on contentious and mediation processes. The team is also well versed in collective bargaining agreements and communication with trade unions. Torres specialises in labour matters arising out of M&A transactions, while Peña Romero – a member of the board of directors of the Ecuadorian American Chamber of Commerce in Quito – advises clients on several aspects of employment law. Associate Juan Soria is another key contact in Guayaquil, active in social security matters. The department welcomed associate Alejandra Cháves, who joined in July 2022 from the specialised labour chamber of the National Court of Justice.

Ecuador > Tax Tier 3

The tax department at Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados features a multidisciplinary team noted for its expertise in the design of tax structures, with the group primarily sought by clients in the industrial, construction and agro-industrial sectors. Further areas of expertise include lawsuits, transfer pricing and the assessment of tax components in complex transactions, with practice head Patricio Peña Romero in particular applying knowledge gained at his previous roles at the national tax authority and Constitutional Court. Associate practice director Andrés Cortez adds 20 years of experience in national and international tax planning, while Verónica Zambrano draws on 12 years spent at the SRI to act on tax control and compliance issues.

Ecuador > Energy and natural resources Tier 4

Commended for its ‘knowledge of the oil and gas market in Ecuador and good relationships with the different government offices’, Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados has experience in public bids, in addition to a range of matters affecting the power, renewable energy and mining sectors. Senior associate Francisco Larrea heads the team, and founding partner Patricio Peña Romero is another key contact, particularly for cross-border transactions. Former partner Rafael Pástor left the firm in February 2022.