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

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

Ecuador > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Working from its offices in Quito and Guayaquil, Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados’ corporate practice is co-led by firm managing partner Patricio Peña (corporate and commercial law, M&A, capital markets, and banking & finance) in the capital; and Marcelo Torres (corporate and commercial law, M&A, and labour matters) in the country’s key industrial base, the port city of Guayaquil. The team handles a broad range of corporate and commercial work, with a focus on restructuring, governance, and financing agreements – although, M&A also represents a key area of work for the firm.  At the associate level, key support comes from corporate and commercial law focused senior Patricia Marchán, with fellow senior Francisco Larrea  and María Elena Sanmartín -both of whom primarily focus on oil, gas and power matters- also active members of the corporate practice group.

Ecuador > Dispute resolution Tier 2

With a presence in Quito and Guayaquil, Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados acts in a range of litigation and has a particular focus on tort-related claims arising in the context of civil and commercial cases. Name partner Gonzalo Noboa leads the team and has over 30 years' experience in the dispute resolution arena - particularly in civil litigation with a focus on defamation, unfair competition, and contract disputes. Working alongside him is Patricio Peña Romero, an expert in financial disputes and asset recovery cases. Other key figures include practice directors (of the dispute resolution and oil-and-gas practices, respectively), Margarita Vélez, who handles constitutional, administrative, civil and family litigation, as well as arbitration); and Francisco Larrea, whose practice includes local and international litigation and arbitration related to the hydrocarbons and projects sectors).

Ecuador > Labour and employment Tier 3

The labour and employment team at Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados is active in advisory matters as well as mediation and litigation, with a notable focus on employee termination mandates. Another key area for the firm is trade union relations, where it acts for clients in a range of negotiations in relation to collective bargaining agreements. Leadership of the practice is divided between Patricio Peña, an expert in the employment aspects of corporate restructurings; and Marcelo Torres, who is noted for his labour advice in relation to M&As.

Ecuador > Tax Tier 3

The tax team at Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados focuses on transfer pricing, the tax aspects of corporate transactions, and the design and implementation of efficient tax structures for new businesses. Led by Patricio Peña Romero, the practice also acts for its clients in a range of disputes, with Gonzalo Noboa Baquerizo also noted as a key contact in this respect. With 15 years' experience, associate practice director Andrés Cortez handles national and international tax planning, M&A-related tax advisory and planning, and corporate restructuring; he also has solid knowledge of transfer pricing and an active role in litigation. Associate Verónica Zambrano spent 12 years at the SRI and has experience in tax control and compliance, tax litigation and advisory, criminal tax, and constitutional and contentious-administrative matters.

Ecuador > Energy and natural resources Tier 4

Noboa, Peña & Torres, Abogados has endured a difficult year with the departure of environmental partner Rafael Pástor (to establish Guayaquil-based boutique, Pástor Estudio Jurídico Ambiental) in March 2022, followed by the loss of associate María Elena Sanmartín   who moved in house at Grupo Cobra the following month. These losses notwithstanding, the practice remains afoot due to the drive of associate director Francisco Larrea, who has expertise in corporate structuring, project financing and particularly, both transactions and dispute resolution in the energy and oil-and-gas sectors. The firm’s broad service offering also allows it to support its oil, gas and mining industry clients on a range of tax, labour, corporate and regulatory matters.