Puerto Rico 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Senior legal counsel Electrification, Americas | ABB (Asea Brown Boveri)
Director of the legal advice office | Comision Industrial de Puerto Rico
vice presidnet, general counsel | Carribbean Financial Group
Attorney Joel M. Eliza joined Caribbean Financial Group (CFG) in February 2012. Currently serving as the general counsel, Joel is responsible for all legal and regulatory matters related to CFG’s...
In-house counsel and risk management director | Ryder Memorial Hospital
P LEGAL AFFAIRS. GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | APEX (part of Grupo Mariposa)
EVP, General Counsel & Secretary of the Board of Directors | FirstBank Puerto Rico & First BanCorp
Ms. Alvarez is a Certified Public Accountant and attorney with over twenty-six (26) years of combined work experience in accounting, tax advisory, and specialized legal issues related to banking, corporate...
Chief compliance officer and general counsel | Parliament Capital Management
Chief operating officer, chief legal and compliance officer, vice president | Abarca
General counsel, vice president organizational development and human resources | Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
Chief Legal Counsel | Triple-S Management
Carlos L. Rodríguez Ramos has been chief legal and compliance officer and corporate secretary of Triple-S Management (TSM) since September of 2021, when the compliance area was added to his...
Chief financial officer and general counsel | RoofMaxx Technologies
Chief compliance and legal officer, country manager | Gamma International Bank
General counsel and administrator | Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
General counsel | The Sol Group (Parkland Corporation)
Edna Laura Perez is the general counsel for the international segment of Parkland Corporation, known as the Sol Group. The legal team led and managed by Ms. Perez provides support...
General counsel | Puerto Rico Telephone company - Claro PR
General counsel | Puerto Rico Office of Management and Budget
Executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | MAPFRE Puerto Rico
Senior vice president & general counsel | Caribbean Cage LLC and The CAGE Companies
As the chief legal officer of the corporation, James Christian Snr provides legal advice and counsel in a wide range of legal areas including corporate governance, contracts, intellectual property, real...
Senior Associate General counsel and SIU director | First Medical Health Plan
Deputy Director - Contracts Administration CDBG-DR/MIT Program | Puerto Rico Department of Housing
Committed to the public service of Puerto Rico as well as its reconstruction, especially after the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and María, Attorney Joel Hernández Alvarado has served as...
Chief legal officer | GENCO General Contractors
Jose Wilmer Meléndez Sanago, is well known for his sense of justice, listening skills, and fact-based opinions. His ability to argue and his assertiveness are among his most notable qualities,...
Oversight Manager for Public Corporations of the Government of Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority
Senior Deputy General Counsel and Head of AML Compliance Operations | Santander US
General counsel and senior policy advisor | Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration
Chief legal officer and corporate secretary | Aerostar Airport Holdings
General counsel | Mercantile Global Holdings & Mercantile Bank International
Mr. Lafontaine is an experienced corporate, regulatory, and transactional attorney. Prior to joining Mercantile Global Holdings /Mercantile Bank International , Mr. Lafontaine was an associate general counsel at Noble Bank...
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am thrilled to introduce a new title within the The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series, The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico, which highlights the work of 60 senior in-house counsel achieving amazing feats in Puerto Rico and beyond. Within this publication, you can expect to read about the impressive careers and challenges keeping Puerto Rico’s esteemed counsel occupied. This select group of individuals were chosen based on their merits, strong nominations received and desk research from our seasoned in-house research team at The Legal 500.
Our research team asked featured counsel their thoughts on succeeding as in-house counsel in their respective fields. Sara Alvarez Cabrero, EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary to the board at FirstBank highlights six qualities in sum needed for success as in-house counsel, ‘strong legal expertise, business acumen, risk management skills, communication and collaboration, ethical integrity and professionalism and adaptability and resilience.’ As you look through the profiles of featured individuals in this Powerlist, you will notice an embodiment of these qualities – individuals with a keen sense of business as well as strong legal expertise to the benefit of their organisations.
Luis A. Rodriguez, EVP and chief legal and administrative officer at Evertec also contributes to this thought by saying, ‘Any decent lawyer can review a contract or help with a partnership agreement or with any other legal matters that come up. However, great lawyers can do that and more. They can create value in negotiations where others see only roadblocks.’
Many general counsel report a significant increase in merger and acquisition activity, with the legal function being looped in to ‘align the legal structure with the growth’, according to Oscar Arroyo-Arzu, VP legal affairs, general counsel & secretary of the board of directors at Apex Global. In a time of many global legal functions witnessing drastic change and increased responsibility, the business landscape is no exception in Puerto Rico. Impressively, senior in-house counsel all over Puerto Rico are geared and ready for the challenges that may lie ahead.
On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to you all on your recognition among the best in-house counsel in Puerto Rico. You are part of a global community of senior in-house counsel who celebrate this recognition. Thank you all for your keen participation over the past few months, and we look forward to embarking on this comprehensive research initiative again! Lastly, heartfelt appreciation for DLA Piper for supporting The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico research.
Legal 500’s GC Summit Netherlands brought together leading in-house counsel and legal experts at The Renaissance in Amsterdam for a half-day of focused discussions and networking. The programme provided practical insights into how legal teams are adapting their roles amid growing geopolitical, technological, and regulatory pressures.
The event opened with a presentation by Mariken van Loopik, partner at Linklaters, who examined how geopolitical developments are reshaping expectations of legal advisers. The session highlighted the increasing need for both in-house and external counsel to adopt a more strategic approach, integrating compliance, risk management, and commercial awareness into their work.
The next session turned to the growing use of artificial intelligence in legal practice. Moderated by Allan Cohen, senior research editor at Legal 500, the panel featured Anastasia Scrève of LEGALFLY, Mateusz Wrzesinski of Barilla, and Gitte Groenewold-Wong of Prosus. The discussion focused on practical steps for using AI tools responsibly, with speakers addressing issues such as data protection, accountability, and day-to-day governance. Panellists shared approaches that help legal teams use technology effectively without compromising professional standards.
After a networking break, the summit moved to sustainability and reporting obligations in the session on legal pitfalls and climate reporting in 2025. Moderated by Daniella Strik, partner at Linklaters, the panel brought together Marco Frikkee of KPMG, Suzanne Debrichy of PostNL, and Anne-Lize van Dusseldorp of Aalberts N.V. The speakers discussed the legal risks associated with forward-looking climate statements, the challenges of preparing 2025 annual reports, and the practical decisions general counsel must navigate as climate-related disclosures expand.
The programme continued with a session on the evolving role of the general counsel, considering how senior in-house lawyers balance legal risk with wider organisational priorities. Speakers shared examples of how GCs contribute to business strategy, embed legal thinking into operational decisions, and support their organisations in fast-moving environments.
The summit concluded with a discussion on regulatory developments in the financial sector. Moderated by Allan Cohen, the session featured insights from Fleur de Roos of Fourthline and Mischa Menheere of Investancia Group. Panellists considered shifting supervisory expectations, cross-border complications, and emerging areas of regulatory focus, offering practical guidance for legal teams working in financial and corporate contexts.
We extend our sincere thanks to our headline sponsor, Linklaters, and to LEGALFLY for their support. We look forward to welcoming attendees again at the next edition of the GC Summit Netherlands.
