Combining 'technical expertise with solid regulatory knowledge', Arias's corporate team remains a preferred choice to advise prominent international clients on investments in Central America, working closely with foreign law firms and its network of offices in the region to handle complex, multi-jurisdictional deals, although it is also frequently active in domestic M&A. The broad practice further extends to company formation, joint ventures and strategic alliances, corporate governance and regulatory compliance matters. Luis Pedro Del Valle, who is well versed in local and international M&A, corporate restructuring and venture capital transactions, leads the team. The practice also benefits from the input of an impressive group of junior lawyers, including Cindy Arrivillaga, a director; Jorge Ordoñez and Florencio Gramajo, both of whom were promoted to senior counsel in January 2025 and are recognised for their strengths in the real estate sector; senior associate Francisco Zuluaga; and associate Andrés Marroquín.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘What makes this practice unique is its strategic approach and ability to anticipate risks and the specifics of each case. The team combines technical expertise with solid regulatory knowledge, allowing them to offer practical and secure solutions. Arias firmly demonstrates its superiority over the competition.’
‘Arias' strength is that they always prioritise the client's interests. What sets them apart is their ability to anticipate potential legal contingencies, which is key to closing the projects they help us with. I especially want to recognise the leadership of Jorge Ordóñez, whose experience and support have been instrumental in the success of the various projects we have worked on together.’
‘The Arias M&A team is highly knowledgeable and has excellent client and counterparty management skills.’
‘In particular, Luis Pedro del Valle stands out as a facilitator who builds trust and enables agility in the process.’
'We work very well with the Arias team. They respond very rapidly and are always available to assist us. They are patient and willing to do the work. We don't work with anyone else in Guatemala.'
'Florencio Gramajo responds almost immediately to our emails. Our meetings with him were very valuable and he helped us a lot with the incorporation of our company.'
Key clients
- Hoshizaki
- Holcim
- The Ocean Cleanup
- General Electric
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- High Q International
- JCDecaux
- FedEx
- Meta
- Nimble Gravity
Work highlights
Advised Holcim on the acquisition of 100% of Cemex’s operations in Guatemala.
Advised Hoshizaki on its $118.5m acquisition of a majority stake in Fogel Company to expand its presence in the Latin American refrigeration market.
Advised IMCD Group on its acquisition of 100% of Bretano’s operations across Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
Luis Pedro del Valle