The powerhouse team at regional firm Arias remains a market leader, bringing strength to advising major financial institutions and multinational corporations on a comprehensive range of matters, including high-value, cross-border M&A, joint ventures, project finance, antitrust, compliance, concessions and credit agreements. The firm’s broad client base spans sectors ranging from banking, apparel, tech, financial services, and food and beverages to pharmaceuticals, energy, telecoms and professional services. The team is led by managing partner and foreign investment authority Ana Teresa Rizo; Bertha Argüello, an expert in financial regulatory compliance; Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas, a specialist in advising multilateral institutions on the granting of credits, including the structuring and negotiation of agreements; and Rodrigo Ibarra, who handles matters involving hydrocarbons, renewable energies, ports, and infrastructure. Key support is provided at the associate level by Maryeling Guevara, who handles complex due diligence for acquisitions, and Uriel Balladares, who manages tax law and fiscal planning issues.

The corporate and finance team at Consortium Legal remains a leader in the marketplace, marshalling deep bench strength and the expertise of its offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua to advise household-name national and multinational corporates and financial institutions on a comprehensive range of matters. The group’s extensive client roster spans the construction, banking and finance, insurance, tech, retail, energy, food and beverages, life sciences and manufacturing sectors. Core areas of expertise include high-value and complex M&A, company incorporations, due diligence and market strategy, project finance, joint ventures, subordinated agreements, and guaranteed and unsecured credit lines, as well as related tax and regulatory compliance issues. Foreign investment authority Rodrigo Taboada and Olga Barreto, a financial and corporate restructuring expert, lead the team. Other senior figures include former General Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Nicaragua Martha Lorena Icaza, who brings over four decades’ experience to handling M&A. The key names at junior level are senior associates Meyling Sampson (a free trade zone specialist) and Carlos Castrillo (who assists with major transactions and general bidding processes).

The transactional lawyers at García & Bodán continue to be a force in the marketplace, drawing on the support of offices in eight locations throughout the region and the experience of the team to advise regional and multinational corporations and financial institutions on day-to-day corporate and finance matters and high-value, cross-border transactions. Assisting a high-profile client base across a range of sectors, from energy, food and beverages, aviation, retail, and education to financial services, tobacco, manufacturing, the firm provides a comprehensive service which extends to M&A, concessions contracts, consumer rights issues, due diligence and licensing, as well as regulatory compliance, bond issuances, company incorporations and shareholders’ agreements. Regional managing partner Terencio García and regional director of the corporate and transactional practice Federico Gurdián, an M&A expert who was appointed in May 2022, head the practice. Other notable figures include telecoms and real estate specialist Carlos Téllez and tax practice head Melvin Estrada.

The business law team at BLP harnesses the full bench strength of its offices in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala to advise multinational corporates, financial institutions and international development banks on everything from day-to-day corporate and financial matters to complex, high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The team's full-service offering covers M&A, corporate restructurings, distribution agreements, administrative matters, consumer rights issues, credit restructuring and retail banking transactions, with a diverse client base which spans such sectors as tobacco, finance, mining, motor vehicles and textiles. The practice is led by Ernesto Rizo, who brings over 20 years' experience to the practice space, and director Federico Barrios, who specialises in executing business cooperation agreements and handling the purchase and sale of shares or assets.

The experienced corporate and finance team at Central American firm Lexincorp assists household-name multinationals and regional financial institutions with complex, cross-border transactions. With an active client base which encompasses the tech, food, financial services, chemicals and manufacturing sectors, the firm advises on matters ranging from company incorporations, corporate governance, franchise agreements and the drafting and execution of contracts to joint ventures, M&A and distribution, licensing and agency agreements. On the finance front, the firm advises on loan agreements, supplier credit agreements and project financing. Roberto Rodríguez, who brings considerable expertise to contractual issues, asset and securities titling, and portfolio recovery, leads the team. Managing partner Claudia Vivas brings to bear extensive experience in the energy and hydrocarbons space, benefitting from a background as a former senior legal adviser to the Economic Section of the United States Embassy in Nicaragua. Key support is provided by associate Linda Barquero, a banking and finance specialist.

The corporate and finance group at Aguilar Castillo Love leverages the bench strength of 11 offices in nine countries across Latin America to advise well-known international corporates and financial institutions from a broad spread of sectors, including financial services, food, tech, textiles, B2B and pharmaceuticals, on in high-value, cross-border transactions. The team’s wide-ranging offering extends to franchising and distribution matters, assistance to business start-ups, project finance and capital markets transactions, as well as due diligence, regulatory compliance and related labour, antitrust and consumer law issues. The team is helmed by managing partner Thelma Carrión, an expert in M&A and private equity transactions, and banking and finance law specialist Violeta Núñez. Associate and experienced litigator Claudia Guevara provides capable support.

The experienced corporate and finance team at Alvarado y Asociados is sought after for its advice to national and multinational corporations and financial institutions on high-value, cross-border transactions. With a client base spanning such sectors as building materials, food, aviation, medical devices, financial services, engineering and tech, the firm has a comprehensive offering which covers M&A, financial restructurings, concession contracts, competition law matters, regulatory compliance, joint ventures and franchise agreements. The respected Gloria María de Alvarado and Luz Marina Espinoza, who provides complementary expertise in labour and tax matters, lead the team. Other key figures include senior associates Yuri Cerrato and Claraliz Oviedo, who provides support with due diligence processes and restructurings, and associate Jazmin Garcia, a specialist in real estate and notarial and registration law.

Drawing on the support of regional offices in Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala (as well as a vast international network), the team at Dentons is well equipped to advise major multinational corporations involved in high-value, cross-border transactions across such sectors as energy, education, financial services and pharmaceuticals. The firm’s comprehensive expertise takes in project finance, market entry, M&A, debt restructuring and asset securitisation, due diligence, corporate governance, tax planning and shareholders’ agreements. The team is led by office managing partner, experienced litigator and deal structuring expert Edgard Torres and associate Mario Novoa, a specialist in real estate.