Galindo, Arias & López

Galindo, Arias & López is a full service law firm that since 1968 has distinguished itself by its commitment to provide the best and most efficient, personalised consulting service and legal representation to its clients. Today, the firm is one of the biggest and most renowned law firms in Panama, having continuously expanded and modernised in order to be at the forefront of its client’s needs, maintaining the policy of provision of legal services of the highest quality and ethical integrity, based on a very close and trusting relationship between client and attorney.

Through its lawyers and professional staff, the firm is committed to exceeding client expectations by providing effective solutions to legal and commercial challenges, particularly in the fields of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and litigation and dispute resolution.

Due to a powerful network that includes TAGLaw and Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW), the firm is able to offer its clients a wide variety of legal services with international coverage.

In addition, the firm has stood out for its leadership in the field of asset management and in the valuable relationship that it has been able to establish with its clients, through, among others, the services provided by its subsidiaries Regal Trust (BVI), Gala Trust and Management Services Inc, Gala Services (BVI) Ltd, and GA & L SA. Through these subsidiaries the firm handles the incorporation and management of corporations, trusts and private interest foundations.

International clients

The firm represents clients with local, national and international interests. These include multinational corporations, national and international banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, aviation and airline companies, telecommunication companies, health care providers, industrial and commercial corporations, pharmaceutical laboratories, construction companies, electric power companies, and natural resource development projects, among others.

Main international areas of practice

Banking and finance: Galindo, Arias & López has participated in every conceivable variety of financial negotiation, such as structuring loan transactions, project financing, loan restructuring, and other credit operations or transactions commonly found in local and international banking and finance. The firm has also helped several international banks in their banking licence application in Panama.

Mergers and acquisitions: The firm provides advice on domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and reorganisations. In recent years, the firm has been involved in some of the most important M&A transactions that have taken place in the region. For example, the firm advised Coca Cola FEMSA in the acquisition process of the Panamanian Grupo Industrias Lacteas, leader for more than 50 years of the dairy and juice-based beverage market in Panama. The firm also counseled Petróleos Delta in the acquisition of service station and convenience store operations of Shell in the Republic of Panama.

Project financing: The firm has been very active in project finance transactions in Panama. The firm advises the Panama Canal Authority on the financing of the US$5.25 billion Panama Canal Expansion Project. The firm also counseled Petroterminal de Panama in the US$375 million refinancing and expansion project of the company – the largest private project financing ever in Central America.

Litigation: The firm’s litigation team has extensive experience in all sorts of cases that are heard in Panama’s courts, having successfully and actively litigated countless cases involving all areas of the law at trial.

Real estate advice: Galindo, Arias & López has vast experience advising on real estate issues in Panama, whether for commercial or residential purposes. The firm is well renowned for its experience in a wide range of real estate transactions, including financing, acquisition, selling, construction and development.

Intellectual property: The firm has a strong team to assist clients who need to register and protect trademarks, patents, slogans, trade names, industrial designs and patents of invention.

Other practice areas include: corporate law, trusts and private interest foundations, mergers and acquisitions, insurance and reinsurance, tax law, banking law, securities law, government contracting, maritime, labour law, arbitration, intellectual property, project financing, foreign trade, international negotiations, energy and telecommunications.

Federico Boyd Ave. No. 18 and 51st Street

Scotia Plaza, Floors 9, 10 and 11

PO Box 0816-03356, Panama City, Panama

Tel: +507 303 0303

Fax: +507 303 0434

Diego Herrera Dutari

dherrera@gala.com.pa

www.gala.com.pa