Alfaro, Ferrer & Ramírez

Alfaro, Ferrer & Ramirez (AFRA) is one of Panama’s leading law firms, staffed by a solid and reliable team of lawyers. With offices in Panama and the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the firm’s work is characterised by integrity and efficiency, with a strong dedication to counselling and guiding its clients towards the smooth attainment of their objectives.

The firm is involved in offering services in various areas of law, such as corporate, trust and foundations, estate planning, commercial law, labour and immigration, hydrocarbons, litigation, public procurement, real estate, taxation, tourism, banking, securities, insurance, antitrust, telecommunications, energy and intellectual property.

The firm is consistently retained in relevant cases that allow its lawyers and staff members to put into practice their commitment. The following highlights some of experience offered by the firm:

Public procurement and infrastructure: The firm has participated in public procurement acts, successfully leading international companies to receiving awards for the contracts. As part of its role, the firm engages in intense and careful negotiations of the contracts with the government, structuring the finance of the operations and the mechanism of the concessions. Most of the public procurements in which the firm has participated concerned the building and operation of infrastructure such as highways, energy transmission systems, hydro-electric facilities, sewage infrastructure, telecommunication concessions and other high-profile civil works.

Mergers & acquisitions: The firm has been retained on several occasions to carry out complex due diligence studies and analysis in connection with potential acquisitions and mergers involving international companies in Panama. In these deals, the firm’s services are comprehensive and thorough, extending to all the corporate, commercial, regulatory, labour, tax and finance aspects of the operation. The firm participates throughout the entire due diligence process, negotiating sensitive solutions and addressing legal liabilities in the final purchase agreements. The firm also provides services in coordinating and hosting closings, and thereafter advices on all legal aspects necessary to make a seamless transition from one administration to another. One particular challenge constantly faced by clients is negotiating with and managing labour unions affiliated to the target company. The firm’s labour team has been consistently successful in handling these matters on behalf of clients.

Project finance: The firm has participated on sophisticated project finance deals, mostly representing banks, institutional investors and international financial institutions. The firm is usually involved in drafting and negotiating the legal terms for the finance agreements, and setting up complex collaterals and guarantees to protect the credit holders, as well as issuing legal opinions in connection with the transaction.

Likewise, some the firm’s lawyers continue to attain experience by serving important posts outside of their ordinary legal work. Partner Alfredo Ramírez Jr has been a member of the board of directors of the Panama Canal Authority since 1999, when he was appointed by the president of Panama and ratified by the National Assembly. Partner Enna Ferrer de Carles is legal counsel to the board of directors of the International School of Panama, a non-profit school that seeks to enrol highly qualified children of expatriates. Narciso Arellano serves as alternate judge in the First Superior Court for the Province of Panama, which is the appellate body that reviews all decisions issued by judges in the cities of Panama and Colon. Partner Marissa Lasso de la Vega F was appointed in 2008 as member of the board of directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Panama. In 2009 partner Luis Lopez Alfaro was ratified by the National Assembly as member of the board of directors of the Public Registry of Panama, representing the legal bar.

Due to the consistent increase in clients and work in recent years, the firm is steadily growing and adding new associates to its team. As such, AFRA continues to serve its clients with utmost care.

AFRA Building, 11th Floor

Panama City

Panama

Tel: +507 263 9355

Fax: +507 263 7214

www.afra.com