Galindo, Arias & Lopez

Strategically located at the center of the American continent, Panama has become the headquarters for multinational companies and businesspeople seeking to expand their presence in the region while taking advantage of a robust legal framework that promotes and safeguards investments. For this reason, Galindo, Arias & López (GALA) advises public and private companies, financial institutions, governmental entities, and individuals on almost all types of transactions or corporate matters, making it the go-to commercial law firm in the country. The team provides counsel on nearly all types of transactions or corporate matters, including:

• The formation of all types of companies and businesses, and the organization of their governance structures.
• Complex and cross-border mergers and acquisitions of financial institutions and public and private companies in highly regulated industries.
• The issuance of debt and equity instruments in local and international markets.
• Corporate governance, including advice on directors' duties and responsibilities, board and committee structures, corporate preparedness, and contingency planning, among others.

Corporate finance matters, including:

• Financing mergers and acquisitions.
• The formation and operation of private equity funds and other investment vehicles, including venture capital funds, bridge funds, vulture funds, and offshore funds.
• Corporate restructurings, including subsidiary techniques and others to refocus the value of restructurings.
• Representing companies managing financial recapitalizations, business renegotiations, and liquidations.
• Advising on insolvency issues in corporate and financial transactions.
• Advising on the purchase and sale of assets of insolvent companies.
• Avoiding or mitigating the adverse effects of liquidity or other crises through contingency planning.
• The establishment, operation, and termination of joint venture agreements and strategic alliances.

The importance of Intellectual Property (PI) law has increased with globalization and the need to establish new trademarks and products. At Galindo, Arias & López (GALA), we have an ideal team to advise our clients that wish to register their commercial trademarks or products, invention patents, industrial designs and commercial names. At the same time, we have a team in Litigation and Arbitration specialized in the protection of intellectual property and industrial rights. We can advise you in the following matters:

• Registration, administration and renewal of trademarks.
• Copyrights.
• Advice in licensing, franchising and the protection of commercial secrets.
• Intellectual Property Litigation.
• Sanitary Registrations.
• Patents.

We have a team of lawyers specialized in the application and scope of labor legislation as well and in all aspects of immigration law. We provide legal advice on matters related to:

• General advice with respect to Panamanian labor legislation and general rules of labor law, rights and obligations of workers and employers, wages labor and Social Security.
• Drafting of various types of labor contracts (permanent, temporary or piece work) as they are applied to different industries and trade regimes (multinational companies, free trade zones, etc.).
• Advice with respect to the termination of labor relations.
• Administrative and judicial proceedings before labor authorities, including representation in labor proceedings for unjustified dismissal, employment benefit claims, challenge to jurisdictions, etc.
• Prior authorization for worker dismissals in special cases.
• Drafting and formalizing internal work policies.
• Permits and work visas with or without residence.
• Immigration regulations applied to various trade regimes.
• Advice with respect to contracting with foreign workers.
• Administrative procedures before immigration authorities.

We have a team of lawyers specialized in the application and scope of labor legislation as well and in all aspects of immigration law. We provide legal advice on matters related to:

• General advice with respect to Panamanian labor legislation and general rules of labor law, rights and obligations of workers and employers, wages labor and Social Security.
• Drafting of various types of labor contracts (permanent, temporary or piece work) as they are applied to different industries and trade regimes (multinational companies, free trade zones, etc.).
• Advice with respect to the termination of labor relations.
• Administrative and judicial proceedings before labor authorities, including representation in labor proceedings for unjustified dismissal, employment benefit claims, challenge to jurisdictions, etc.
• Prior authorization for worker dismissals in special cases.
• Drafting and formalizing internal work policies.
• Permits and work visas with or without residence.
• Immigration regulations applied to various trade regimes.
• Advice with respect to contracting with foreign workers.
• Administrative procedures before immigration authorities.

The team of litigating attorneys of Galindo, Arias & López (GALA) is the largest and most specialized in the Republic of Panama. It comprises more than twenty members graduated from highly recognized national and international universities, who have more than 50 years of vast experience resolving complex legal matters. Many of the members have taught at prestigious national universities and are recognized among the best litigation attorneys in Panama by Chambers & Partners and their cases are nominated as some of the best by the Latin Lawyer publication. We have wide-ranging experience in matters such as:

• Administrative Law Actions of Nullity and Full Jurisdiction.
• Protection of Constitutional Rights and Habeas Data.
• Commercial Arbitration.
• Arbitration before the National Authority of Public Services.
• Reconciliations and Mediations.
• Unconstitutionality Warning Lawsuits.
• Workers Compensation Lawsuits.
• Possession Injunctions.
• Prescription Judgments.
• Banks and Financial Entities Liquidations.
• Bankruptcies / Creditors Proceedings.
• Tax Procedures before Administrative Entities.
• Ordinary Executive Proceedings and Complex Successions.
• Annulment Remedies and Arbitration Decisions.
• Extraordinary Appeals and Civil Review.
• Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and Decisions.

Shipping Litigation

• Claims or defense of cargo interests;
• Claims arising from maritime and logistic contracts;
• Salvage disputes;
• Collisions and limitation of liability of shipowners;
• Limitation of liability due to oil spill pollution;
• Personal injury defense (ocean-going vessels, passenger vessels, drill rigs, yachts, offshore equipment and others);
• Marine insurance and P&I Clubs coverage claims or defense;
• Maritime liens executions and bankruptcies;
• Maritime arbitration before Panamanian, US and international arbitral bodies;
• Seafarers’ labor contracts disputes;
• Ship arrest, filing of injunctions, and release of vessels 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (emergency response);
• Maritime mediation, and
• Act as liaison to serve notices in Panama coming from foreign Courts or arbitral panels.

We represent national and international investors, real estate fund managers, investment banks, insurance entities, developers and construction companies. We have extensive experience in matters such as:

• Structuring, formation and operation of Real Estate funds, including the acquisition, financing and disposition of asset funds.
• Creation of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), as well as advice to the sponsors, subscribers, managers, directors and everything related to the operation of an REIT.
• Advice on traditional real estate transactions such as purchases, sales, leasing and joint ventures.
• Advice on Real Estate financing transactions, including titling, syndicated loans (secured and unsecured), construction loans, letters of credit and other types of credit enhancements, financing arrangements and the leveraged lease financing.
• Representation of real estate developers, investors and borrowers in numerous projects including office buildings, shopping malls and luxury condominiums.
• Condo regulation, including the drafting of co-ownership contracts, operating and procedural manuals, and the management of procedures for the inclusion of the development in the Panamanian Public Registry.
• Advice to financial institutions as part of the financing of mega real estate projects.