Arias, Fábrega & Fábrega — Panama
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About
ARIFA, in the forefront of Panama’s legal industry since 1914, offers full-service advice to international financial institutions, multinationals and some of Panama’s largest domestic companies. Long recognized for structuring innovative solutions in M&A, capital market and financing transactions, ARIFA also has a strong offshore practice. The firm’s lawyers, many educated in top law schools in the US and Europe or trained at New York law firms, are the backbone of the firm’s success. - Main areas of practice Capital markets and banking: ARIFA is widely recognized for its innovation in bank finance, pioneering many financial structures in Panama regularly used today. The firm is also acclaimed for its expertise in structuring cross-border transactions, securitizations and domestic IPOs. Notably, ARIFA-led Panamanian IPOs are listed on the NYSE. Mergers and acquisitions: ARIFA is one of Panama’s M&A leaders, both by deal volume and number of deals. The firm is sought after for acquisitions in Panama and the Central America region, especially those deals with high degrees of difficulty. Projects and government concessions: ARIFA assists leading multinationals and domestic companies in their dealings with the government of Panama, providing counsel in sectors such as port operations; petroleum storage, transportation and refining; telecommunications; power generation and distribution; toll-roads; mining; and other public works. Offshore services: ARIFA, with a network of fully integrated offices in Panama, London, Hong Kong, BVI, Belize and Uruguay, is a leading offshore business brand. ARIFA has more than 50 years of experience providing offshore solutions to thousands of companies around the world under its administration. Services include company formation, management services, and trust and estate planning foundation services, among many others. Real estate: ARIFA covers the spectrum of real estate activities, drafting joint ventures, land purchases, construction and lease agreements. The firm guides clients through complex regulatory issues in hotel, casino, zoning, environmental, construction and property law, allowing them to proceed with confidence. Shipping: ARIFA facilitates vessel registration and financing for clients around the world through a proprietary network of offices in London, Hong Kong and Panama. A premier firm for ship financing in Panama, ARIFA is also Panama’s leader for platform financing. ARIFA has a growing interdisciplinary maritime litigation practice for clients’ shipping-related disputes. Intellectual property: ARIFA offers clients a full range of intellectual property (IP) legal services. The firm also uses a well-established network of IP corresponding firms to co-ordinate trademark and other IP rights registrations around the world, particularly in Latin America. ### Languages - Spanish - English ### Memberships - Lex Mundi - The World's Leading Association of Independent Law Firms - INTERLAW - PRAC (Pacific Rim Advisory Council) ### Staffing Figures - 28 Other fee-earners - 0 Total staff
Office locations
Santa Maria Business District
Santa Maria Business District
Po Box 0816-01098, Panama Panama
Practice areas
Lawyers in this office
Andrés N. Rubinoff
Andrés N. Rubinoff joined the firm since 2009 and became partner in 2017. · Corporate / M&A
Claudio De Castro
Claudio De Castro joined the firm in 2011 and became a partner in 2017. He is Co-Head of the firm’s Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group. · Litigation
Eduardo de Alba
At present, Mr. de Alba is a retired partner and serves as counsel to the firm primarily in the areas of corporate law, with an equally outstanding participation in the maritime, regulatory and litigation practice. · Corporate / M&A
Estif Aparicio
Mr. Aparicio is a skilled corporate lawyer used to advise clients on highly complex infrastructure finance projects, both in the private and public side, with a special focus on the energy, public transportation, roadways, airports, and health sectors. Mr. Aparicio has outstanding deal management and broad expertise setting up a variety of structures, including syndicated and bilateral, secured and unsecured, and domestic and cross-border financing. He has represented creditors in the biggest and perhaps most complex transactions in Panama in recent years, including the expansion of the Tocumen International Airport; the construction of the first and second line of the Panama City Metro; the construction of the Cinta Costera phases I, II and III; and the implementation of the Metro Bus, Panama City new public transportation system. He has a unique insight to the power generation industry and the Panamanian government “green energy” policy favoring wind, solar, gas, and hydroelectric generation, having represented the lenders that have provided financing to over 35% of the total generation capacity of the country. · Banking & Finance
Federico Alfaro
Federico Alfaro joined the firm in 2007 and became a partner in 2017. Mr. Alfaro’s practice focuses on corporate services in Panama, the British Virgin Islands, and Belize, providing tax efficient structures and sophisticated estate planning vehicles to ensure the preservation, transfer and management of clients’ wealth. · Corporate / M&A
Gian Castillero
Mr. Castillero is Head of ARIFA's estate and private clients group and an a member of the firm's Compliance Committee. He is the leading partner of the ARIFA Pro Bono and CSR Committee. · Private Client / Trusts & Estates
Jorge Loaiza
Mr. Loaiza is Head of the firm’s Shipping and Transportation Group and an ARIFA’s Compliance Committee member. · Shipping & Transportation
Juan F. Corro
Juan F. Corro joined the firm in 1990 and became a partner in 2014. · Litigation
LeRoy W. Watson
LeRoy W. Watson III joined the firm in 1973 and became a partner in 1984. At present, Mr. Watson is a retired partner and serves as counsel to the firm in the areas of estate, trust and private foundation. · Trusts & Estates
María Carolina Arroyo
At present, Ms. Arroyo is a well-known retired partner serving as Of Counsel to the firm where she brings the accumulated wisdom of her long and distinguished career in the areas of Real Estate and Hospitality. · Real Estate
María del C. Zúñiga
At present, Ms. Zúñiga is a well-known retired labor partner serving as Of Counsel to the firm where she brings the accumulated wisdom of her long and distinguished career in the areas of labor and employment, labor litigation, and immigration, as well as her passion for Pro Bono service. · Labor & Employment
Octavio Amat
At present, Octavio Amat is a well-known retired litigation partner serving as Of Counsel to the firm where he brings the accumulated wisdom of his long and distinguished career in the areas of commercial and civil matters, as well as administrative cases and taxation. · Litigation
Pilar Castillo
Pilar Castillo joined the firm in 2010 and became a partner in 2017. She has a broad range of experience in shipping, aviation and commodities finance, as well as corporations. Ms. Castillo frequently works with lawyers in other practice areas providing an IBT lawyer’s perspective on M&A transactions, and commodity finance and secured transactions located in Panamanian free zones. As an active member of ARIFA’s aviation legal team, Ms. Castillo represents leasing companies and investors in the most complex transactions, as the leading Panamanian airline expands its fleet of international transport based in Tocumen International Airport. · Shipping
Ricardo M Arango
Ricardo M. Arango joined the firm in 1987 and became a partner in 1995. Mr. Arango is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is also Head of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group, and the Taxation Practice Group. · Corporate / M&A
Rodrigo Cardoze
Mr. Cardoze is a member of ARIFA's Executive Committee. · Corporate / M&A
Rosa Restrepo
Ms. Restrepo heads ARIFA's Government Contracts and Permits Group. She is a member of the firm's Compliance Committee. · Government Contracts
Roy C Durling
Mr. Durling heads the firm’s Business & Corporate Law Group. · Corporate / M&A
Sofía J. Cohen
Ms. Cohen is on leave since July 1st, 2024. · Litigation
Vivian D. Holness
Ms. Holness has been an associate of the firm since 2006. · Immigration