Five of the most prestigious firms in the Central American region joined to create Consortium Centro America Abogados, now the largest provider of legal services in the region.
The Guatemalan law firm Consortium-Rodriguez, Archila, Castellanos, Solares & Aguilar SC, founded in 1990, became a founding member of Consortium Centro America Abogados in 2005. The firm was founded by Alfredo Rodriguez, Mario Archila, Lionel Aguilar and Alvaro Castellanos, a group of prestigious Guatemalan Lawyers, who shared the desire to create an organization that provides legal advice in the different areas of law practices. They realized that the market demanded a change in rendering legal services by incorporating integral solutions. It was then in 1991, that they decided along with Juan Alfonso Solares, who had just returned from his Masters Degree in the United States, to establish the Guatemala Law Firm Rodriguez, Archila, Castellanos, Solares & Aguilar.
In 1993, Olga Meléndez, was incorporated as Managing Partner. In 2005, after 10 years of practice in the firm, Rafael Alvarado became a partner also.
Consortium Centro América Abogados is committed to: "Offer our clients the best personalized, high quality, efficient and ethical legal services in all countries of the Central American Region," through ten offices located in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. With more than 150 attorneys providing high quality standard services, it has become the largest provider of legal services in the region. Consortium maintains close relationships with leading law firms in the USA, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.
Areas of Practice
Banking, Finance Law & Capital Markets: Consortium offices have extensive and solid experience in this practice area. The firm's experience covers aspects related to the regulation applicable to banks, insurance companies and brokers; the structuring of complex local or international financial transactions; project finance; the advice on all types of corporate and structured transactions, as asset securitization, factoring, leasing and derivatives.
The firm provides advice to prestigious banks and financial institutions on financial laws and regulations in the five countries. Consortium offices represented Citibank, N.A. in a syndicated loan for the amount of US$100 Million.
Corporate, Commercial & M&A: Consortium handles incorporations of companies, board resolutions, general shareholder meetings, drafting and executive contracts, international trade, mergers and acquisitions, distribution, licensing and agency agreements, corporations, commercial transactions and contracts, as well as general corporate matters. Consortium offices have represented Citibank, N.A. in its local bank acquisitions throughout the Central American region.
Intellectual Property: Consortium advises on trademark, patent and copyright law. IP litigation, enforcement actions and registrations of IP rights, cancellation proceedings, licensing, among others.
Litigation & Arbitration: Consortium advices on administrative, civil, commercial, criminal and labour litigation, appellate and Supreme Court litigation. As reflection of the firm's experience in the field, it must be mentioned that partner Alvaro Castellanos Howell is a member of the International Court of Arbitration and partner Rolando Laclé-Zúñiga is a member of the International Center for Settlement and Arbitration (CICA).
Tax: Consortium specializes on the tax aspects of corporate and commercial transactions, it handless a wide range tax matters, including business planning, corporate transactions and tax litigation.
Regulated Sector: Consortium has extended experience in issues such as telecommunications, energy, free trade zones, environmental, etc.
Real Estate: Consortium has ample experience with contracts related to real estate, horizontal property, work and construction contracts, financing, parceling, securities, purchase, sales and leases in real estate, including the respective authorizations and registrations.
Labour Law: In this area, Consortium overlooks the interpretation of labour laws and international treaties in effect in Central America; the drafting and enforcement of internal labour regulations of companies operating in the region, the calculation of labour liabilities and actuarial studies, and also covers other aspects of labour laws that affect the labour-management relationship which have great incidence in the development of a business.
Penal Law: The firm offers services in this area, especially in subjects related to economical, financial and tax crimes, being in defense or accusation. We also render legal consultancy in the prevention or defense in crimes of labor nature, such as the derivatives of industrial accidents. Generally, the firm has specialized locally as abroad effectively in the penal area.
Migratory Law: Consortium offers in this field wide services for foreigners, such as the acquisition and renewals of Temporary or Permanent Residence under any of the categories recognized by our migratory legislation, visa acquisition for simple or multiple entry, visas for consulted entrance, passports, minor's visa, extension of legal permanence in the country and acquisition and Certificate authentication of birth, health and criminal records for migratory aims. We also offer migratory services for citizens such as visa acquisition and exit permissions, acquisition and renewal of passports and acquisition and authentication of documents for use abroad.
Consortium Centro America Abogados was granted the award of "Best Banking and Finance Law Firm Award in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica" by World Finance Legal Awards 2009. Consortium was given this award for its innovation, originality and quality in service, as well as proof of market development and excellence in client representation.
Also, Consortium was honored with 2 prestigious "Chambers Latin America Awards for Excellence 2009." Our firm won "Guatemalan Law Firm of the Year" and "Nicaraguan Law Firm of the Year." The awards were granted for our outstanding legal services credentials around the world.
With 150+ attorneys located in 10 offices within the Central American region: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Consortium's clients include leading international corporations, financial institutions, trade associations, industries, start-up businesses, partnerships and individuals.
Members: International Bar Association (IBA), American Bar Association (ABA), International Trademark Association (INTA), Latin American Intellectual Property Organization, Interamerican Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI), among others.