Aguilar Castillo Love remains a preferred choice to advise leading financial institutions and multinational corporations on complex, cross-border transactions in Central America, leveraging its extensive network of offices throughout the region, as well as branches in Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay, and the strong international experience of its lawyers, many of whom have practised abroad in Brazil, the US and Europe. Among the firm’s core areas of expertise are big-ticket M&A deals, corporate and project finance, and international bond issuances, while it also has an excellent reputation for fintech matters. In Costa Rica (where the firm has offices in San José and Escazú), Marco Solano Gómez and John Aguilar Quesada are the key names in the finance and corporate teams, respectively, bringing to bear significant experience in multi-jurisdictional mandates. Juan Carlos Castillo Chacón and Natalia Callejas Aquino oversee the Guatemalan practice, which is commended for its strengths in capital markets matters and energy-related deals, while Esteban Agüero Guier and Flor De María Cortez are the main contacts in El Salvador, where the firm remains a standout in the fintech space. Enrique Rodríguez Burchard and Juan José Alcerro Milla head the corporate and finance teams in Honduras, with notable expertise in foreign investment, and Thelma Carrión-Blandón and Violeta Núñez take the lead in Nicaragua.

One half of the pioneering Central American law firm Arias & Muñoz, which separated in 2016, Arias continues to benefit from a sizeable, seven-office-strong presence in the region. The firm has significant prowess on the lender side of complex financial transactions, acting for an impressive roster of regional and international banks and multilateral development agencies, in addition to advising major multinationals on domestic and cross-border M&A. Regional managing partner Vicente Lines, a high-profile name for multi-jurisdictional mandates, oversees the banking and finance practice in Costa Rica jointly with Diego Gallegos, and also co-heads the corporate team alongside M&A and private equity lead Andrey Dorado and Melania Dittel. Evangelina Lardizábal and Mario Agüero are the key contacts in Honduras (where the firm has offices in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), and Ana Teresa Rizo, a sought-after adviser on foreign investment matters, steers the corporate and finance practice in Nicaragua alongside Bertha Arguello and Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas. In El Salvador, names to note include Lilian Arias and Roberta Gallardo, both of whom are well versed in M&A, fintech expert Mario Lozano and Luisa Rivas. Luis Pedro Del Valle, who has additional expertise in real estate law, leads on corporate and finance matters in Guatemala, while Yuri Moreno and M&A-focused María Cristina Fábrega head the Panamanian team.

BLP‘s extensive footprint in Central America and its ability to draw on the support of a representative office in Madrid, Spain, are significant assets for international clients, including global and regional financial institutions and household-name multinational corporations. The team is well equipped to take on a host of complex, region-wide mandates, from cross-border M&A deals to project finance and bond issuances. In Costa Rica (where the firm has a particularly strong platform, with offices in Escazú, Las Catalinas, Marina Los Sueños and Marina Flamingo), Vivian Liberman and Andrés López lead the finance team, whose recent caseload includes advising investors on the country’s inaugural blue bond, while Adriana Castro and David Gutiérrez, who also oversees the Madrid office, head up the corporate department. In Guatemala, Jorge Luis Arenales and Luis Ruiz, both of whom have a wealth of experience in multi-jurisdictional M&A, steer the corporate practice; Arenales also heads the finance team. The highly regarded Zygmunt Brett leads the corporate and finance practices in El Salvador, where standout highlights include a historic sovereign debt management transaction, while José Miguel Álvarez and energy specialist Karla Aguilar are the names to note in Honduras (where the firm has offices in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), and Ernesto Rizo takes the lead on corporate and finance matters in Nicaragua.

Marking 20 years since its foundation in 2005, Consortium Legal is renowned for the depth and breadth of its offering in Central America, fielding a team of nearly 500 professionals from its nine offices in the region. The firm serves as a one-stop shop for complex, multi-jurisdictional mandates, counting prominent regional and international banks and corporations among its clients. Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, who was appointed as firm president in July 2025, leads the corporate team in Costa Rica (where the firm has branches in San José, Escazú, Guanacaste and Tamarindo), along with Juan Manuel Godoy and real estate specialists David Reuben and Juan Manuel Cordero; regional banking head Mario Quesada Bianchini and Randall Barquero, who oversees the Central America-wide fintech practice, are among the key names for finance matters. Oscar Samour (who also heads the finance practice) and Diego Martín are standout figures in the Salvadoran corporate team, while the experienced quartet of José Ramón Paz Morales, José Rafael Rivera, José Ramón Paz Padilla and Gustavo León-Gómez are key contacts in Honduras (where the firm has offices in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula). Olga Barreto and Rodrigo Taboada handle the full spectrum of corporate and finance matters in Nicaragua. In Guatemala, the highly regarded Álvaro Castellanos and Melissa Morán lead the banking practice, while M&A-focused Sofía Escribá and tax expert Alfredo Rodríguez head the corporate team.

Formed in 2021 by the merger of firms in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador, Alta is a strong contender for multi-jurisdictional mandates, and is frequently sought out by both domestic and multinational clients to advise on high-profile transactions in Central America, with particular strength in M&A, project finance and international capital markets matters. In Guatemala, Marcos Ibargüen, tax and compliance specialist José Quiñones, Alejandro Cofiño, a go-to name for transport and energy sector projects, and Andrés Lowenthal oversee the banking practice, whose impressive recent highlights include advising the Republic of Guatemala on its largest-ever bond issuance and first ESG bonds; Ibargüen, an expert in the country’s newly approved competition law, also heads the corporate team with María Isabel Luján. Alejandro Batalla, Rodrigo Zelaya, who is noted for his private equity expertise, and Sergio Amador are the primary contacts in Costa Rica, while Julio Valdés handles an array of M&A and financing transactions in El Salvador. In Honduras, Óscar Melara is the name to note, bringing to bear additional expertise in IP law.

Dentons continues to gain traction in the Central American market, leveraging its position as the first global firm with offices in the region to advise an extensive roster of key international players. The firm is particularly well equipped to advise multinationals on their expansion in the area, with strong skill sets in M&A, ESG-related due diligence, and global tax issues. Eduardo Zúñiga, who serves as co-head of the firm’s Latin America real estate group, and compliance specialist Tatiana Reuben are the notable names in Costa Rica (where the firm has offices in San José and Liberia), while Daniel Martínez leads on corporate transactions in El Salvador. Luis Abundio Maldonado, who co-chairs the infrastructure practice in Latin America and the Caribbean, heads the corporate team in Guatemala, with a strong record in foreign investment matters. Edgard Torres and Favio Batres are the main contacts in Nicaragua, Arturo Zacapa and Gustavo Zacapa oversee the corporate group in Honduras, and Gisela Álvarez de Porras heads the Panamanian office.

In addition to its strong platform in Nicaragua (where the firm has branches in Managua, San Juan del Sur and Tola), GarciaBodan has a sizeable network across Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras, enabling the firm to provide a comprehensive service to domestic and multinational clients in Central America. Advising on regional M&A transactions is a central pillar of the firm's offering, which also covers financial, corporate, tax and compliance matters, among others. In Nicaragua, regional managing partner Terencio García, a prominent name in the energy and natural resources sector, leads the corporate and finance team alongside Federico Gurdián, who also directs the Central American corporate, commercial and transactional practice. Carlos Téllez heads the Guatemalan office, while the key name in Honduras (where the firm has branches in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula) is Vanessa Oquelí, who oversees the regional capital markets practice and is noted for her expertise in corporate transactions, bond issuances and project finance. Oscar Torres, a specialist in labour law, oversees the office in El Salvador.

Drawing on a deep bench of more than 60 professionals based across seven offices in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, Lexincorp advises leading regional and international clients on the full spectrum of issues affecting their businesses in Central America. On the corporate side, the firm’s workload spans region-wide M&A, commercial and regulatory matters, and it is also well versed in significant financial transactions. In El Salvador, Enrique Escobar, a high-profile name for financial and energy matters, Adriana Portillo, who has additional expertise in competition law, and Erick Huezo lead the practice. Gonzalo Menéndez, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, heads the Guatemalan office, while Alonso Vargas oversees the Costa Rican operation and Roberto Rodríguez, a key adviser to international banks and corporations, is the main contact in Nicaragua. In Honduras (where the firm has branches in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), Engels Zelaya, Benito Zelaya, who is particularly recognised for his expertise in the financing of energy and infrastructure projects, Nora Amaya and Silvia Zelaya are the names to note.

Thanks to its strong presence in the region, with offices in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and its membership of the global law firm network Lex Mundi, Mayora & Mayora, S.C. is in prime position to handle cross-border mandates for clients in Central America and further afield. The firm has robust experience in M&A, corporate restructurings and governance issues, in addition to syndicated loans and capital markets transactions. Regional managing partner Eduardo Mayora is a leading figure for complex financial, commercial, securities and tax matters in Guatemala, where the firm has its original headquarters; he steers the banking practice alongside María Fernanda Morales Pellecer, while Claudia Pereira, a key adviser to multinational clients, leads the corporate team. Manuel Telles, who is well regarded for his advice on complex financial transactions, heads the office in El Salvador, and Odín Guillén Leiva oversees the practice in Honduras, where the firm now has a sizeable platform, with offices in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and, most recently, Roatán.

Operating from offices throughout Central America, as well as in the Dominican Republic, Central Law is frequently sought out by major multinationals to advise on the expansion of their operations in the region, and also has practices dedicated to advising start-ups and focused on new technologies and data protection. Firm chair Rafael Quirós Bustamante, an expert in corporate, M&A and insurance matters, is the name to note in Costa Rica, while Piero Rusconi Gutiérrez is among the key contacts in El Salvador. J. Humberto Medina Alva oversees the firm’s two offices in Honduras, Álvaro Molina Vaca and Maricarmen Espinosa Segura take the lead in Nicaragua, and Juan Pablo Carrasco de Groote, who is recognised for his foreign investment expertise, heads the Guatemalan team. In Panama, Alida Benedetti, Yolianna Arosemena Benedetti and Ana Cristina Arosemena are the names to note.

Since entering the Central American market in 2018, leading Spanish firm ECIJA has established a strong corporate offering for multinational clients throughout the region (as well as in the Dominican Republic), reinforced by its strategic alliance with international firm Taylor Wessing LLP. Guillermo Zúñiga, an expert in the real estate and energy sectors, is the key contact in Costa Rica, where the firm recently bolstered its corporate practice with the March 2025 incorporation of local boutique Acacia Legal. In Honduras, Roberto Williams, who contributes additional IP and litigation expertise, handles commercial and M&A mandates, while Daniel Shamah and Armando Córdoba head the corporate practice in Panama. Marcos Palma, Alfredo Navas and Roberto Benard oversee the offices in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, respectively.

With the ability to call on its network of offices throughout the region (and in the Dominican Republic) - as well as the resources of global professional services firm EY - EY Law Central America is well positioned to handle cross-border transactions, as well as providing multinational clients with comprehensive corporate, commercial, tax and regulatory services. Hernán Pacheco, who serves as managing partner for Central America and the Dominican Republic, is a leading figure for project finance and M&A in Costa Rica, alongside real estate and hospitality specialist Alejandro Antillón and corporate-focused Fernando Vargas; Pacheco also oversees the firm’s offices in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama.

Costa Rican firm Tactic Legal consolidated its presence in the Central American market through its recent merger with full-service Guatemalan practice AD Sosa & Soto; the newly formed regional outfit, which has additional offices in Honduras and El Salvador, offers multinational clients a wide range of expertise in corporate, finance, real estate, tax and regulatory matters, among others. Javier Escalante, who has significant strength in foreign investment, particularly in the real estate sector, is the leading figure in Costa Rica, where the firm has a growing base, opening its third office in mid-2025. Juan Sebastián Soto, whose practice spans international transactions, commercial contracts and IP issues, leads the corporate team in Guatemala alongside Einar Klanderud and Carlos Rafael Pellecer.

An alliance of firms in six countries in Central America, Latamlex has a broad corporate and finance offering in the region, ranging from cross-border loans, project finance and bond issuances to M&A and corporate restructurings. Managing partner Adriana Ramos and Mario Gómez are frequently called upon to handle corporate, finance and securities matters in Costa Rica (where the firm has two offices). Also among the names to note is Honduras-based Dennis Matamoros Batson, who is particularly well regarded for his tax expertise.

Particularly noted for its strength in the life sciences sector, LatinAlliance advises leading international corporations and multilatinas on the full spectrum of M&A, foreign investment, banking, insurance and corporate matters from its offices in El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Managing partner José Adolfo Torres, who has extensive experience of advising major banks, and regional corporate director Michelle Sutter are the main contacts in the Salvadoran office, and oversee the corporate practices in the firm's other branches.

LEGIC Group – formed by the alliance of Alegalis in Guatemala, Bufete Valdivieso Berdugo Valdivieso y Asociados in El Salvador, CALA Attorneys & Counselors at Law in Nicaragua and Ulloa & Asociados in Honduras – offers an integrated service to clients across Central America, as well as in Mexico, the US and Hong Kong (where it has an affiliate office). Juan Antonio Mazariegos oversees the Guatemalan practice, bringing to bear extensive experience in corporate and real estate matters. Labour law expert Marielena Ulloa is the key name in Honduras.

Founded in Costa Rica over 40 years ago, Nassar Abogados has since opened further offices in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to offer a wide-ranging regional service, with particular expertise in the aviation sector. In Costa Rica, firm president Tomás Nassar P., a key adviser to a number of international airlines, regional aviation and competition practice chair Alina Nassar, and Tomás Nassar J. are among the names to note.

Noted for its corporate and real estate expertise, Sfera Legal has a sizeable platform in Central America, operating from offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and also benefits from a presence in the US and Spain (following its June 2025 incorporation of Seville-based firm Boleo Legal). Founding partners Rafael Cañas (who also heads the New York branch), Eric Scharf and Robert van der Putten are the primary contacts in Costa Rica, where the firm has seven offices.