In late February 2015, the International Lawyers Union (UIA, for its acronym in French) and the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA, for its acronym in French) hosted the “Doing Business in Latin America: From Acquisitions to Zoning” conference at the Bristol Hotel in Panama City. Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee served as one of three firms that sponsored this event, in which several lawyers acted as panelists. On the one hand, partner Jorge Federico Lee spoke about labor liabilities when purchasing companies, while on the other associate Mario Vlieg talked about structuring family businesses in Latin America. Partner Eloy Alfaro also participated in the conference.
Moreover, from March 11th until March 13th, the International Bar Association (IBA) hosted the “Mergers and Acquisitions in Latin America: Latest Trends and the Road Ahead” regional conference in Panama City. Over 500 lawyers from Latin America, the United States and the rest of the world traveled to Panama to attend this conference. Alcogal was a member of the Organizing Committee, together with two other firms, and of the Host Committee, along with thirteen other Panamanian firms. Partners Arturo Gerbaud, Alejandro Ferrer and Eloy Alfaro, as well as associate Rita de la Guardia, represented Alcogal at the various sessions of the conference, which included speakers such as former Panama Canal Administrator, Alberto Alemán Zubieta.
Other events took place in the context of the greater IBA conference, including a forum on women in the legal profession and a lunch on the importance of pro bono work, both offered by the Vance Center, as well as a workshop for young lawyers. Associates Patricia Cordero, Rita de la Guardia and Rafael Marquínez attended these events.
Chambers and Partners, the publishing house that produces some of the most important guides within the legal profession, also hosted an event the night before the start of the IBA conference. Alcogal sponsored that event along with another seven firms and assisted Chambers in its organization. All Alcogal lawyers that are ranked in the Chambers guides attended this cocktail, during which the editor for Latin America, Andrés Jaramillo-Mejía, spoke about the research process that the publication conducts in order to produce its guides and rank firms and lawyers in bands or tiers.
