The powerhouse banking and finance group at Aguilar Castillo Love remains a market leader, harnessing the combined bench strength of ten offices in nine countries throughout Latin America, to assist major regional and global financial institutions, private equity firms and corporates on high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. With an active client base of household names, including JP Morgan, American Express, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Barclays and Goldman Sachs, the team’s comprehensive service covers syndicated loan facilities, asset-backed financing structures, default swaps, project finance, credit facility agreements, regulatory matters, due diligence and debt structuring. The team is headed by finance expert Marco Solano Gómez, who draws on over 25 years of experience advising underwriters, issuers and trustees on debt instruments, including the private and public offering of bonds. The team is supported by senior associate Stephanie Howard Peña, who provides expertise in finance law and securities.

BLP remains a market leader, employing the full bench strength of offices in San José, Las Catalinas, Marina Los Sueños and Marina Flamingo, in addition to branches across Latin America and Europe, advising multinational and national commercial banks, investment banks, private equity sponsors and international funding organisations involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The firm’s comprehensive service extends to the securing and servicing of loans, credit restructuring, bankruptcy, regulatory compliance and complex litigation. The team is led by Vivian Liberman, an expert in capital markets, and Andrés López, who specialises in fintech and blockchain matters. Other key figures include Julio Castellanos, who, along with Pablo Umaña, brings extensive experience to the financing of major energy and infrastructure projects; Luis Hernández, who specialises in finance for real estate developments; senior counsel Rodrigo Cubero, who draws on his experience as the former president of the Central Bank of Costa Rica and his nearly 13 years at the International Monetary Fund; director Ariel Leiva; and associate Luis Herrera.

The banking, finance and fintech team at Consortium Legal remains a leader in the marketplace, harnessing the deep bench strength of offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua to advise a client roster of major international banks, financial institutions and funding organisations (which includes Scotiabank, Citibank and the Inter-American Development Bank) on day-to-day matters and high-value, multi-jurisdictional matters. The practice’s full range of services extends to assistance with financial industry M&A, regulatory compliance, retail, commercial and corporate lending, fintech and estate planning through diverse trust operations. The team is headed by banking M&A expert Mario Quesada Bianchini; Alejandro Vásquez Rodríguez; David Arturo Campos, a specialist in financial regulatory matters; Randall Barquero, who brings expertise to advising local and international banks on contracts, credit structuring and project finance; Oscar Sandoval, who advises clients on complex operations involving credit facilities; Andrés Chamberlain, who heads the retail banking divisions; and senior associate ​​Rosa Jiménez Morua​, who joined from private practice in May 2023. Key support is provided by senior associate Susana Raventós, who assists with complex, cross-border transactions.

The banking and finance practice at regional firm Arias brings strength to advising multinational law firms and local and global banks and financial institutions (including HSBC, JP Morgan, IDB Invest, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs and Banco Santander) on day-to-day matters and high-value, cross-border transactions. The group’s comprehensive service covers matters ranging from debt restructuring, the structuring of local security documents, debt financing and loan security packages to equity investments, insolvency and bankruptcy law, the issuance of negotiable instruments, regulatory compliance and asset securitisation. The team is headed by Diego Gallegos, an expert in asset and project finance, and Vicente Lines, who brings decades of experience in acquisitions and financing matters in regulated industries. Key support is provided by senior associate Arianne Silva on the financing and refinancing of companies and financial projects.

The team at EY Law Central America leverages the bench strength of eight offices in seven countries and the experience of its team to provide local and international financial institutions and multinational corporates with advice on day-to-day matters and cross-border transactions. The group’s full offering covers such banking and finance services as mortgage banking, leverage buyouts and syndicated loans. The practice is headed by Arturo Apéstegui (who brings 25 years of experience in retail banking, credit and security structures, and regulatory compliance) and senior manager Carlos Ayón, who advises on project financing operations.

Tactic Legal, which continues to grow after being formed in February 2022 by former COLBS Estudio Legal partner Javier Escalante, assists financial institutions and corporates across such sectors as retail and real estate with collection services, mortgage loans, factoring agreements, the management and structuring of credit portfolios, and the structuring of guarantees for complex corporate transactions. The practice is led by Escalante, a seasoned trade negotiator who has served as both Consul General of Costa Rica in Singapore and Ambassador of Costa Rica in Qatar, and associate and experienced litigator Daniela Alvarado, who advises on the formalisation of bank loans, trusts and mortgage constitutions. Key support is provided by director Andrés Herrera, a specialist in real estate transactions and corporate governance issues. Since the conclusion of research, the firm has merged with Guatemala's A. D. Sosa & Soto and rebranded as Tactic Legal as part of an ongoing process to become a regional player; the new entity also has offices in El Salvador and Honduras.