Aguilar Castillo Love fields a comprehensive energy practice in Guatemala, combining regulatory expertise with long experience in corporate and financial transactions in the sector. The firm is routinely the first port of call for leading domestic and international players in the electricity space, counting all three of Guatemala’s electricity distributors, as well as a number of generators, among its clients. Recent work highlights include advising on energy-related M&A and acquisition finance (including transactions spanning multiple Central American jurisdictions), power purchase agreements (PPAs), public tenders, regulatory issues and high-profile arbitrations in the energy sector. Juan Carlos Castillo Chacón, who remains a highly sought-after adviser for regulatory, transactional and contentious matters, particularly in the electricity sphere, leads the team with Natalia Callejas Aquino, a key contact for regulatory issues and project finance. Dispute resolution practice head René Vicente Rodríguez lends his expertise in energy-related litigation and arbitration.

Alta QIL+4 Abogados' energy team attracts strong praise for its ‘experience in the field', with a comprehensive practice that encompasses transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. The firm is widely recognised for its strength in energy-related disputes, frequently representing leading multinationals in constitutional litigation related to mining and hydroelectric projects, as well as in local and international arbitration in the sector. Recently, the team has also played an active role in advising major developers on the structuring and financing of large-scale renewable energy and transport infrastructure projects, and in assisting large renewable energy generators with public bids and contracts. Practice head Alejandro Cofiño has wide-ranging expertise in the energy sector and also leads the environmental practice. Senior associate Ignacio Grazioso (an expert in PPAs, project finance and regulatory matters) and associate Héctor Morales, a specialist in environmental law, provide capable support. On the disputes front, Alejandro Solares Morales and associate Estuardo Marchena are the key names.

Highlighted for its ‘agility, good service and availability, and quick responses', Mayora & Mayora, S.C. advises major international companies as well as prominent names in the local market (including Guatemalan electricity distributor Energuate) on the full range of energy-related matters. The team has growing expertise in the renewable energy field, recently assisting with the development and financing of several solar power plants in Guatemala and other locations in Central America (with support from the firm’s offices in Honduras and El Salvador). Other core areas of expertise include public bids and contracts, regulatory and licensing issues and disputes (where the team is skilled in both local administrative litigation and international arbitration in the energy sector). Rafael Briz, who leads the firm’s administrative practice, has a wealth of experience in energy and natural resources matters. He is ably supported by senior associate Juan Carlos Foncea.

The ‘exceptional' lawyers in A. D. Sosa & Soto's energy practice stand out for their expertise in the oil and gas and mining sectors, drawing on extensive experience advising multinationals in these fields on regulatory and permitting issues, in addition to environmental and social compliance. The team also has strong suits in M&A, joint ventures and corporate governance in the energy sector, and in both civil and criminal litigation relating to mining and hydropower projects, joining forces with litigation directors Daniel Marroquín and David Barrientos. Carlos Rafael Pellecer, an expert in mining, energy and environmental law, leads the team with Manuel Arturo Soto, who advises on regulatory and contractual issues, oil industry specialist Rodolfo Sosa and José Javier Sosa, who advises on renewable energy and environmental matters. Since the conclusion of research, the firm has merged into Costa Rica's Tactic Legal (by which name it is now known), as part of the development of a regional firm which also has offices in El Salvador and Honduras.

The energy team at Carrillo & Asociados draws on the firm’s longstanding prowess in dispute resolution, as well as its expertise in the renewable energy sphere, to represent major domestic clients in the sector in both litigation and arbitration proceedings. The practice also has notable experience in environmental issues, including defending clients against criminal claims relating to environmental damage. On the non-contentious side, the team is well versed in advising on project development and regulatory matters. Ricardo Recinos, who specialises in arbitration and regulatory law, leads the practice, while Rodrigo Callejas, the head of the strategic litigation department, is also a key contact.

Boutique firm Estudio Chávez Bosque S.A. benefits from the ‘extensive experience' of ‘excellent' practice head Rodolfo Alegría, who joined the firm from Carrillo & Asociados in 2022, in the full range of matters across the fields of energy, mining and hydrocarbons. In particular, the team handles a significant volume of energy-related litigation and arbitration (with Alegría also serving as an expert witness in international proceedings). The firm also advises on a steady stream of corporate, financial, regulatory and environmental issues relating to the potential development of energy projects, in addition to the negotiation of PPAs and M&A transactions. Mélida Pineda (who moved to the firm alongside Alegría) is another key name to note for transactional and regulatory matters.

Lex Atlas has a particularly strong presence in disputes in the energy sector, with a robust track record of representing key players in the mining and electricity spheres in constitutional litigation. Notably, the team’s past highlights include advising on the application of ILO Convention 169 to the development of energy and mining projects. Assisting with M&A, project finance and regulatory compliance in the sector is also among the firm’s core areas of expertise. Practice heads Ignacio Andrade Aycinena (who founded the firm in 2022 after leaving Sfera Legal) and Jorge Asensio Aguirre combine long experience of advising clients in the oil and mining industries.