Mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
Sell-side and buy-side advisory, due diligence, deal structuring and closings under demanding timelines.
ATTORNEYS · GUATEMALA CITY · SINCE 2008
Cases resolved, not billable hours.
Méndez & Asociados is a Guatemalan corporate firm advising family businesses, multinationals and investment funds on their highest-stakes decisions.
32 attorneys 7 partners 14 industries served
PRACTICE AREAS
Six disciplines, one coordinated team.
Each matter is assigned to a responsible partner and at least one backup attorney. No silent handoffs between associates.
Compliance & regulatory
AML programs, ESG, corporate governance and response to regulatory authorities.
International arbitration
Representation before ICC, ICDR and CIAC. Cross-border commercial and investment disputes.
Corporate employment
Restructurings, retirement plans, internal policies and individual and collective litigation.
Intellectual property & technology
Trademarks, patents, SaaS contracts, licensing and data protection compliance.
Wealth & estate restructuring
Family trusts, intergenerational protocol, tax and estate planning.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Work we can talk about.
Three recent matters, published with client authorisation. The figures are those we actually signed.
Family group corporate restructuring
Three generations of a Guatemalan industrial family ran their businesses through twelve overlapping companies, with no clear governance or succession protocol. The brief: bring order without fracturing the relationship.
In eleven months we built a family trust with a governing council, drafted the protocol and migrated operations into a consolidated holding company. Annual tax burden dropped Q 1.2M and the next succession is already on paper.
M&A · logistics operator sale
Sell-side advisory for a family-owned regional logistics business with two hundred employees and operations across four Central American countries. The buyer: a private equity fund with a regional thesis.
We ran due diligence across three parallel workstreams, negotiated balance-sheet warranties and closed in four months for USD 8.2M. The operating team stayed on under a three-year earn-out.
ICC arbitration · supply contract
Defense of a Guatemalan manufacturer against an Asian multinational claiming USD 6.4M for breach. Seat: Miami, governing law New York, proceedings in English.
We built the defense around a poorly-drafted force majeure clause and an independent technical expert report. Final award: full dismissal of the claim with costs against the claimant.
TEAM
The lawyer who signs the engagement is the one who runs the case.
A small group with international experience. Each partner keeps a capped portfolio to guarantee direct attention.
María Méndez Recinos
Founding partner · M&A
- M&A
- Corporate governance
- Trusts
Carlos Argueta Pinto
Partner · international arbitration
- ICC arbitration
- Commercial litigation
- Investment
Sofía Lemus Castillo
Senior associate · regulatory
- Compliance
- AML / ESG
- Banking
Diego Castro Maldonado
Senior associate · IP/tech
- Trademarks & patents
- SaaS
- Data privacy
RECENT INSIGHTS
Reading for directors and general counsel.
Brief, jargon-free analysis on the topics that land in a board meeting on Monday morning.
The 2026 transfer tax regime: what your company needs to know
The reform brings stricter transfer-pricing rules and new documentation duties for groups with regional presence.
Read article →Arbitration as an alternative to commercial litigation in Guatemala
Shorter timelines, confidentiality and sector-experienced arbitrators. When to opt for arbitration and when not to.
Read article →Personal data protection: the 6/2024 law explained
Controller and processor roles, international transfers, consent and the sanction regime under the new law.
Read article →RECOGNITIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
- Chambers and Partners
- Best Lawyers Guatemala
- Latin Lawyer 250
- IFLR 1000
- Legal 500
OFFICES
Visit us in Zone 9.
12 Avenida 5-43, Edificio Reforma, piso 8
Zone 9 · Guatemala City