Pérez Bustamante & Ponce

Firm Details:
General Manager: Sebastian Pérez-Arteta
Executive Partner: Diego Pérez-Ordóñez ~
Number of Partners Worldwide: 21
Total Number of lawyers Worldwide: 85
Languages:Spanish, English, French, Portuguese

Firm Overview:
PBP is the largest full-service law firm in Ecuador, consistently considered a leader in the legal market and a trusted advisor for national and international clients. It has offices in Quito and Guayaquil and outreach throughout Ecuador.

PBP endeavors to understand clients’ challenges and needs. Its multi-practice teams and has an in-depth understanding of the specific challenges of each sector. This has been evidenced by PBP`s track record as reliable legal advisors for most of the important projects that have taken place in Ecuador, as well as the most significant transactions.

PBP’s team has both local and international cross border experience. Several members have attended renowned local and international universities and have worked at first-rate law firms around the world. Furthermore, a number of its attorneys have been admitted to practice in the State of New York, District of Columbia, Spain, Chile, Colombia and other jurisdictions.

PBP has steadily been honored as ‘Ecuadorian Firm of the Year’ by Chambers Latin America (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009) and in 2021 as Pro Bono Firm ot the Year. Also in 2019 and in 2021 it was recognised by International Tax Review (ITR) as Ecuador Tax Firm of the Year.

PBP believes that pro bono work is inseparable from the practice law. In 1987, it founded Fundación Fabián Ponce Ordóñez to coordinate and optimise the firm’s pro bono resources to maximise its scope.

PBP strives to be an increasingly inclusive firm and endeavors to promote the leadership and professional development of women.

Main Areas of Practice: 

• Banking, Finance & Insurance
• Competition/Antitrust
• Compliance & Anti-Corruption
• Corporate
• Dispute Resolution
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Environment
• Family Office
• Foreign Trade
• Intellectual Property
• Labour
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Personal Data Protection
• Public Procurement
• Tax

PBP offers a comprehensive portfolio of international services comprising:

International Arbitration:
The team has extensive experience in ICSID and ICC cases.

Tax:
PBP’s tax unit is one of its core practice areas. With a multidisciplinary focus it provides private and corporate clients with tax advice, planning and representation in litigation and claims.

Banking, Finance & Insurance:
The firm assists foreign and local banks and multilaterals and insurers and reinsurers in their activities in Ecuador.

Energy & Natural Resources:PBP has led the negotiation, signing and implementation of major projects in Ecuador’s oil, gas, mining, hydroelectric and alternative energy industries.

Infrastructure & Project Finance:
Infrastructure has been a very active area for PBP during the past years. The firm advised in the Posorja Port development, the first public private partnership project to be executed in Ecuador.

Mergers & Acquisitions:
The firm is at the forefront of structuring and executing mergers and acquisitions. It actively participates in multinational teams and work closely with international law firms.

Competition & Antitrust:
The team specialise in merger control authorisations and in non-transactional work, including investigations, due diligence and litigation before the local antitrust authority.

Compliance & Anti-Corruption:
PBP is a pioneer in the region in this area. It advises local and foreign clients in all compliance matters, including design and implementation of compliance programs, preacquisition corruption risk assessments, compliance due diligence, internal investigations, remediation and litigation.

Labour & Immigration:
PBP advises clients on how to face and adapt to the growing demands of recently enacted regulations in this area, including employment, social security and immigration issues.

Intellectual Property:
PBP’s IP practice combines a long track record with a dynamic and up-to-date team of experts. It is best known for handling local and/or foreign trademark portfolios, dispute resolution and IP due diligence processes.

Environmental Law:
PBP advises in environmental matters involving preventive compliance, elaboration of policies and environmental claims, within a very stringent local environmental legislation.