CorralRosales

Managing Partner: Rafael Rosales and Xavier Rosales
Number of partners: 9
Number of other lawyers: 35

Firm Overview:
CorralRosales is a prominent law firm in Ecuador. Since its incorporation, the firm has focused in providing legal services in the different areas demanded by local and multinational companies with operations and interests in Ecuador. CorralRosales’ current portfolio of clients includes international and multinational companies from the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia, who operate in the most diverse sectors and industries. CorralRosales has 40+ years of experience in advising corporate clients in key fields for business, especially corporate, employment, tax, competition, intellectual property, regulatory and litigation. The well-doing of the team of specialised professionals that make up CorralRosales, has led the firm to be highlighted by the main international legal directories, including Chambers and Partners, IFLR 1000, Latin Lawyer, Legal 500, Leaders League, WTR, among others.

Main Areas of Practice:  

Corporate/M&A:
CorralRosales has a strong track record advising national and international clients in the incorporation of companies, day to day corporate legal advice, and complex corporate transactions and operations. The firm is highly renowned for its experience in M&A transactions, successfully dealing with share purchase agreements; asset purchase agreements; drafting, preparation and review of contracts and other documents; commercial trusts; international leases; and preparation of due diligence reports.

Intellectual Property:
The team is one of the most respected in the region, comprising lawyers, agents and technical staff, who provide services in IP and counselling. It offers cutting edge services in every aspect of IP law, including patent, trademark, copyright, design, litigation, anticounterfeiting, comprehensive portfolio management, prosecution, enforcement and more. It is one of the few firms with an Ecuadorian regulatory and litigation practice within its IP organisation. The IP regulatory practice assists companies in highly regulated industries (including pharma, medical devices, agribusiness, food and beverages) obtaining proper authorisations from government agencies.

Labour Law & Immigration:
CorralRosales advises clients in all areas related to the employer-employee relationship. This includes employment agreements tailored to specific needs, internal work regulations, consultations on hiring alternatives, employment of disabled employees, among others. The firm performs employment due diligence and work on tailoring the best alternatives to cope with existing risks or liabilities and also has experience in handling litigation and administrative claims, as well as collective bargaining proceedings. It offers a wide range of corporate immigration services, including obtaining of work permits, temporary visas, work visas and permanent resident visas to expatriates and foreign employees.

Dispute Resolution:
CorralRosales covers all Ecuadorian courts and venues — effectively representing local and foreign clients in a wide spectrum of disputes. The firm acts in civil, administrative and arbitral disputes as well as industry specific cases including aviation, automotive, banking, pharmaceutical, retail, food and beverage and telecoms. The firm’s litigation strategy considers the characteristics of the client, their sector and the legal avenue applicable to the case. This provides clients with an exhaustive analysis of the risks associated with the dispute and establish mitigation and preventive mechanisms.

Banking & Finance & Capital Markets:
Advising private banks, multilateral agencies, as well as domestic and multinational companies in the negotiation and structuring of financial transactions. Drafting, preparation and review of agreements and other loan documents; financial structuring; project financing, secured transactions; as well as day to day general advice. Additionally, the firm is highly knowledgeable in capital markets law, including regulatory matters, public stock and bond offerings, as well as debt restructurings.

Competition/Antitrust:
The firm covers all areas of competition and antitrust, together with regulatory and consumer protection matters, including representation of clients in investigation proceedings and related litigation, as well as negotiation of leniency and similar agreements. The team participates in complex mergers, acquisitions, integrations, antitrust due diligence and development of good practices and policies.

Compliance:
Advising clients on compliance issues including investigations dealing with government procurement and private dealings. Development and enforcement of compliance policies and compliance due diligence. Specialised team in high profile investigations, the review and implementation of compliance programs and the due diligence of third parties in the context of M&A, distribution, and other transactions.

Energy & Natural Resources:
The department is divided into three industries: mining, oil and gas and electricity, advising clients on numerous administrative procedures for obtaining permits, licenses, concessions and authorisations within their respective fields. The firm also has experience in the different environmental fields, advising clients on obtaining permits, defence on sanctioning proceedings, environmental damage, preventive due diligence and advice on good environmental and social practices.

Public Procurement:
CorralRosales has an extensive background advising on all aspects of public procurement in Ecuador, including public-private partnerships. The firm advises clients on pre-contractual matters, negotiation and execution of all type of agreements and resolution of related disputes, including consulting agreement, supply of goods and rendering of services to government entities. Additionally, the team has broad experience advising clients on audit proceedings conducted by the government audit agencies.

Tax & Customs:
CorralRosales provides advising services and representation of clients in administrative and judicial proceedings. The firm has successfully sponsored lawsuits against tax assessments made by the Internal Revenue Service and the National Customs Service of Ecuador to local and international clients. In addition, the department has participated in due diligence processes, the analysis of tax consequences derived from processes of acquisition or merger of businesses, the analysis of risks in complex transactions and the drafting of structures for tax planning.

TMT:
The experienced team serves major clients across the TMT sector, including leading telecoms companies, digital business and IT. It is renowned for its work in contentious, regulatory and transactional matters.

Languages:
Spanish, English.