Profile
Alejandro is a Partner currently co-leading the Commercial Department.
He is dedicated to assisting clients with their daily business needs. Moreover, he provides crucial support in complex transactions, including acquisitions and the purchase or sale of significant market players.
His extensive expertise lies in providing legal tax advice, covering areas such as tax regulations, special tax regimes, and international tax law.
Alejandro consistently contributes to financing projects bycollaborating with both lending entities and debtors, and he plays a key role in structuring collateral packages.
Additionally, Alejandro provides valuable advice on corporate issues among shareholders, which involves drafting, structuring, and negotiating shareholder agreements, as well as designing essential corporate instruments.
Experience
- Co-Author of “Absence of Market for Corporate Control for Panamanian Public Corporations and Protection of Minority Shareholders” published in the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business, Center for International Legal Studies, 2008
- Senior Researcher and Assistant to the Author for the Panama Chapter of the Investment Disputes in the Americas: A Practical Guide, Brill Academic Publishers, 2009
- Contributor and researcher for the Doing Business Guides, The World Bank, 2006 – 2014
- Provided legal counsel to lenders in connection with the creation of a security package for a $67MM public bond offering by a local concessionaire of a gold mine. The security package included lienson concession rights, land and operating assets.
- Advised Aeroman,a Salvadorian-based aircraft maintenance and repair company, in connection with a US$120MM secured financing arranged by Citibank, which was later assigned to Banco Davivienda, Banco Agrícola, and Banistmo.
- Represented Grand Bay International, S.A. (also known as Grand Bay Paper & Care Products) in the acquisition of all the shares of Papelera Istmeña, S.A., a local tissue manufacturer and distribution company, for an undisclosed amount.
- Advised Organización Terpel, S.A. in the purchase of all the shares of Petrolera Nacional, S.A., one of the largest distributors and retailers of gasoline in Panama. The deal value remains confidential.
- Acted as local counsel for international corporations, including Abbott, AbbVie, Baxter, Baxalta and Hewlett Packard (HP), facilitatingcross-border spinoffs of their global and regional operations.
- Represented MetLife in the sale of American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) to Panamerican Life Insurance Group (PALIG), based in New Orleans.
- Represented Grupo Arrocha and Grupo Diunsa in the acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, of Felix B. Maduro, one of the largest department stores in Panama.
- Acted as lead counsel in several purchases on behalf of US and European-based investment funds, specifically related to reforestation projects in Panama.
- Served as local counsel to McDonald’s Corporation in the sale and master franchising of substantially all of the McDonald’s Franchise in Latin America to Arcos Dorados.
- Advised Vopak in the acquisition of 50% equity in Payardi Terminal Company, S. de R.L., a joint venture with Chevron to operate the largest oil free trade zone in Panama.
Credentials
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Law and Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua, 2004
- Seminar, International Business Transactions with Latin America, Columbia University Law School, 2004
- Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Corporate Law, New York University School of Law, 2005
Admissions
- Panamá, 2004
Acknowledgments
- Ranked by Chambers Latin America 2024 in Band 2, in Corporate/M&A practice "I would not proceed with any business transaction without Alejandro Alemán's oversight and counselling." Corporate/M&A client for Latin America
- Ranked by The Legal 500, 2023 Edition as Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A practice “Alejandro Alemán is very knowledgeable on business issues generally. He provides practical, business-savvy advice and keeps an even-keeled perspective, even when the other side is trying to escalate a matter”. Corporate/M&A client for Latin America
- Ranked by Latin Lawyer 250, 2024 Edition, as Highly Recommended, Corporate/M&A
Memberships
- Panama Bar Association.
- Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Panama, 2018-2019
Idioma
- Spanish & English