Combination with Muñoz Global unites world’s largest law firm and regional leader adding offices in Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala

February 27, 2017

Dentons, the world’s largest leading law firm, has announced the completion of its combination with Costa Rica-based Muñoz Global, making it the first global law firm to have a footprint across Central America. The combined firm will be known as Dentons Muñoz.

The combination follows the launch of Dentons López Velarde in Mexico and Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas in Colombia last year. It marks the next step in Dentons’ strategy to grow its presence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“As the first global law firm with offices in Central America, we are once again at the forefront of breaking new ground for the global legal community and are uniquely positioned to serve our clients who have growing needs in this region,” said Joe Andrew, Global Chairman of Dentons.

“Since our launch in Mexico and Colombia last year, we have seen tremendous growth in cross-border work into and out of the region,” said Elliott Portnoy, Global Chief Executive Officer of Dentons. “Given the interconnectedness of the economies of Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala, we see real opportunity to provide a service other global firms cannot match.”

“Our combination with Dentons transforms our regional firm into a truly global law firm, further enabling us to deliver innovative market-leading solutions to clients in Central America and abroad,” said José Antonio Muñoz, Founding Partner of Muñoz Global. "This visionary combination will open doors to global opportunity and access to increased foreign direct investment across the region.”

The Costa Rica office is managed by Founding Partner, José Antonio Muñoz, a recognized regional leader in public law, public international law and government relations with unmatched experience in corporate governance, foreign direct investment, international investment disputes, international and domestic corporate and tax structuring, and real estate law.

The Panama office is managed by Gisela Alvarez de Porras, a leader in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and international finance, including vast experience advising in multijurisdictional transactions. Gisela has held several positions in the Executive Cabinet (2004-2009); including Director General of the Internal Revenue Service, Vice-Minister of Finance in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Minister of Trade and Industry.

The Guatemala office is managed by Luis Abundio Maldonado Ayala, a respected leader advising local and multinational corporations on fiscal issues and estate planning, mergers and acquisitions and on debt refinancing and complex investment fund structures in areas such as energy, petroleum, agroindustry, real estate, and banking. He is committed to developing strong capital markets and supporting foreign-direct investments in Central America to drive the region’s economic progress.

About Dentons

Dentons is the world's largest law firm, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe. Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network. Dentons' polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work. www.dentons.com