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Español Jose Carrizo participates in the Asset Recovery Americas conference
Panama, May 27, 2021. Jose Carrizo, partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice of Morgan & Morgan, participated as speaker in the “Asset Recovery Americas: Fraud Litigation, Contentious Insolvency and Enforcement in the Americas” conference, a seminar series for fraud and insolvency practitioners. The activity was organized by Informa Connect, a major brand in events and digital content for business professionals.
Mr. Carrizo attended the panel “Fraud in Times of Crisis” alongside other international leading practitioners from the fraud, enforcement, and insolvency world. The panel discussed their experiences of fraud in times of crisis and what they foresee over the coming years.
More information can be found here https://informaconnect.com/asset-recovery-america/speakers/jose-carrizo/.
- Published in Litigation and Dispute Resolution_news, Jose Carrizo, News
The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2021
Panama, January 5, 2021. Jose Carrizo, head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice of Morgan & Morgan, contributed with the Panama article of The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2021, providing a comprehensive analysis on the latest developments of the arbitration system in Panama.
The publication can be read here.
- Published in 2020, Jose Carrizo, Litigation and Dispute Resolution_news, Publications
Morgan & Morgan advised Banistmo, S.A. in connection with the public offering of senior secured notes for an amount of up to US$400 million issued through the ENA Master Trust
Panama, November 16, 2020. Morgan & Morgan acted as counsel to Banistmo, S.A., in connection with the issuance and placement of senior secured notes due 2048 with an interest rate of 4%, for an amount up to US$400,000,000.00, issued through the ENA Master Trust, a special trust vehicle created by Empresa Nacional de Autopistas, S.A. (ENA) to raise the funds to refinance certain obligations amongst others of ENA Sur, S.A. and ENA Este, S.A., both companies that owns the concession rights on toll roads knows as “Corredor Sur” and “Corredor Este”.
The notes were registered with the Superintendence of Markets of the Republic of Panama and listed in the Panama Stock Exchange and Luxembourg Stock Exchange, and placed in the United States of America under 144A/ Regulation S exemptions.
In this public offering, Banistmo, S.A. acted as trustee, to a special purpose trust created by Empresa Nacional de Autopista, S.A. (ENA), as settlor and servicer, and ENA Este, S.A., as settlor and ENA Sur, S.A., as settlors, known as “ENA Master Trust” that issued the bonds to raise the funds needed to refinance certain obligations amongst others of ENA Sur, S.A. and ENA Este, S.A., both companies that own concession rights on highways knows as “Corredor Sur” and “Corredor Este”.
To achieve this issuance, it was necessary to cover complex legal aspects of several jurisdictions, the modification of the existing terms of the bonds issued by ENA Sur Trust and ENA Este Trust, an early redemption of the notes issued by the ENA Sur Trust, among other aspects. The transaction at hand was a complex cross-border transaction covering aspect of several jurisdictions, which in addition required for the existing terms of the notes issued by the ENA Sur Trust and the ENA Este Trust to be amended as well as an early redemption of the notes issued by the ENA Sur Trust.
It is important to mention that we acted as wellMorgan & Morgan acted as well as counsel to Banistmo, S.A. for purposes of the relevant legal matters that arouse for the existing notes issued by the ENA Este Trust, in which Banistmo, S.A. is the trustee as well.
Partners Kharla Aizpurua Olmos, Inocencio Galindo, Ricardo Arias and Jose Carrizo, and senior associate Pablo Epifanio, participated in this transaction.
Morgan & Morgan achieves top rankings in Chambers Latin America 2021
Panama, October 2, 2020. Once again, Morgan & Morgan receives top rankings in the recently released Chambers & Partners Latin America Guide 2021, a key reference point of Latin American top law firms.
Morgan & Morgan has been recommended in several practices due to the firm´s excellent performance and prominent work in each one of these areas.
Likewise, the directory classifies within the top Bands the following attorneys of the firm:
- Inocencio Galindo: Banking and Finance / Projects and Energy / Corporate and M&A.
- Francisco Arias G.: Banking and Finance / Capital Markets / Corporate and M&A.
- Ramon Varela: Banking and Finance, Projects and Energy.
- Roberto Vidal: Corporate and M&A.
- Kharla Aizpurua Olmos: Banking and Finance.
- Ricardo Arias: Capital Markets.
- Ana Carolina Castillo Solis: Projects and Energy.
- Allen Candanedo: Intellectual Property.
- Maria Eugenia Brenes: Intellectual Property.
- Simon Tejeira Q.: Dispute Resolution.
- Jose Carrizo: Dispute Resolution.
- Luis Vallarino: Dispute Resolution.
- Jazmina Rovi: Shipping.
- Juan David Morgan Jr.: Shipping (Litigation).
- Francisco Linares: Shipping (Litigation).
Congratulations to all of them, and thanks to our clients for trusting us as their legal advisors in Panama.
Morgan & Morgan featured in The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2020
Panama, November 6, 2019. Jose Carrizo, head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice of Morgan & Morgan, contributed with the Panama chapter of The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2020, providing a comprehensive analysis of the arbitration system in Panama, its legislation and every aspect that confirms the country as an international and regional center for the resolution of arbitral disputes.
The publication can be download here.
- Published in 2019, Jose Carrizo, Litigation and Dispute Resolution_news, Press Room, Publications
Who´s Who Legal Thought Leaders Litigation 2019: Jose Carrizo
Panama, August 5, 2019. Jose Carrizo, partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice of the firm, was listed once again in the Who´s Who Legal Thought Leaders Litigation Guide 2019, a publication that highlights the skills and know-how of the best litigation lawyers worldwide, based on the number of nominations received by clients and legal practitioners.
“Jose Carrizo commands great respect in the market and is known for providing clients with excellent representation on administrative law and banking matters.”, WWL says.
Please click here to visit Mr. Carrizo´s profile in the guide.
Latin Lawyer highlighted Morgan & Morgan
The 2019 edition of Latin Lawyer recommended Morgan & Morgan as the largest firm in Panama. “A large headcount and an established presence in the market gives Morgan & Morgan the manpower and experience required to guide some of Panama’s most significant transactions”, states the guide.
Partners Juan David Morgan Jr., Francisco Linares, Enrique De Alba, Jazmina Rovi, Inocencio Galindo, Francisco Arias, Ramon Varela, Roberto Lewis, Raul Castro, Ricardo Aleman, Albalira Montufar, Maria Teresa Mendoza, Mercedes Arauz de Grimaldo, Enrique Jimenez and Jose Carrizo, received mentions as key players.
Morgan & Morgan featured in the International Comparative Legal Guide to: Investor-State Arbitration 2019
Jose Carrizo, partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group of the firm, contributed with the International Comparative Legal Guide to: Investor-State Arbitration 2019, a publication that summarizes common issues in investor-state arbitration laws and regulations.
Mr. Carrizo is an experienced attorney with ample knowledge in both domestic and international arbitration processes. He has served as arbitrator in the National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM), based in New York. Mr. Carrizo is also a member of the Panama Chapter of the International Arbitration Court of the International Chamber of Commerce.
The complete guide is available here.
- Published in 2019, Jose Carrizo, Litigation and Dispute Resolution_news, News
Morgan & Morgan represented Electron Investment, S.A. in an arbitration process filed by Constructora Seli Panamá, S.A. before the International Chamber of Commerce
Morgan & Morgan was part of the team of lawyers that represented Electron Investment, S.A. (“EISA”), in an arbitration process filed by Constructora Seli Panamá, S.A. (“SELI”), before the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”).
The request for arbitration was filed by SELI following certain disputes related to the contract for the construction of the tunnels of Pando and Monte Lirio Hydroelectric Projects, a contract that had been terminated by EISA as a result of a series of breaches by SELI, mainly due to failure to meet the deadline for the completion of the works. The construction contract was an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) using the silver book of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC, by its initials French), where the contractor assumes responsibility for the design and construction of the project, in this case, of the tunnels of the hydroelectric power plants.
The process was under arbitration at law, according to Panamanian law and according to the rules of procedure of the ICC, having seat in Panama City, Republic of Panama. The total sum of the claim filed by SELI amounted to US$94,065,202.00; and EISA, for its part, filed a counterclaim for an amount of US$110,000,000.00.
After the evidence was heard and the corresponding steps of procedure were concluded, the arbitral tribunal issued the final award dated January 29, 2018, communicated to the parties on February 14, 2018, accepting most of the EISA’s claims and ordering SELI to pay EISA the sum of US$22,524,862.58; that after compensating the sums recognized in favor of SELI, results in an amount in favor of EISA of US$14,653,362.12, plus costs and expenses.
SELI subsequently filed a motion for annulment of the award before the Fourth Chamber of General Businesses of the Supreme Court of Justice, which is pending resolution.
EISA is a Panamanian company whose shareholders are Aurel, S.A. (a Panamanian company owned by Grupo Eleta), Compañía Española de Financiación del Desarrollo, COFIDES, S.A. (a Spanish company whose purpose is to provide medium and long-term financing for viable private investment projects abroad in which there is Spanish interest), and Genera Avante, S.L. (a Spanish owned company of Grupo Inveravante).
EISA has two hydroelectric generation concessions that use of the waters of the Chiriqui Viejo, Pando and Monte Lirio Rivers, which together have an installed capacity of 85MW. Monte Lirio started operations in October of 2014, while Pando is still under construction due to delays in the excavation of the tunnel.
José Carrizo and Ramón Varela, partners; and the associates Mayte Sánchez, Ana Carolina Castillo Solís and Analissa Carles, participated in this process.
Morgan & Morgan contributed in Doing Business 2019: Training for Reform
Attorneys Ricardo Aleman, Aristides Anguizola, Jose Carrizo, Mayte Sanchez and Ramon Varela, participated as contributors in the investigation process for Panama of the publication Doing Business 2019: Training for Reform, an emblematic report of the World Bank Group that summarizes regulations that enhance business activity across 190 economies.
The full report is available for download here.