Litigation and dispute resolution

Practice area

The team of trial attorneys of Galindo, Arias & López (GALA) is the largest and most specialized in the Republic of Panama. It comprises more than twenty members graduated from highly recognized national and international universities, who have more than 50 years of vast experience resolving complex legal matters. Many of the members have taught at prestigious national universities and are recognized among the best litigation attorneys in Panama by Chambers & Partners and their cases are nominated as some of the best by the Latin Lawyer publication. We have wide-ranging experience in matters such as:

Administrative Law Actions of Nullity and Full Jurisdiction.
Protection of Constitutional Rights and Habeas Data.
Commercial Arbitration.
Arbitration before the National Authority of Public Services.
Reconciliations and Mediations.
Unconstitutionality Warning Lawsuits.
Workers Compensation Lawsuits.
Possession Injunctions.
Prescription Judgments.
Banks and Financial Entities Liquidations.
Bankruptcies / Creditors Proceedings.
Tax Procedures before Administrative Entities.
Ordinary Executive Proceedings and Complex Successions.
Annulment Remedies and Arbitration Decisions.
Extraordinary Appeals and Civil Review.
Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and Decisions.

Panama Canal Authority and Mayer Brown:
Advised the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and the international team of Mayer Brown in an international arbitration between ACP and Grupo Unidos por el Canal, S.A., the construction contractor for the third set of locks of the Panama Canal. This proceeding began in 2015 and concluded in July 2017 with a decision in favor of ACP. (July 2017).

Republic of Panama:
Advised the Republic of Panama in an international arbitration process in which an international hotel group sued our client for the expropriation of a hotel project that was to be built on the land of an indigenous reserve protected by Panamanian laws to preserve the well-being of the community living in the area. This arbitration process resulted in a ruling in favor of the Republic of Panama. (October 2018).

Claro Panamá, S.A:
Advised Claro Panamá, S.A. in a litigation proceeding before the National Authority of Public Services related to the “Quintuplica” promotion. (September 2017).

Empresas de Distribución Eléctrica Metro Oeste, S.A. (EDEMET) and Empresas de Distribución Eléctrica Chiriquí, S.A. (EDECHI):
Advised Empresas de Distribución Eléctrica Metro Oeste, S.A. (EDEMET) and Empresa de Distribución Eléctrica Chiriquí, S.A. (EDECHI) in a civil procedure initiated by Samba Bonita related to a bidding process for the purchase and sale of electric power, which resulted in a ruling in favor of our clients, who had sought a sum of billions. (May 2014).