"A great firm" with "a lot of talent" is how one competitor describes Arias Fábrega & Fábrega (ARIFA), one of Panama's older and more respected firms. The firm added Cecilio Castillero to its roster of experienced attorneys last year....
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"A great firm" with "a lot of talent" is how one competitor describes Arias Fábrega & Fábrega (ARIFA), one of Panama's older and more respected firms. The firm added Cecilio Castillero to its roster of experienced attorneys last year. Castillero spent ten years at the New York office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, working in the firm's global finance practice.
Estif Aparicio, a newly minted partner with substantial negotiating experience, gains client praise as well: "He's practical, hands on," says one client. "He's the middle person that can break down the good things and the bad things to get the deal done." Aparicio has served as the chief trade negotiator for the Panamanian government where he worked on the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Panama. He also worked briefly for Sullivan & Cromwell in New York.
Aparicio assisted leading lawyer Ricardo M Arango as the firm represented the Bolsa de Valores de Panamá (Panama Stock Exchange) and Central Latinoamericana de Valores (Latin Clear) in a strategic reorganisation where the two exchanges would become indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Latinex Holdings, a newly created corporation. In a separate matter, ARIFA advised Global Bank Corporation on a deal in which publicly listed preferred shares were exchanged for subordinated bonds. The public exchange offer was a first in the Panamanian market.
Furthermore, the firm is advising the Republic of Panama as it seeks to establish a sovereign wealth fund. If completed, the government would use the fund to finance its infrastructure investment plans.
Clients cite the firm's thoroughness and accessibility when using the firm. "They were really helpful," says one customer. "Our clients congratulated us for [using] them -that's not easy."
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