Rita de la Guardia

Rita de la Guardia joined Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee in 2014.  

Her professional practice concentrates in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A. Mrs. de la Guardia has been active in mergers and acquisitions, finance and capital markets, assisting clients such as Citibank N.A., Celsia S.A. E.S.P., AES Colon, Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen, among others.  

Mrs. de la Guardia has been endorsed as a “Rising Star” for Panama in IFLR1000 and ranked in “Associates to Watch” in banking and finance and capital markets by Chambers and Partners.

• Advised Gas Natural Atlantico and Costa Norte LNG Terminal with respect to the Costa Norte Project, which includes the construction and development of an LNG power block and LNG terminal in the Colon Province of Panama.
• Advised Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen, S.A., as issuer, in connection with the structuring and registration of an amendment to the terms and conditions of a US$650 million corporate bonds issuance due in 2023 and with the structuring and registration of a US$625 million corporate bonds issuance, as well as their public offering.
•  Advised Celsia S.A., E.S.P, purchaser, as local counsel, in the acquisition of 51% of the issued and outstanding shares of Bahía Las Minas, the largest thermic power generator in Panama, as well as the acquisition of 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Alternergy, S.a., Suez Energy Central America, S.A. and Bontex, S.A., all property of Suez Energy International Luxembourg, seller, a subsidiary of GDF Suez, for USD$840 million, which is the largest private transaction in Panama in 2014.
• Advised Citigroup in Scotiabank’s purchase of Citigroup’s retail and commercial banking operations in Costa Rica and Panama in which Scotiabank acquired 27 Citigroup branches in Panama and Costa Rica.

• Banking and finance
• Capital markets 
• Corporate and M&A 
• Energy and natural resources

• 2015, Panama
• 2012, New York

• Board of Directors, WIP Panama
• New York Bar Association

• Juris Doctor (J.D.), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (2011)
• Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia (Cum Laude, 2008)