José Meythaler

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Leaders in Law endorses José Meythaler as our exclusively recommended IP Litigation Law expert in Ecuador. If you wish to get in touch with José, please use the contact information provided above.

José Meythaler is the Senior Partner of the firm and trial lawyer since 1988. He is the head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department and of the Intellectual Property Litigation Department.

José Meythaler is considered one of the most experienced lawyers in national and international litigation and arbitration. He has been a litigator in Ecuador and abroad for several companies, including: Chevron, Ciba Geigy, Syngenta, Novartis, Baxter, Bayer, Pfizer, Merck, Conecel, Sanofi, Philip Morris, Stendhal, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and others. They include civil litigation, commercial litigation, domestic and investment arbitration, intellectual property and market defence.

He has been recognized by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Leaders League, among others, in several areas of law, such as Commercial Litigation, Administrative Law, Intellectual Property, Patent Prosecution and Enforcement & anti-counterfeiting actions.

Areas of Expertise

  • Public Law
  • Business Law
  • Competition Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Litigation
  • Life & Science
  • National and International Arbitration
  • Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
Outstanding Positions

Among the functions, he has performed are the following:

  • He has been a professor for 15 years in the Faculties of Jurisprudence of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Central University of Quito, University of the Americas, San Francisco de Quito, and SEK International.
  • Deputy for the Province of Pichincha;
  • Ex officio director of the Ecuadorian American Chamber of Quito;
  • Member of the Board of Directors of the Ecuadorian Institute of Intellectual Property, currently SENADI;
  • Founding Director of the Ecuadorian Association of Phonogram Producers ASOTEC;
  • Member of the Ecuadorian Institute of Roman Law and the Ecuadorian Institute of Tax Law.

Main Activities

He has given lectures at several foreign universities, such as the Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Austral University in Buenos Aires, Externado in Colombia, UNAM in Mexico, among others.

​He has participated in several international events on arbitration and has given conferences on the subject in Peru under the auspices of the Peruvian Institute of Arbitration.

He is a member of Latin American International Arbitration and arbitrator judge of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the Ecuadorian American Chamber of Commerce AMCHAM.

Languages

Spanish and English.

Firm Description:

For the benefit of our clients, the firm has around 40 legal professionals specialized in all branches of law, to provide strategic, comprehensive, and cost-effective legal advice, with emphasis on corporate communications, to meet the highest quality standards.

We have offices in the main cities of Ecuador: Quito and Guayaquil, belonging to a wide network of correspondents in America, Asia, and Europe, which is a huge competitive advantage for our clients. The breadth of professional resources at our disposal translates into a fast and efficient service, which is part of the policy we profess, which is summarized in:

  • Efficient communication with the client
  • Strict adherence to the Law and ethics
  • Effective defense of the individual and corporate rights of our clients

Throughout our accredited trajectory, we have advised clients of great international and national prestige who have placed their trust in us for more than 25 years. Likewise, we are part of the most reputable and relevant professional circles, providing our services in Ecuador and abroad.

We have offices in the main cities of Ecuador: Quito and Guayaquil, belonging to a wide network of correspondents in America, Asia, and Europe, which is a huge competitive advantage for our clients.

The breadth of professional resources at our disposal translates into a fast and efficient service, which is part of the policy we profess, which is summarized in:

  • Efficient communication with the client
  • Strict adherence to the Law and ethics
  • Effective defense of the individual and corporate rights of our clients

Throughout our accredited trajectory, we have advised clients of great international and national prestige who have placed their trust in us for more than 25 years. Likewise, we are part of the most reputable and relevant professional circles, providing our services in Ecuador and abroad.

 

Emmanuel Medina Henríquez

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Leaders in Law endorses Emmanuel Medina Henríquez as our exclusively recommended Accounting Services expert in Ecuador. If you wish to get in touch with Emmanuel please use the contact information provided above.

Mr. Medina is the general manager of ROSS Auditores y Consultores. He is a CPA who began his professional career in Maracay, Venezuela, first at Bravo Peraza & Associates, Public Accountants, then later as the General Manager of Auditing at Bravo Bastidas & Associates, Public Accountants. He has also held important management positions in other fields: he was the General Manager of Finance for a transportation company, he was also appointed as a general manager for over eight years in the manufacturing and broadcasting industries. Mr. Medina has also served as the Audit Board Coordinator of the Association of Public Accountants in Aragua, Venezuela.

Besides being a certified public accountant, Mr. Medina has a Master’s Degree in Accounting Sciences from the University of Carabobo, Venezuela. He is also an expert in matters related to IFRS and IAS, and is an experienced speaker on both of these subjects. Mr. Medina is also in the process of completing his doctoral thesis for the Doctorate Program in Administrative and Management Sciences at the University of Carabobo, Venezuela.

Mr. Medina is currently an Accounting professor at the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Previously, he held multiple positions in many learning institutions: he was an Auditing professor at the University of Carabobo, Venezuela and at the Bicentenaria University of Aragua, Venezuela; he was also an Accounting professor at the Extension and Technical Advisory Center for Businesses of the University of Carabobo, Venezuela. At this university, Mr. Medina was recognized as the best professor in matters related to IFRS. He has also been a speaker on professional issues at ESPOL, University of Guayaquil, Association of Accountants in Guayas, Association of Commercial Engineers of Guayas, and at the Institute of Accounting Research of Ecuador. In 2015, Mr. Medina received the Honorific Order of the Public Accountants awarded by the Venezuelan Federation of Public Accountants.

Firm Description:

ROSS is a national audit firm comprised of accountants, auditors and lawyers – all with extensive professional experience servicing many of the different sectors of the Ecuadorian economy. We have the very highest standards, and our reputation for excellence and integrity is our most valuable asset.

For over 15 years, our partners and managers have been offering complete and precise auditing and consulting services to our clients. Our management culture and therefore our performance is based on our four pillars of Order, Accuracy, Knowledge, and Experience.

 

Francisco Paredes

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Francisco Paredes is a partner at Laudenlaw. He is a specialist in dispute resolution, with a high profile in investment, international law, commercial and international arbitration. He has a strong background in international law and negotiation, with a particular focus on cases involving Sovereign States and transnational investment. Francisco has also extensive experience in the intellectual property field.

He has represented parties in large disputes, as well as investors in Ecuador to help structuring investments in the country. Francisco has also represented clients in disputes arising out natural resources contracts, construction, mining and distribution. He has experience in cases involving multiple jurisdictions and rules (ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL).

Francisco worked for several years in prestigious law firms in France and in the United States. Also, he worked for the Attorney General’s Office in Ecuador, where he gained significant experience in international investment arbitration.

Experience

Relevant experience:

  • Representing a Latin-American country in a commercial arbitration brought by a former concessionaire in the oil sector (UNCITRAL).
  • Representing a Latin-American country in a negotiation with a transnational company regarding corruption allegations.
  • Representing a Latin-American State and a State Owned Company in two commercial cases brought by two power-generation companies (ICC).
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in the investment arbitration brought by Occidental Petroleum Corporation and Occidental Exploration and Production Company (ICSID).
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in the investment arbitration brought by Murphy Exploration and Production Company International (ICSID).
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in the investment arbitration brought by Burlington Resources, Inc. and others (ICSID).
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in the investment arbitration brought by Perenco Ecuador Limited (ICSID).
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in two cases before the Court of Justice of the Andean Community related to commercial measures.
  • Representing the Republic of Ecuador in the negotiation of two international financial agreements.

Education

  • Sorbonne University (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), Ph.D. candidate.
  • Sorbonne University (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), Master in International Economic Law, 2013 (Magna Cum Laude).
  • Sorbonne University (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), Master in International Law, 2012.
  • Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Bachelor in Law, 2006.

Admissions

  • Ecuador
  • Special Legal Consultant (Washington D.C.)

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish
  • French

Publications

  • La Ley para el Fomento Productivo fortalece el arbitraje internacional en el
  • Ecuador, Revistra de arbitraje comercial y de inversiones, vol XI n°3, 2018.
  • Ecuador flexibiliza sus reglas de arbitraje internacional para atraer inversiones, Revista de Arbitraje de la Comunidad Iberoamericana CIAR, October 2018.
  • Derecho Internacional Privado, Capítulo Ecuador, with A. Galindo, 2018.
  • Arbitraje internacional en el Ecuador y las condiciones de arbitrabilidad, Los 20 años de la Ley ecuatoriana del arbitraje, ICC, with A. Galindo, 2017.
  • La conformité de l’investissement au droit national, condition de sa protection internationale, ICSID Review – Foreign Investments Law Journal, 2014.
  • Cour de Cassation quashes decision that disregarded ICC rule on time limits to arbitrator challenges – 2 takeaways, International Arbitration Newsletter, DLA Piper, September 2014, con M. Ostrove y M. Desplats.

Memberships

  • International Bar Association
  • American Society of International Law
  • Institute for Transnational Arbitration
  • American Bar Association

Diego Yépez Garcés

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Leaders in Law endorses Diego Yépez Garcés as our exclusively recommended Civil Law expert in Ecuador. If you wish to get in touch with Diego please use the contact information provided above.

Studies

  • Lawyer from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador
  • Magister and specialist in Procedural Law from the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar;
  • Trainer in oral litigation by the agreement between the University of Emory-USA, American bar Association and Judicial Council.
  • Advanced negotiation certification by the IDE Business School.
  • Advanced Program in Business Management IDE Business School (ongoing).

Experiences

  • 13 years of professional practice in the Litigation area
  • 6 years of experience as an expert in the Judicial Function
  • 8 years of practice in Economic Crimes and Damages.
  • 3 years of teaching at the Simón Bolivar Andean University, Oral Litigation and Test Modules
  • 700 hours of training conducted in Oral Litigation

Acknowledgements

  • Author of the book “Civil Oral Litigation, transplantation and testimonial evidence”
  • Pichincha Bar Association for training in oral litigation.
  • Founder of the Ecuador Oral Litigation project.

 

Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río

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Leaders in Law endorses Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río as our exclusively recommended IP Law expert in Ecuador. If you wish to get in touch with Carlos please use the contact information provided above.

Dr. Arroyo Del Rio focuses his practice on Intellectual Property, Advertising and Commercial Law, including litigation. His experience includes representing and counseling major local banks and food manufacturers (bakery products, beverages, wine and spirits) on transactional and contentious matters in Latin America.

In his transactional IP practice, he manages Ecuadorian and international IP portfolio for several of the largest local companies and multinationals, securing strategic and strong formal IP protection, coordinating trademark and patent clearance and prosecution, as well as due diligences, licensing, enforcement and anticounterfeiting matters.

His litigation practice is comprised of intelligence gathering, preparing strategy, drafting pleadings, delivering oral statements and negotiating settlements in trademark and patent infringement, advertising, commercial and unfair business cases before appeal committees, the Ecuadorian Patent and Trademark Office and ordinary courts including the Supreme Court.

Renowned specialist on Intellectual Property with particular strength in Trademark law according to the publication Chambers & Partners.
In addition to litigation, his advertising law experience includes serving as counsel to the Board of the National Association of Advertising Agencies and for companies in several diverse industries he advises on advertising programs, campaigns, spots and sweepstakes. Appointed as the Ecuadorian member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance GALA since 2009. In 2010, he was recognized by Global Law Experts as the leading advertising law expert in Ecuador; and in 2011 as the leading expert for Advertising advice in Ecuador by Corporate INTL.

In the Commercial Law area, he structures, drafts and negotiates franchising and joint venture contracts, counsels clients regarding mergers and acquisitions, breaches of agreement and market entry, coordinates and conducts intangible assets valuation.

IP Law Practice:

Intellectual Property is often the most valuable asset that a company or person has, whether we are talking about patents for an international pharmaceutical company, copyrights of a movie studio, the brand of a consumer product or the domain name of a small business. At Falconi Puig we understand this and constantly strive to be at the forefront of the latest IP developments.

Our experienced IP lawyers offer practical and proactive solutions to our clients on IP issues. We understand that in these competitive and demanding times, our clients need to quickly obtain effective protection of their copyrights and register their trademarks and patents, while remaining within a strict budget.

Our professional support team responds to these needs in a timely manner. We assist our clients in the protection of their trademarks, patents, designs, invention, copyrights and related rights in Ecuador and abroad. Through our global network of partners in the Andean Region, we are ideally positioned to protect the rights of our clients at national and international levels.

In addition to legal advice, permits and administrative processes, we also provide expert litigation services relating to rights violation, forgery, oppositions and cancellations, among others.

Falconi Puig Abogados:

Our law firm was founded in Quito in 1972. We offer our professional services to local and foreign clients of all sizes and trade names. Our portfolio of clients includes individuals and entrepreneurs to large global companies.

Our lawyers specialize in various areas of the Law, with recognized experience in Intellectual Property. We try to anticipate the development and needs of our clients and their market in order to advise, foresee and act in their best benefit.

We consider a high-priority to know and to understand the industry and the businesses of our clients, in order to personalize our legal advice in agreement with their objectives and circumstances.

María-Belén Rivadeneira

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María-Belén is admitted to practice in Ecuador and is an expert on Andean IP Law (Andean Community of Nations –CAN-). She is a lawyer from SEK International University (Quito – Ecuador) with a specialization degree in Intellectual Property Law. She also has a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Law & Economics with emphasis on Competition and Intellectual Property Law from Universiteit Utrecht (Utrecht – The Netherlands). She is currently the DIRECTOR of the IP UNIT at VIVANCO & VIVANCO. She handles and supervises (in a domestic and in an international basis, through all the V&V offices-chapters in the region) the three main branches of this Unit are: 1)IP; 2) Competition and; 3) Regulatory (Sanitary) matters for a wide range of national and international Clients from diverse sectors such as the textile, clothing, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, food & beverages, automobile & parts, education and construction industries, among others. She has performed (as plaintiff or defendant) several high-level actions, in front of the national Authorities of IP, Competition and Sanitary/Health affairs, such as Nullity Actions on the Grounds of Bad Faith, Cancellation Actions on the grounds of Lack of Use, Administrative Tutelages on the grounds of Unauthorized Use of Trademarks and also has successfully acted as defendant of a great number of Administrative Tutelages illegitimately initiated by several Collective Management, Contentious Administrative Lawsuits against the Intellectual Property Office Resolutions, Complaints on the Grounds of Unfair Practices. Besides the day-to-day IP matters successfully managed by her Unit: Applications, Prosecution, Oppositions, Reversal Actions, Appeals, etc., she also takes care personally of the annual in-situ coaching of teams and coordination of cases managed by the International Chapters of the IP UNIT in the US, UK, Costa Rica, Colombia and Argentina.

Veronica Meza Aguirre

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Graduated in social and public sciences, graduated in law from the Central University.

Examples of the former’s responsibilities:

  • Legislative services at Audit commission to the National Congress and political control: H.Carlos González.
  • Legal assistant at Recoin Abogados.
  • Legal assistante at TAX SUPPORT.
  • Head of a legal department at Izquierdo & Sepúlveda Abogados.
  • Junior legal advisor at Arizaga & Company Abogados.
  • Head of the corporate department at Puente & Asociados.

Puente & Asociados:

Our team of experts will be in charge of establishing and registering your company or organization, as well as providing with advice on corporate management as needed.

  1. Formation of companies
  2. Fusions

III. Scission

  1. Increases and decreases of capital

– Reform of company laws, change of corporate purpose

– Transformation of companies

– Transfer of shares and sales of shares

– Purchase of shares and assets

  1. Operations carried out by foreign companies in Ecuador

– Intervention

  1. Inactivity, dissolution, liquidation of companies

VII. Obligation for companies with foreign shareholders

 

Marcos Chiluisa

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Marcos Chiluisa is a business development advisor and licensed attorney.  Marcos’ legal practice focuses on Real Estate¸ Corporate, Labor, Administrative and Immigration counseling.  With the Ecuadorian Ministry for the Environment’s “Forest Administration System” Marcos has served on numerous committees, including the Policy Committee, Nominating Committee, Business Development Committee, and New Environmental Legislation Committee.Marcos began practicing professionally in 2004 as a Real Estate development litigator and counselor. He has litigated over 150 trials for tax collection and has tried numerous cases in administrative courts.  He also has extensive experience in drafting original business contracts.
Prior to starting EcuaAssist, Marcos and a group of colleagues founded Ambientar, an environmental consulting firm.  He was also the main Attorney for NGO Centro de la Niña Trabajadora [Center for the Girl Laborer] where he resolved family conflicts for disadvantaged families who could not otherwise access the justice system.
At EcuaAssist, Marcos has been very active in Immigration counseling. He has advised over 100 foreign investors on a wide variety Immigration issues, ranging from the creation of new businesses and corporate mergers to financial management of “Foreign Investors with New Capital in Ecuador”, Ecuador’s most recent property tax benefit.
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS:
Bar Assn.: Colegio de Abogados de Pichincha, Lic. No. 9891
B.A., cum laude, Universidad de Las Américas, 2004
HOBBIES:
Running cross country, hiking, surfing, biking, ping pong, yoga.

Sandra Reed

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Sandra Reed has spent many years advising and assisting PBP´s clients in several of the most important and challenging infrastructure, alternative energy, concession, project finance, and real estate projects to have taken place in Ecuador.

Among her activities stands out her assistance – for a decade – to Corporación Quiport in all legal aspects related to the concession, planning, negotiation, financing and implementation of the new Quito international airport.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
  • Permanent legal advice to Corporación Quiport.
  • Advisory services to important international construction companies.
  • Advisory services to well-known international service companies.
  • Advisory services to international oil service companies.

Pérez Bustamante & Ponce:

After nearly a century of advising local and foreign clients in Ecuador, we focus on developing professional long-term relationships. We combine experience and dynamism to offer practical, swift and integrated solutions, regardless of the complexity of the matter.

We handle large-scale cases, adapting our teams to the requirements of each matter. We are important players in highly complex national and international operations, working closely with leading law firms abroad.

We have the largest professional team of lawyers in Ecuador, specializing in all major areas of the law and practicing under strict professional standards. As a firm with a strong leadership culture, we focus on training our young lawyers in the challenges of the profession.

Our fees are predictable, fair and transparent, adapted to our clients’ payment requirements.

Our commitment also extends to the community. Pro bono work is a priority in the firm. It is a commitment inherent to our profession, and we are honored to be able to provide justice for vulnerable groups and individuals of limited financial resources.

Real Estate Practice:

We advise and support our clients during all phases of their Real Estate projects: from attaining and managing municipal permits, to establishing tax and contractual structuring to maximize value and preempt litigation.

We have actively participated in landmark infrastructure projects carried out in Ecuador, such as the concession and construction of the new international airport in Quito, engineering of the heavy crude oil pipeline (Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados – OCP) and the concession and construction of the Machala Power plant of electricity generation.

We also assist in all regulatory matters, contract negotiations, government relations, environmental matters and litigation prevention.