Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández

Market-leader Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernandez continues to stand out among top firms in the Dominican Republic, garnering praise from clients who highlight the team’s responsiveness and experience, as well as the firm’s commitment to rendering high-quality legal services at cost-effective rates.

The firm’s active partnership, made up of thirteen partners who closely oversee a team of over thirty associates, offers clients a comprehensive platform for their legal needs across multiple practice areas. Nearing its 40^th anniversary, Headrick continues to receive accolades from leading domestic and international organizations, guides and publications, for its stellar work the areas of corporate law and mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, dispute resolution, real estate and tourism, labor and intellectual property, among other practice areas, and boasts one of the Dominican Republic’s most highly-decorated body of professionals.

Areas of practice
Corporate and M&A: Headrick’s corporate and transactional practices is one of the country’s most elite, and the firm is a fixture in the Dominican Republic’s highest-profile cross-border and domestic transactions. Headrick acted as counsel to Centro Financiero BHD in its $5.5bn acquisition by merger of Grupo Financiero Leon, the largest financial institutions transaction in the history of the Dominican Republic, which resulted in the creation of the country’s second largest privately-owned financial services conglomerate.

Recently, the firm represented the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (NORFUND) in its first capital investment in the Dominican Republic, whereby it acquired a significant stake in Banco Múltipe BDI. The firm was also counsel to Vinci Airports SAS in its acquisition of Aerodom, the operator of six airports in the country, including that of the capital city of Santo Domingo. Headrick also acted on behalf of Johnson & Johnson in connection with its reorganization and the resulting spin-off of Kenvue, now a standalone leading global consumer health company which includes Tylenol®, Listerine, Band-Aid® and other iconic brands.

Banking, finance and capital markets: Since its inception, Headrick has represented several of the Dominican Republic’s largest financial institutions, including local banks Banco BHD and Banco Santa Cruz, as well as the local branch of Citibank. The firm has also acted as counsel to international financing institutions, including CIFI and NORFUND, as well as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, Scotiabank and the Royal Bank of Canada, among others.

Headrick has amassed significant experience in transactions involving bank and commercial lending, securities offerings, securitizations, asset finance, public finance and project finance. Recently, the firm counseled Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI, S.A. (Aerodom), in a landmark US$940 million financing comprised of simultaneous issuance of US$500 million in 144A bonds and US$440 million in syndicated bank facilities. The firm also represented CIFI (Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura) and the Fondo de Inversión Cerrado Libre para el Desarrollo de Infraestructuras Dominicanas, as lenders, in a US$330 million loan for the construction and development of the SIBA Energy thermal plant.

The Dominican Republic’s fast growing securities has fueled considerable growth in Headrick’s capital markets practice. In a milestone transaction, Headrick represented EGE Haina and Fiduciaria Popular, as settlor and trustee, respectively, in structuring the Dominican Republic’s first of its kind issuance of “green bonds”, for a total issuance amount of US$100 million.

Litigation and alternative dispute resolution: Renowned for its strategic prowess, Headrick boasts what is widely considered to be the Dominican Republic’s most prominent and successful litigation and disputes resolution practices, with a portfolio of nearly 900 active cases. The firm offers clients extensive litigation experience, advising both claimants and defendants on civil, commercial, labor, administrative (governmental), constitutional, regulatory, financial, sports and entertainment, telecommunications, consumer, intellectual property, criminal and real estate disputes. Headrick also represents clients in connection with local and international arbitration processes.

Notable matters include the firm’s successful defense of Nynas AB at the trial court and appellate levels in a complex product liability case involving multiple jurisdictions related to an explosion at the largest electric generating plant in the country. Headrick was also retained by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic to represent it as plaintiff in a criminal claim against the perpetrators of fraud against Banco Peravia.

Intellectual property (IP), life sciences and healthcare: Headrick’s market-leading intellectual property, life sciences and healthcare practice stands out as one of the country’s most innovative. The department has played a leading role in protecting the copyrights, patents and trademarks of many international firms, particularly in the pharmaceutical area, advising companies such as Merck, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis, among others. The firm also advises manufacturers and distributors of consumer products, including The Hershey Company, Del Monte Foods and Grupo SID, on health regulatory matters.

Notable mandates include Headrick’s ongoing representation of a major tourism developer in a landmark trademark case concerning the recognition of a “notorious” brand on an international level. Additionally, the firm has successfully represented leading hospitality group Grupo Puntacana, as well as CEDIMAT, a health services provider, on matters involving claims for alleged unauthorized public communication (broadcast, transmission, and retransmission) of audiovisual works. Headrick has also provided legal advice on personal data protection, privacy and image rights to both domestic and multinational companies, such as Samsung and consumer products Grupo SID.

Real estate and tourism: Headrick’s real estate and tourism practice has grown in lockstep with the Dominican Republic’s booming tourism industry, and many of the country’s largest developers and hoteliers frequently turn to Headrick for advice. The firm assists clients in the purchase, lease and other commercial operations for all types of real estate property and tourism-related transactions. Headrick has also advised property owners, developers, real estate investment funds, contractors and financial institutions in connection with the negotiation and structuring of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreements, turnkey contracts, build-to-lease agreements and other types of commercial real estate contracts.

The firm represents Inversiones Costa Elocuente, part of the Cisneros Group, in the development and financing of the Tropicalia and Four Seasons tourist complex in Miches and leading hospitality group Grupo Puntacana on various matters. Playa Hotels, Playa Grande Golf Resort and Vinci Group are also key clients of the firm’s real estate and tourism group.

Energy: The firm’s energy practice concentrates on the negotiation of power supply contracts, power purchase agreements, offtake agreements, regulatory matters, construction and operation of plants, and permitting issues. The firm is currently representing a number of developers in renewable energy projects, as well as the construction of large conventional plant projects. It also represents financial institutions in such transactions.

Headrick recently acted on behalf of Generadora San Felipe in connection with its successful participation in an international public tender process for the construction of two gas-natural powered generation blocks, each one with a maximum capacity of 400MW.

Sports and Entertainment: Headrick frequently assists sports organizations and teams, including Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox and the National Amateur Baseball Academy (Academia Nacional de Béisbol Amateur de la República Dominicana, Inc. (ANBARD)), in labor matters, litigation, corporate law, real estate and other practice areas. Headrick also serves as counsel to Dominican baseball and basketball teams.

Pro bono: The firm represents the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, and is actively involved in various initiatives of the NYSBA and The Vance Center. Headrick is advising One World Surgery (OWS) in the construction, habilitation and operation of a USD$5mm hospital in San Pedro de Macoris that will serve communities living under the poverty line.