Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández

After more than 35 years leading the market, Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernandez continues to be one of the largest and most distinguished law firms in the country by providing practical experience, responsiveness and commitment to rendering high-quality legal services at cost-effective rates. The firm offers clients a comprehensive legal platform for transactions and litigation in the Dominican Republic. In recent years, the firm has been top-ranked by several organizations in its different practice areas and various attorneys have been individually distinguished in their respective practice areas.

Areas of practice
M&A/corporate: HRA&F has a broad transactional practice, both in domestic and cross-border transactions. The firm recently served as counsel to Centro Financiero BHD in its $5.5bn acquisition by merger of Groupo Financiero Leon, the largest financial institutions transaction in the history of the Dominican Republic. 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.

Banking and finance: the firm has participated in transactions involving bank and commercial lending, securities offerings, securitizations, public finance and project finance. Recently, the firm represented industrial concern Diesco in a US $60m secured financing from Goldman Sachs, and Aerodom in US $533m multi-jurisdictional refinancing.

Litigation/alternative dispute resolution: the firm offers clients extensive litigation experience and participates in local and international arbitration processes. The firm successfully defended 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.

Intellectual property: the firm is known for its significant IP practice, considered to be among the most innovative in the country. This department has played a leading role in protecting the copyrights, patents and trademarks of many international firms, particularly in the pharmaceutical area (Merck, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis and GSK, among others).

Real estate and tourism: the firm provides a wide array of services in the real estate and tourism market. The firm assists clients in the purchase, lease and other commercial operations for all types of real estate property and tourism-related transactions. The firm represents Inversiones Cuatro Estaciones, part of the Cisneros Group, in the development and financing of the Tropicalia and Four Seasons tourist complex in Miches and leading hospitalilty group Grupo Puntacana on various matters.

Energy: the firm’s energy practice concentrates on the negotiation of power supply contracts, power purchase 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.

Sports law: the firm assists sports organizations and teams, such as Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers, in labor matters, litigation, corporate law, real estate and other practice areas. HRA&F 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.