Chief operating officer, chief legal and compliance officer, vice president | Abarca
Senior legal counsel Electrification, Americas | ABB (Asea Brown Boveri)
General counsel, vice president organizational development and human resources | Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
Chief Legal Counsel | Triple-S Management
Carlos L. Rodríguez Ramos has been chief legal and compliance officer and corporate secretary of Triple-S Management (TSM) since September of 2021, when the compliance area was added to his...
Chief financial officer and general counsel | RoofMaxx Technologies
Chief compliance and legal officer, country manager | Gamma International Bank
General counsel and administrator | Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
General counsel | The Sol Group (Parkland Corporation)
Edna Laura Perez is the general counsel for the international segment of Parkland Corporation, known as the Sol Group. The legal team led and managed by Ms. Perez provides support...
Director of the legal advice office | Comision Industrial de Puerto Rico
General counsel | Puerto Rico Telephone company - Claro PR
General counsel | Puerto Rico Office of Management and Budget
Executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | MAPFRE Puerto Rico
Senior vice president & general counsel | Caribbean Cage LLC and The CAGE Companies
As the chief legal officer of the corporation, James Christian Snr provides legal advice and counsel in a wide range of legal areas including corporate governance, contracts, intellectual property, real...
Senior Associate General counsel and SIU director | First Medical Health Plan
vice presidnet, general counsel | Carribbean Financial Group
Attorney Joel M. Eliza joined Caribbean Financial Group (CFG) in February 2012. Currently serving as the general counsel, Joel is responsible for all legal and regulatory matters related to CFG’s...
Deputy Director - Contracts Administration CDBG-DR/MIT Program | Puerto Rico Department of Housing
Committed to the public service of Puerto Rico as well as its reconstruction, especially after the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and María, Attorney Joel Hernández Alvarado has served as...
Chief legal officer | GENCO General Contractors
Jose Wilmer Meléndez Sanago, is well known for his sense of justice, listening skills, and fact-based opinions. His ability to argue and his assertiveness are among his most notable qualities,...
Oversight Manager for Public Corporations of the Government of Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority
In-house counsel and risk management director | Ryder Memorial Hospital
P LEGAL AFFAIRS. GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | APEX (part of Grupo Mariposa)
Senior Deputy General Counsel and Head of AML Compliance Operations | Santander US
EVP, General Counsel & Secretary of the Board of Directors | FirstBank Puerto Rico & First BanCorp
Ms. Alvarez is a Certified Public Accountant and attorney with over twenty-six (26) years of combined work experience in accounting, tax advisory, and specialized legal issues related to banking, corporate...
General counsel and senior policy advisor | Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration
Chief legal officer and corporate secretary | Aerostar Airport Holdings
Chief compliance officer and general counsel | Parliament Capital Management
General counsel | Mercantile Global Holdings & Mercantile Bank International
Mr. Lafontaine is an experienced corporate, regulatory, and transactional attorney. Prior to joining Mercantile Global Holdings /Mercantile Bank International , Mr. Lafontaine was an associate general counsel at Noble Bank...
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am thrilled to introduce a new title within the The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series, The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico, which highlights the work of 60 senior in-house counsel achieving amazing feats in Puerto Rico and beyond. Within this publication, you can expect to read about the impressive careers and challenges keeping Puerto Rico’s esteemed counsel occupied. This select group of individuals were chosen based on their merits, strong nominations received and desk research from our seasoned in-house research team at The Legal 500.
Our research team asked featured counsel their thoughts on succeeding as in-house counsel in their respective fields. Sara Alvarez Cabrero, EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary to the board at FirstBank highlights six qualities in sum needed for success as in-house counsel, ‘strong legal expertise, business acumen, risk management skills, communication and collaboration, ethical integrity and professionalism and adaptability and resilience.’ As you look through the profiles of featured individuals in this Powerlist, you will notice an embodiment of these qualities – individuals with a keen sense of business as well as strong legal expertise to the benefit of their organisations.
Luis A. Rodriguez, EVP and chief legal and administrative officer at Evertec also contributes to this thought by saying, ‘Any decent lawyer can review a contract or help with a partnership agreement or with any other legal matters that come up. However, great lawyers can do that and more. They can create value in negotiations where others see only roadblocks.’
Many general counsel report a significant increase in merger and acquisition activity, with the legal function being looped in to ‘align the legal structure with the growth’, according to Oscar Arroyo-Arzu, VP legal affairs, general counsel & secretary of the board of directors at Apex Global. In a time of many global legal functions witnessing drastic change and increased responsibility, the business landscape is no exception in Puerto Rico. Impressively, senior in-house counsel all over Puerto Rico are geared and ready for the challenges that may lie ahead.
On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to you all on your recognition among the best in-house counsel in Puerto Rico. You are part of a global community of senior in-house counsel who celebrate this recognition. Thank you all for your keen participation over the past few months, and we look forward to embarking on this comprehensive research initiative again! Lastly, heartfelt appreciation for DLA Piper for supporting The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico research.
On March 18th, the Legal 500’s GC Summit: Cyprus 2025 brought together leading legal professionals, in-house counsel, and industry experts for a day of insightful discussions on key legal and regulatory challenges. The event served as a platform for exchanging ideas, examining recent developments, and exploring best practices across various legal disciplines. Held at the Hilton Nicosia, the conference gathered nearly 100 legal professionals, fostering a day of enriching conversations and valuable networking opportunities.
The event was made possible in association with our esteemed partners: Harris Kyriakides, Elias Neocleous & Co and Hadjianastassiou, Ioannides LLC (member of the Deloitte Legal network). With their support, the Legal 500 curated a dynamic agenda featuring four insightful panel discussions, each designed to address pressing issues facing in-house counsel today.
The sessions began with a welcoming address from Francisco Castro, Research Editor at the Legal 500, who emphasised the importance of fostering meaningful dialogue among corporate counsel and strengthening connections within the country’s in-house legal community.
The first panel explored competition law developments, focusing on Cyprus while incorporating perspectives from Greece, the EU, and the UK. Moderated by Michael Kyriakides (Harris Kyriakides), the discussion examined recent M&As, enforcement priorities, and legislative updates affecting businesses. Panellists, including Hara Nikolopoulou (Hellenic Competition Commission), Angelos Stenimachitis (Compass Lexecon), Victoria Mertikopoulou (Kyriakides Georgopoulos), and Eleni Neoptolemou (Harris Kyriakides), provided valuable insights into risk mitigation strategies and compliance best practices. Attendees gained a clearer understanding of how evolving competition laws impact market dynamics and corporate decision-making.
The second session focused on the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and its implications for financial institutions. Panellists discussed whether DORA enhances market resilience or imposes excessive compliance burdens. Moderated by Andrea Kallis Parparinou (Elias Neocleous & Co LLC), the panel featured insights from Emilios Charalambous, Michael Ioannou (both from Elias Neocleous & Co LLC), and Sofia Savva (Societe Generale Bank Cyprus), the latter providing insights from the financial sector. The discussion underscored how organisations can transform compliance obligations into strategic advantages, balancing regulatory adherence with business growth.
The third panel addressed the EU Pay Transparency Directive, emphasising its role in reinforcing equal pay and anti-discrimination principles. The discussion, led by Calliopi Nicolaidou (Hadjianastassiou Ioannides), covered key provisions, potential challenges in transposition, and the business benefits of pay equity. Contributions from Michalis Georgiou (Hadjianastassiou Ioannides), Lena Panayiotou (Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation), and Angeliki Fotopoulou (Coca-Cola HBC Greece & Cyprus) provided practical strategies for integrating compliance with organisational values, highlighting the directive’s far-reaching impact on hiring, compensation, and corporate culture.
The final panel discussion, moderated by Francisco Castro (Legal 500), explored the transformative role of AI in legal departments. Panellists Margarita Malai (GlobalDots), Evgenia Smirnova (TAPCLAP), and Stepan Chplakhyan (Smartcat) discussed how AI is reshaping in-house legal work, the ethical and regulatory complexities of AI adoption, and best practices for leveraging AI-driven tools. The session provided attendees with a roadmap for integrating AI while maintaining compliance and strategic alignment within their organisations.
Francisco Castro concluded the summit by thanking speakers and participants for their contributions, as well as the amazing audience in attendance. He reiterated the importance of ongoing collaboration within the legal community to navigate emerging regulatory and technological challenges effectively. The event wrapped up with an engaging networking lunch, providing attendees with an opportunity to connect and continue discussions in an informal setting.
The GC Summit: Cyprus 2025 successfully brought together industry leaders to discuss pressing legal issues, share expertise, and explore forward-thinking strategies. The discussions reinforced the need for legal professionals to proactively engage with regulatory changes and technological advancements, ensuring that legal departments remain key drivers of business resilience and innovation. The Legal 500 looks forward to returning to Cyprus and further strengthening its relationships with the country’s in-house legal community in the future.
