Since its formation in May 2021, Alta has proven itself to be a force to be reckoned with in Central America. The regional outfit – made up of firms in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica – has been highly active in cross-border transactions, drawing on the strong international backgrounds of its lawyers, with robust capabilities in syndicated loans, project finance, M&A and notes issuances. In Guatemala, the firm fields a sizeable finance team headed by Marcos Ibargüen; Alejandro Cofiño, an expert in energy financing and capital markets; José Quiñones, who has complementary strengths in tax and compliance matters; and Andrés Lowenthal, a key contact for international transactions. Ibargüen also heads the corporate practice alongside María Isabel Luján; both are experienced transactional lawyers. Oscar Melara is the name to note in Honduras, handling the full spectrum of corporate and finance matters in addition to IP and litigation. In Costa Rica, Sergio Amador, who has expertise in corporate, real estate and M&A matters, and Rodrigo Zelaya, a high-profile name for private equity transactions, are the leading practitioners.