According to clients, boutique firm García-Merlos & Asociados ‘stands out for its strategic and results-oriented approach’ to litigation. The practice is widely recognised for its strength in white-collar crime cases, representing high-level businesspeople and multinationals in claims relating to tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, IP and environmental offences. It also has niche expertise in defending medical professionals and hospitals in criminal cases arising from allegations of medical negligence. Julio Roberto García-Merlos, who wins praise for his ‘good legal judgement and fantastic strategic advice’, leads the team, supported by associates Andrea Cabrera and Vivian Díaz.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Julio García-Merlos is one of the best criminal lawyers in Guatemala. Good legal judgement and fantastic strategic advice.’
‘The conflict resolution practice of García-Merlos & Asociados stands out for its strategic and results-oriented approach. The team is made up of highly trained and experienced lawyers who are always looking to work closely with clients to understand their goals and design personalised strategies to achieve them. The team stands out for having extensive experience in conflict resolution at the national level. In addition, the firm is recognised for its excellent client service, its ability to work as a team with other legal advisers, and its commitment to professional ethics.'
'García-Merlos & Asociados stands out for its personalised approach and attention to detail, which guarantees a successful and efficient resolution of its clients' conflicts.’
‘Julio García-Merlos and Andrea Cabrera are two of the firm's most prominent lawyers, both recognised for their ability to devise innovative and creative strategies to resolve their clients' conflicts. They stand out for their highly personalised approach and their ability to understand the objectives of their clients, delivering fast and accurate results without the need for numerous meetings or explanations that delay the process.’
‘Julio García-Merlos García and Vivian Díaz are excellent professionals. They have excellent case management abilities and provide different alternatives and views to the client about the situation they are facing. They also have unmatched human qualities.’
‘Julio and his team have extensive experience of solving high-profile issues in Guatemala - their strongest point is their experience. Julio compares favourably to others because he is one of the few criminal lawyers who understands the corporate world and its needs. His best quality is that he knows how to listen.’
'Few law firms with the prestige of García-Merlos & Asociados practise criminal law. The peace of mind that comes from being represented by transparent attorneys is very important.'
'Julio García-Merlos is a lawyer who knows criminal law but is also focused on business sustainability and the importance of reputational issues. I would say that Julio is an advisor at the Board of Directors level for any company that is trying to minimise its risk.'
Key clients
- Seguros El Roble
- Panamerican Silver Guatemala
- Jaguar Energy Guatemala
- Global Forest Partners
- Grupo Sermesa/Hospitales La Paz
- Puma Energy Guatemala
- Asociación Española de Beneficencia
- Avelikin
- Productive Business Solutions
- Grupo PDC
- UNO/Grupo Terra
- Grupo Pantaleón
- Ingeniería Vertical
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Julio Roberto García-Merlos