The Firm has a highly qualified team of attorneys fully capable of providing comprehensive legal advice in all matters related to Administrative Law. We advise both local and international clients, with particular emphasis on public procurement processes, including public tenders and bids related to the privatization of government services and the development of major infrastructure projects.

We represent our clients’ interests in administrative proceedings before Municipal Authorities, Ministries, and regulatory agencies, including the Public Services Regulator. Our services include obtaining concessions, licenses, permits, registrations, certifications, and other governmental authorizations necessary for the execution and operation of their projects.

The Firm’s Aviation Practice encompasses a wide range of regulatory and commercial matters within the aviation industry. Our services include regulatory compliance, negotiation and application of traffic rights, aircraft leasing and financing, aviation insurance, commercial alliances, and carrier liability matters.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA has a deep understanding of the regulatory framework governing aviation in Panama and internationally, as well as the commercial and economic dynamics that drive the industry. This comprehensive perspective allows us to provide strategic legal counsel tailored to airlines, lessors, operators, insurers, and aviation service providers.

The Republic of Panama is one of the most important banking and financial centers in Latin America. ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA represents several domestic and international banks operating in Panama.

Our highly qualified team of attorneys advises clients on the establishment and licensing of banking institutions in Panama, including the preparation and filing of applications before the Superintendency of Banks. We also provide ongoing counsel on regulatory compliance, banking operations, investments, and corporate governance matters.

The fact that several partners of the Firm serve on the Board of Directors of licensed banks provides us with valuable insight into the operational and regulatory realities of the banking sector. This experience enhances our ability to assist clients in complex international banking transactions and cross-border investments.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA’s Immigration Practice provides comprehensive legal assistance to individuals, investors, and corporate executives seeking to establish residence in the Republic of Panama.

We advise clients on investor residency programs, temporary residency permits for foreign executives and personnel assigned to Panama, work permits, and permanent residency applications, among the different options of residency categories our legislation offers. Our Immigration Department supports clients throughout the entire relocation process, including matters related to the acquisition of real and personal property, importation of household goods, and compliance with all legal and administrative requirements associated with residing and conducting activities in the country.

Panamanian legislation offers a wide variety of immigration categories for temporary stay, provisional residency, and permanent residency, which allow foreign nationals to live, retire, work or invest in Panama. Among these are:

• Residency by Investment programs, available to individuals who invest:
  • A minimum of US$200,000.00 or US$300,000.00 (depending on the applicant’s nationality) in real estate located in Panama or in a fixed-term deposit with a local bank; or
  • A minimum of US$500,000.00 through a licensed local brokerage firm.
• Retirement (Pensionado) Visa, offers permanent residency in the Country for individuals receiving a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000.00 per month issued by a public or private entity.
• Employment-based residency, for foreign nationals hired by Panamanian companies, holding a university degree in a profession not reserved for Panamanian nationals.
• Remote worker and digital nomad options, for individuals working remotely from Panama, either independently or for foreign employers.

Our team has extensive experience assisting foreign nationals in obtaining residency and work authorization in Panama, under these and other categories. We provide strategic guidance tailored to each client’s personal, professional, and investment objectives.

We would be pleased to schedule an initial consultation with one of our specialists to explore the most suitable immigration options available under Panamanian law.

In today’s increasingly complex and globalized marketplace, the protection of valuable intellectual property rights has become both essential and challenging. Unauthorized use, infringement, and misappropriation of intellectual assets are unfortunately common risks faced by businesses and innovators.

Our firm provides comprehensive legal services in the filing, prosecution, maintenance, and enforcement of industrial and intellectual property rights, including:

• Patents
• Trademarks
• Copyrights
• Industrial designs
• Trade secrets

We represent clients throughout the full lifecycle of their intellectual property assets — from strategic registration planning to enforcement and defense.

Our enforcement practice includes representation in:

• Civil litigation
• Administrative proceedings
• Customs actions
• Criminal prosecution related to IP violations

Our attorneys deliver strategic counsel and assertive representation to protect and vindicate our clients’ rights across a broad spectrum of intellectual property matters, both domestically and internationally.

Our firm advises local and international companies on all aspects of Panamanian labor and employment law. We assist employers in structuring their workforce and employment relationships in compliance with applicable regulations, helping them prevent disputes and mitigate legal risk.

Our services include drafting and reviewing employment contracts and internal policies; advising on hiring, compensation, benefits, and working conditions; and supporting employers in disciplinary processes, terminations, and staff reorganizations. We also represent clients before administrative labor authorities and in negotiations with employees or unions, providing practical, business‑oriented solutions that align with each client’s operational and strategic objectives.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA offers extensive litigation experience and substantial resources to safeguard clients’ interests across virtually every area of contentious practice. The firm represents both corporate and individual clients in judicial proceedings throughout the Republic of Panama.

While fully prepared to litigate complex and high-stakes disputes, our primary objective is to strategically minimize litigation risk whenever possible. Our attorneys are well-versed in modern negotiation strategies and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including:

• Negotiation
• Mediation
• Domestic and international arbitration
• Other ADR procedures

We have substantial experience in arbitration proceedings both in Panama and internationally. Our arbitration team manages a sophisticated and high-value caseload involving cross-border disputes across multiple industries. The firm’s longstanding relationship with the banking and corporate sectors has contributed to the expansion of our litigation practice and to the strong reputation we maintain in contentious matters.

Panama Canal has, for more than a century, served as a critical link in the global transportation chain. Approximately 13,000 to 14,000 vessels transit the Canal annually, accounting for nearly 5% of global maritime trade.

As a strategic alternative to the 5,000-mile route around South America, the Canal significantly reduces international shipping time and costs. As a result, Panama maintains one of the largest merchant fleets in the world, supported by a secure and efficient maritime registry offering competitive flag registration fees and annual dues.

Given the constant flow of vessels through the Canal and the size of Panama’s merchant fleet, ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA regularly advises both local and international clients on a broad spectrum of maritime matters, including:

• Vessel flag registration
• Ship purchase and sale agreements
• Charterparty agreements
• Ship mortgages and related security instruments
• Registration of maritime documents before the Public Registry of Panama

The firm also represents clients in litigation before the Admiralty Courts of the Republic of Panama, established in 1982 following the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which replaced the former U.S. Federal District Court operating in the Canal Zone.

A wide variety of advise and services are offered in this area, be it through the Law Firm in Panama or through its affiliate company in the Caribbean, ARAMO CORPORATE SERVICES INC., a company with a Class III Trust Licence which is authorized to incorporate and manage business companies in the British Virgin Islands.

A private or corporate client will find that his needs will be met by a competent team of attorneys and support staff, with vast experience and knowledge in international corporate operations.

Panama, British Virgin Islands and Belize are jurisdictions with favorable corporate laws that offer several types of companies for executing offshore transactions. Clients may use companies organized in said jurisdictions for several purposes. They are most widely used as personal holding companies, that is, a companies used by clients to open bank and brokerage accounts in order to fulfill their investment needs and maintain the proper discretion as to them. However, these companies can also be used for a wide variety of activities such as the purchase of real estate and also as operating companies outside the clients’ own jurisdiction; in short they can be used for any legal means.

The firm is also in a position to offer its services in the constitution and management of Trusts and Private Interest Foundations, in order to facilitate the organized transfer of property and to help the clients in their asset protection planning.

The good reputation of the country as a reliable economic and financial center makes Panamanian legal entities excellent vehicles for commercial operations or estate planning.

• They may own assets and carry out transactions anywhere in the world.
• The Panamanian tax system is based on the principle of territoriality; therefore, income earned by legal entities as a result of activities consummated, perfected, or producing their effects outside the Republic of Panama is not subject to any type of tax, including dividend tax.
• Interest earned on deposits in local or foreign banks is exempt from taxation in Panama.
• It is not required to file income tax returns or any type of report or annual declaration for income derived from foreign sources. However, the company must keep accounting records and supporting documentation. Its accounting may be maintained anywhere in the world in accordance with international accounting standards, and a copy of it must be sent annually to the Resident Agent.
• The main legal entities offered by the Panamanian jurisdiction are corporations, limited liability companies, and private interest foundations. Let’s take a look:

CHARACTERISTICS OF A CORPORATION (SOCIEDAD ANÓNIMA)

• The most widely used entity in Panama, whether for commercial or estate purposes.
• As its name suggests, the shareholders of the corporation remain private.
• The shareholder(s) may be natural or legal persons, of any nationality or domicile.
• The corporation must have at least three directors, regardless of their nationality, domicile, or whether or not they are shareholders of the corporation.
• The names of the directors are registered with the Public Registry of Panama.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

• Must have a minimum of two partners, in any proportion.
• There are no restrictions regarding nationality or domicile to become a partner.
• The names of the partners are registered with the Public Registry of Panama.
• The amount of authorized capital, the shares or quotas into which it is divided, and the value of each must be registered.
• The company may have one or more managers, regardless of their nationality or domicile, whether or not they are partners, or whether they are natural or legal persons.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PRIVATE INTEREST FOUNDATION

• Mainly used for asset protection and family or personal succession, since contributed assets are removed from the patrimony of the contributor and become part of the foundation’s patrimony.
• In this sense, the Founder issues the Foundation Charter, which is registered with the Public Registry of Panama. In it, among other things, the Foundation Council is designated, which administers the assets of the foundation according to the limits or instructions set forth in a private regulation.
• The Regulation details the primary and secondary beneficiaries, making this entity an excellent estate planning mechanism without the need to resort to probate proceedings.
• They may not be used for commercial or profit-making purposes. However, they may engage in mercantile activities on a non-habitual basis, provided the economic result is used in furtherance of the Foundation’s objectives.
• The roles of Founder, Council, and Beneficiaries may fall upon the same persons, allowing the same document to designate replacements or a mechanism for doing so.
• The initial patrimony of the Foundation may not be less than US$10,000.00.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA provides comprehensive legal counsel in all aspects of real estate transactions in the Republic of Panama. We assist local and international clients in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, development, and financing of commercial, residential, mixed-use, and hospitality properties.

We deliver end-to-end legal support throughout the transaction lifecycle, including:

• Real estate due diligence
• Structuring of acquisitions and dispositions
• Drafting and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements
• Lease agreements (commercial and residential)
• Financing and security documentation
• Regulatory compliance and registration formalities

Our team also advises on urban planning and land development matters, including the procurement of permits, licenses, approvals, and concessions required to develop, commercialize, and operate real estate projects in Panama.

We regularly structure and implement complex real estate arrangements, including:

• Usufruct rights
• Surface rights
• Easements
• Bailment agreements
• Real estate trusts and fiduciary structures

These mechanisms allow us to design efficient, secure, and tax-conscious vehicles for the acquisition, holding, financing, and protection of real property assets.

Beyond traditional legal services, we assist clients in identifying and evaluating investment opportunities. Through strategic alliances with reputable real estate brokers and developers across multiple regions and market segments in Panama, we provide a seamless and reliable experience — from initial structuring and negotiation through closing and post-closing formalities.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA advises large corporate groups, financial institutions, and issuers in the structuring and registration of public offerings of equity and debt securities in Panama.

We assist clients in registering securities with the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores de Panamá for the purpose of listing and placing instruments through authorized stock exchanges.

Our services include:

• Structuring public issuances of shares and bonds
• Regulatory filings and registration procedures
• Drafting prospectuses and offering memoranda
• Ongoing compliance and disclosure obligations
• Structuring private placements

Panamanian securities legislation provides significant fiscal incentives for issuers that register and place securities in the local market. These benefits generally include:

• Exemption from income tax on interest paid on registered debt instruments
• Capital gains tax exemption on securities transferred through authorized stock exchanges
• Favorable tax treatment of publicly traded instruments

(Subject to applicable exceptions, including companies requiring operational permits in Panama or generating taxable income in the jurisdiction.)

We also advise on the registration and structuring of mutual funds and collective investment vehicles, as well as on the procurement of licenses issued by the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores, including:

• Securities Brokerage House (Casa de Valores) licenses
• Investment Advisor licenses
• Other regulated market participant authorizations

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA’s tax practice is recognized for its strategic and forward-thinking approach. Our team leverages the most recent legislative developments and administrative interpretations to provide innovative and efficient tax solutions.

We advise:

• Foreign clients establishing or operating businesses in Panama
• Panamanian corporations with international operations
• Investors structuring cross-border transactions
• High-net-worth individuals

Our services include tax planning, transactional structuring, regulatory compliance, and advisory on the benefits and special regimes available under Panamanian tax law.

Our deep technical knowledge and commercial understanding enable us to align tax strategy with our clients’ broader business objectives.

ARIAS, ALEMAN & MORA provides comprehensive counsel in all matters relating to public procurement in the Republic of Panama.

We assist clients throughout the full tender and contracting cycle, including:

• Preparation of proposals and qualification documents
• Participation in public bidding processes
• Contract negotiation for goods, works, and services
• Compliance advisory
• Claims preparation and submission before supervisory authorities
• Administrative challenges and related litigation

Our team advises local and international companies seeking to participate in government projects, ensuring regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and strategic positioning in competitive procurement processes.