Every transaction has a structure. Ours holds.
We advise buyers, sellers, and investors on acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, and strategic transactions in Panama and across borders. Our work is transactional in execution and commercial in judgment — we understand what drives the deal, and we structure the legal framework to close it cleanly. When the matter requires extrajudicial negotiation or moves into litigation, we stay in it — in our areas of expertise, through every stage.
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Corporate Reorganizations
- Business & Asset Sales
- Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
- Due Diligence
- Post-Transaction Integration
- Cross-Border Transactions
- M&A for Technology Companies
- Regional Expansion & Market Entry
From inception to closing — and what comes after
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
We represent buyers, sellers, and investors in stock and asset acquisitions, mergers, and business combinations — from inception and negotiation through closing. Senior attention at every stage, not just at signing.
- Stock and asset acquisitions
- Mergers and business combinations
- Negotiation and transaction management
- Signing through closing coordination
- Post-signing obligations and conditions precedent
CORPORATE REORGANIZATIONS
Business structures evolve. We advise on mergers of related entities, spin-offs, capital changes, and cross-border reorganizations — managing the legal execution timeline so the restructuring serves the business objective.
- Mergers of related entities and consolidations
- Spin-offs, carve-outs, and divisional separations
- Capital increases and reductions
- Share transfers and internal reorganizations
- Regional reorganizations within Latin America
BUSINESS & ASSET SALES
When you’re selling, the groundwork you lay before going to market determines the quality of the exit. We advise sellers on sale preparation and structuring, representations and warranties, and the legal mechanics that protect value through closing.
- Sale structuring — asset vs. share sale analysis
- Representations, warranties, and indemnities
- Negotiation and counterparty management
- Seller-side due diligence preparation
- Escrow and closing mechanics
JOINT VENTURES & STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
Good joint venture governance aligns parties before disagreements arise. We structure and document partnerships — equity arrangements, management rights, transfer restrictions, exit mechanisms — so the alliance is built on clarity from day one.
- Joint venture structuring and documentation
- Equity arrangements and capital contributions
- Governance and management rights
- Transfer restrictions and tag-along / drag-along provisions
- Exit mechanisms and dissolution procedures
DUE DILIGENCE
Every acquisition carries hidden exposure. We conduct comprehensive reviews of corporate structure, contracts, regulatory compliance, real estate, employment, and litigation risk — so you know what you’re acquiring before you acquire it.
- Corporate structure and title review
- Contract review and assignment analysis
- Regulatory and AML/CFT compliance assessment
- Real estate and encumbrance review
- Employment and labor exposure
- Litigation and contingent liability mapping
POST-TRANSACTION INTEGRATION
An acquisition does not end at closing — it begins there. We advise on contract novation, corporate alignment, regulatory notifications, and the legal mechanics of integration so the transition is clean and the business can focus on what comes next.
- Contract novation and assignment
- Corporate alignment and governance harmonization
- Regulatory notifications and filings
- Employment transition and integration
- Integration timeline and legal milestone tracking
CROSS-BORDER TRANSACTIONS
Panama is often the structure and sometimes the deal. We advise on cross-border transactions involving Panamanian companies, assets, or operations — coordinating through our IR Global network across 165+ jurisdictions when the matter requires it.
- Cross-border acquisition and investment structuring
- Panamanian holding and investment vehicle design
- Multi-jurisdictional coordination via IR Global network
- Cross-border regulatory clearance and filing
M&A FOR TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
Technology acquisitions require specialized diligence — IP ownership, data assets, technology contracts, and open source compliance. We advise on the buy-side and sell-side of technology transactions with the legal depth that tech-specific assets demand — and that generalist M&A counsel is not equipped to provide.
- IP ownership and chain of title diligence
- Data asset and privacy compliance review
- Technology contract analysis and assignment
- SaaS and platform-specific transaction structures
- Investment readiness for tech company sellers
REGIONAL EXPANSION & MARKET ENTRY
Acquisitions as a growth strategy require legal structuring beyond deal execution. We advise on acquisition-led expansion — target identification frameworks, corporate architecture for regional operations, holding structure design, and the regulatory strategy that allows a business to move into new markets without rebuilding its legal foundation each time.
- Acquisition-led market entry structuring
- Corporate architecture for regional operations
- Regulatory strategy for new market entry
- Coordination with local counsel via correspondent network
Transactions require lawyers who think like the deal, not just about it.
Complex transactions require more than legal knowledge. They require commercial judgment, senior continuity, and the specific depth that comes from doing this work — in this jurisdiction — for twenty-plus years. That is what every CHANIS M&A mandate reflects.
COMMERCIAL JUDGMENT
We understand what drives the deal — legally and commercially
Ricardo Chanis brings to every mandate what most M&A lawyers do not: a business degree and an MBA alongside the legal credential. That combination means the advice is built around the commercial logic of the deal — why it is being done, what the structure needs to serve, and where legal mechanics and business objectives have to align.
SENIOR CONTINUITY
The same team from first call to closing — and beyond
No handoffs. The lawyers who understand the deal are the ones closing it. And if it becomes a dispute, the partner who structured the transaction knows it well enough to defend it.
IMAA-CERTIFIED DEPTH
Twenty-plus years of transactional authority — certified and practiced
Ricardo Chanis holds IMAA certification in mergers and acquisitions — the credential that confirms M&A as a core practice, not a service offered alongside everything else. Backed by twenty-plus years through every major regulatory cycle in Panama.
Let’s talk about your transaction.
Schedule a consultation with us — a direct conversation about your transaction, your structure, and what you need in Panama.
