Chanis
Founding Partner
Admissions:
Admitted to practice before the Courts of the Republic of Panama and the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
Languages:
Spanish and English
Trajectory
Ricardo Chanis advises companies, family-owned businesses, and international investors on complex transactions, corporate reorganizations, and cross-border business structuring. With over two decades of transactional experience, he specializes in mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and strategic business operations across Latin America.
Ricardo leads the firm’s M&A & Business Transactions practice, guiding clients through sophisticated deal structures, multi-jurisdictional reorganizations, joint ventures, and growth strategies. He has successfully closed transactions in sectors including logistics, real estate, healthcare, technology, and financial services, with particular strength in deals requiring agility, senior-level involvement, and strategic thinking.
His practice integrates corporate advisory with commercial contracts, regulatory compliance, employment matters, tax structuring, and dispute resolution – positioning him as a trusted business advisor, not just a regular attorney. Ricardo’s approach combines rigorous analysis with commercial pragmatism, enabling clients to address complexity while protecting their strategic interests.
Areas of Practice:
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Corporate Law
- Commercial Law
- Employment and Labour Law
- Real Estate Transactions
- Tax and Estate Planning
- Business Crime Defense and Anti-Corruption
- Dispute Resolution and Litigation
Education & Bar Admissions:
- Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances (LM&A)
- University of Louisville (M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship)
- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law (J.D.)
- Millsaps College (B.B.A.)
Admitted to practice before the Courts of the Republic of Panama and the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana.
Professional Memberships:
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Colegio Nacional de Abogados (CNA)
- Movimiento de Abogados Gremialistas (MAG)
- IR GLobal
Languages:
Spanish and English
M&a & Business Transactions
Ricardo advises buyers, sellers, and investors on acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, and strategic transactions in Panama and across borders. He structures the legal framework to serve the commercial objective – from first term sheet through closing and post-transaction integration – with senior continuity at every stage.
- Stock and asset acquisitions, mergers, and business combinations
- Multi-jurisdictional reorganizations and cross-border transactions
- Joint ventures and strategic alliances
- Due diligence and transaction risk assessment
- Post-transaction integration and contract novation
- M&A for technology companies
Corporate Law & Business Advisory
Ricardo serves as ongoing corporate counsel for companies and family businesses operating in Panama, advising on governance, commercial contracts, regulatory compliance, and the full operating lifecycle of a business – with the preventive approach of a trusted in-house advisor.
- Corporate governance frameworks and shareholder agreements
- Commercial contracts and B2B agreements
- Corporate restructuring and reorganization
- Regulatory compliance and corporate housekeeping
- Family business governance and succession planning
Employment & Labour Law
Ricardo advises companies on employment matters as part of their broader corporate and transactional work, including employment contracts, executive arrangements, workforce matters in the context of M&A, and compliance with Panama’s Labour Code.
- Employment contracts and executive compensation structures
- Workforce matters in corporate transactions
- Compliance with Panamanian Labour Code
- Terminations, severance, and labour disputes
Tax & Estate Planning
Ricardo advises on tax planning for corporate structures, transactions, and reorganizations in Panama, coordinating with tax specialists to achieve tax-efficient outcomes as part of the overall transaction or structuring strategy.
- Tax planning for domestic and international operations
- Tax aspects of corporate transactions and reorganizations
- Estate planning coordinated with corporate structuring
Real Estate Transactions
Ricardo advises investors, family offices, and regional groups on real estate transactions in Panama, including acquisitions, sales, and structuring of investment vehicles for real estate holdings.
- Commercial real estate acquisitions and sales
- Real estate investment structuring
- Due diligence for real estate transactions
Business Crime Defense & Anti-corruption
Ricardo advises companies and executives on business crime defense and anti-corruption matters, including regulatory investigations, compliance strategies, and representation in white collar proceedings.
- Business crime defense and regulatory investigations
- Anti-corruption compliance and advisory
- White collar matters before Panamanian authorities
Representative Experience
- M&A transactions and corporate reorganizations across Central America
- Structuring of international holding companies and investment vehicles
- Complex commercial agreements for multinational corporations
- Corporate governance and shareholder arrangements for family businesses
- Cross-border joint ventures and strategic alliances
Cross-Border & International Business
Ricardo’s international background – having studied and practiced in the United States – positions him as a natural bridge for companies expanding into or operating from Panama. He regularly structures investment vehicles, holding companies, and international business operations for clients seeking to leverage Panama’s position as a regional hub.
