OUR TEAM

Experience

Mélida has advised clients on important corporate transactions, including stock purchase agreements, letters of intent, asset acquisitions, shareholders agreements, corporate governance matters, and also complex due diligence projects, corporate restructuring and estate planning.

She has also participated in project finance with complex financial and collateral structures, including the financing granted by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE, due to its acronym in Spanish), Banco Agromercantil and Banco G&T Continental to the first wind project in Guatemala, San Antonio El Sitio (2014); and the refinancing of the Ortitlán geothermal plant granted by Banco Industrial (2015). Her experience also includes the advice to international entities about banking, insurance and stock market regulations; and, drafting of the first movable guarantee contract registered in Guatemala (2009). 

Education

 Attorney at Law and Notary, Cum Laude and Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, Francisco Marroquín University, Guatemala, 2005

Master in Business Law, and International Commercial Arbitration Program, University of Alcalá and International Center of Financial Training of Madrid, Spain, 2007

Professional Activities

Mélida joined the law firm Beltranena, De la Cerda y Chávez in 2004, joining Carrillo y Asociados through the merge of both law firms in 2009.

She is a member of the roster of arbitrators for dispute resolution regarding Free Trade Agreements, with Mexico, Taiwan and DR-CAFTA. 

She is a former Assistant Professor of the Law of Obligations, Private International Law and Intellectual Property at Francisco Marroquín University, and has additional education in finance, e-commerce, securities, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods studies locally and abroad in matters regarding to Free Trade Agreements.

Since 2011 to 2016, Ms. Pineda has been nominated as a Leading Lawyer of the IFLR1000-Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms.

Publications and Contributions

• She has written the following papers for the Law Review of Francisco Marroquín University : “Antidumping Rights from a Free Market Perspective”; “World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Bodies and the State Sovereignty Principle”; “Consumer and User Protection Law and its Economic Impact in the Guatemalan Market”; and “The Intervention of the State in the National Financial System”, 2005
• “Corporate Governance and Shareholders’ rights”  to obtain master’s degree, 2007
• “Security Interests under Guatemalan Law”, Newsletter TerraLex Connections, April 2016

Memberships

Guatemalan Bar Association

Practice Areas

Corporate; M&A: Project Finance; secured transactions, insurance; Estate Planning.

Languages

Spanish - English