Practice areas: Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) | Infrastructure | Administrative Law
Jurisdiction: Panama
Ongoing Matter
Overview
LOVILL acted as local legal advisor to the consortium responsible for the structuring and development of the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) project for the rehabilitation, improvement, and maintenance of the Western Pan-American Highway, one of Panama’s most strategic transport corridors.
The challenge
The project was developed under Panama’s newly enacted PPP legal framework, requiring careful interpretation and implementation of a regulatory regime that was being applied for the first time to large-scale infrastructure assets. The initiative sought to modernize a critical logistics route connecting Panama with Central America while ensuring transparency, bankability, and alignment with international best practices.
Our role
LOVILL provided comprehensive legal advice throughout the feasibility, structuring, bidding, and contracting phases, including:
- Legal structuring of the PPP model
- Regulatory and administrative law analysis
- Risk allocation and contractual framework design
- Drafting and negotiation of the PPP contract
- Ongoing legal support during the public tender process
The firm worked closely with a multidisciplinary advisory team, including financial and technical advisors, ensuring seamless coordination across all phases of the project.
Impact
- One of the first major PPPs structured under Panama’s new PPP Law
- Strengthened legal certainty and transparency in the bidding process
- Contributed to the modernization of a key national logistics corridor
- Set an important precedent for future PPP infrastructure projects in Panama
Team
Lead partners: Cristina López, Jeannette Bravo
Other team members: Gabriel Silva, José De Gracia
