An important aspect in our professional practice and services provided to our customers worldwide is the maritime, that is to say, the Register of Ships in our Panamanian Merchant Marine, which is the largest merchant fleet in the world. This is due to many factors, such as: Open registration system, favorable legislation in all aspects, the existence of the Panama Canal, and finally in general terms to the multiplicity of advantages that this registry offers.

Our Firm is in a position to offer you the legal services of Ships Flag, and its consequent fulfillment of naval documents in favor of shipowners and ship, maritime records, registration of naval mortgages, property titles, charter contracts, registration Of ships under special laws or for a certain period of time. All of which can be done with the advanced technology, since we flag and process everything related to the ships in the first instance through the Internet, and even with the support or collaboration of the Panamanian Consuls worldwide or directly from the Customers or shipowners.

Finally, a whole range of maritime services that include legal assistance to the Maritime Tribunals of the Republic of Panama, who acquire competition on the ships that enter Panamanian waters, mainly through our Channel, and within which Serve maritime processes of all kinds, demands, seizure, constraints, special requests, and others.

Additionally we offer the service of juridical/legal assistance for the opening of corporate or personal bank accounts, in local banks, including the preparation and emission of all documents that the bank will require and professional references according to the case.

A requirement of the client is prepared in The Directive Boards Act or Shareholders, of the anonymous societies as the same for Wide General Powers. In the concept of the Acts, this can refer to the changes of The Board Directive, raise of the capital, request for loans, opening of bank accounts and others, and the Shareholders relate to mainly on reforms or amendments to the articles of The Social Pact. On the other hand, There is also The Special Powers that are allowed for one particular purpose and that doesn’t require and registration in The Public Registration; Its only enough for its validity that are notarized on behalf of The Public Panamanian Notary and legalized by the Consul of the country where all ready said are going to be utilized.

When it only requires some generic information about the corporation, we make the searches at the Public Registry, at the same time about registered vessels, for immovable properties or other similar that are registered in this office, or the obtainment of a Certificate.

This figure of the Foundations of Private Interest in Panama is created as a Corporation, however with different purposes, as its main function is to act as a real entity protector of family assets. It can be defined as a donation of patrimony for specific purposes, within a document named “Foundational Act”, who is required by a FOUNDER. It can also be identified as a combination between a “Trust” and a “Corporation”, for the protection of family assets and the same can’t be dedicated to realize activities with profit purposes, and has great real uses and practical for all the community.

Among its main attractives are:

1. They are exempt of all tributes in Panama.
2. Total secret and confidentiality.
3. Fast procedures of constitution.
4. There no exists any legal requirement of the maximum patrimony allowed.
5. They can perform any kind of transaction of civil nature or commercial (of a nonstandard way) in any country of the world.
6. The assets that constitute the patrimony of the Foundation are no subject of any lien.
7. The Patrimony is separated from the personal assets of the Founder and it becomes autonomous and acquires juridical personal independence.

Among its features can mention the following: They can be created by any person, natural or juridical, doesn’t follow profit interest, The Foundational Act can be established in any language, once its registered it acquires personal juridical independence, for all legal effects the assets of the Foundation create a separate patrimony of the personal goods of its Founder, the laws of hereditary nature are not enforceable against the Foundation, they can be supported to the Foundation assets of any kind, present or future, and other characteristics that distinguishes them most notably.

This are constituted following precise instructions of our clients, so the same have a determined name (In which has to be investigated by the Public Registry to confirm its availability); specific objectives(That is to say, maritime, of export, import, all commerce, oil companies and every other objective, always and when there legit ). Likewise, carry a distinct capital that can fluctuate from US$1,000.00 to a maximum of millions, with carriers stock or nominatives and divided according the convenience of the client. They also can stipulate the capital in stocks with or without and nominal value. A requirement of the client we can include in special clauses such as bestow special powers to a member in the Directive Board or to various or some person in special that the client requires to manage his issues in the society in a broad form, for which case he would be granted a General Wide Power. Also they can stipulate with the Social Pact all type of restrictions and powers, always and when they are permitted by the Panamanian laws and laws in general in Panama.

The Panamanian anonymous societies are recognized as one excellent instrument of fiscal planning and used in the entire world. They Offer a lot of fiscal benefits, specially, when are used as offshore corporations. They are easy to operate and manage and in the same time offer versatility and safety, by its juridical nature. These corporations are also used commonly as the perfect instrument of safety for assets because they can serve as a holding company or can possess all kind of assets. A great advantage that our Law of Corporations offers is that they can be developed in broadly way and such activities that are not object of taxes in Panama, being that Panama uses a tributary system based in the principle of territoriality. The Panamanian Corporations serve as merchants, investors and inclusive to foreign companies as shareholder, to accomplish savings in the payment of taxes. An offshore corporation can open bank accounts and be owner of assets in a foreign country, without having to pay taxes in Panama for maintaining the assets in its name.

The corporations are elaborated with a general article and exceedingly wide, with a minimum suggested capital of US$10,000, divided in stocks to the bearer or nominative. The same have a nominee Board of Directors composed by three members of our firm (or by members choose by clients) and are widely empowered to exercise all type of businesses and commercial transactions allowed by the Panamanian laws even if said activities are not specifically indicated in the Articles of Incorporation; in this sense, our legislation is one of the most flexible in the world and thence from others, its great attractive level for worldwide business.

The Law Firm also offers its professional services in the following areas:

1. Banking Law: Assistance in the constitution of Bank under the different operation licenses are allowed in the Republic, advice on the legislation affects the credits and foreign loans, as well as the mercantile development of the banking institutions.
2. Corporate Law: In this areas it is attended and assisted in all relative to the incorporation of corporations and the preparation and inscription of every sort Minutes and the Powers of Attorney.
3. Civil Law: Covers all those topics related with the Family and Successions, Obligations and others related.
4. International Law: One of the basic principles that sustain the practice of this field is to provide the international client with all those legal services and assistance, which they could need in his commercial, civil activities or of another nature.
5. Registry of Patents and Marks: our law firm not only assists in the registry of the same, but also to the litigation in this field.
6. Foundations of private interest and Trustee: Our law firm considers of big importance the correct protection and organization of the assets of our clients in a long term, that's why it creates juridical schemes that contemplate the creation of private foundations and trustee, real protective entities of assets.
7. Other Services: Consultancy if offered in the accountant, financial and stock exchange matters that facilitates in a given moment, the clients decisions, and is possible due to the group of professionals who collaborate with the law firm.