Team

Ricardo Lombana is an attorney with significant experience in corporate and commercial matters, contracts, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, both local and international. He has extensive experience with legal issues related to media and communications (traditional and digital/internet), freedom of expression and information and journalism (Media Law).

During his career, he has had the opportunity to represent clients in all the various stages of major domestic and international transactions. He has also advised clients in local and international financing of infrastructure projects. Additionally, he has comprehensive experience in corporate law (corporate), business law, negotiation and drafting of contracts. Mr. Lombana currently provides legal advice to major local and international companies.

Mr. Lombana is also a registered arbitrator from the Center for Conciliation and Arbitration of Panama, were he has participated extensively in commercial arbitration.

Throughout his career, Mr. Lombana has also developed an expertise in legal issues related to media and communications, covering issues pertaining to freedom of expression and information, libel, journalism, journalism ethics, self-regulation and other related topics. He is legal adviser and media (editorial) consultant to individuals as well as local media and local and international organizations.

He currently hosts a leading nightly TV show called Eco360, conducting interviews and sharing views on legal, judicial, economic, social and political matters.

Mr. Lombana served his country as General Consul of Panama in Washington, DC, United States of America and as Counselor of the Embassy of Panama in Washington, DC. This experience allowed him to participate in important bilateral negotiations as well as carry out intensive lobbying in the Congress of the United States of America and before the Departments of State and Commerce.

Mr. Lombana also served as Editor of La Prensa and was the first delegate to the Freedom of Expression and Information Office of the Ombudsman of Panama.

Prior to the founding of Lombana Law & Media, Mr. Lombana worked as an associate in Galindo, Arias & López.

Articles and Publications. Mr. Lombana has published articles on various legal matters (corporate, project financing, administrative concessions), including issues related to freedom of expression and information and media law. He has also been a speaker at many national and international forums.

Academics. Mr. Lombana teaches “Legal Aspects of Communications and Journalism” in the executive master in journalism of Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua.

Affiliations. Member of the National Bar Association, the American Society of International Law and is a Fellow and Director of the Forum of Journalists. He belongs to the group of regional experts from the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights on freedom of expression and incitement to hatred. Mr. Lombana was a member and President for three years of the Ethics Committee of the National Council of Journalism. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Panama, Fundación Panameña de Ética y Civismo (FUPEC) and Asociación Panameña de Ejecutivos de Empresa (APEDE)

Education.
• Degree in Law and Political Science from the University of Panama.
• Masters in International and Comparative Law from The George Washington University Law School (Washington, DC), Awarded the “Thelma Weaver Memorial Award”, signifying the highest performance by an international student.
• Participated in Joint Program of The George Washington University and the University of Oxford in International Law of Human Rights and participated in the Program of Instruction for Lawyers at Harvard University.

Melissa Epailly is a young lawyer specializing in Immigration and Labor immigration Law, mainly for executives and technical personnel from foreign companies with operations in Panama. In addition, Melissa Epailly concentrates her practice on Commercial, Civil, Tax and Intellectual Property Law.

Melissa Epailly holds a degree in Law and Political Science from Santa María La Antigua University. She holds continuing education diplomas in Tax Financial Law, Accounting for non-accountants, and Labor Law, all from the Universidad Latina de Panama.

Spanish is her native language and is also fluent in English.