Administrative & tax

Administrative law

When the other side is a public authority, procedure matters as much as substance. A missed deadline or a poorly framed appeal can close the door before anyone examines whether you were right. We take on selected administrative matters, with a focus on written work: petitions, appeals and document-based defence.

Qualification: Master’s degree in Administrative Law.

Matters before public authorities

Each matter has its own route and its own deadlines. These are the matters we take on, after assessing each case.

01

Petitions and document requests

Petitions to public authorities, requests for copies and certifications, and freedom-of-information requests.

02

Case follow-up

Review of the status of a procedure, the contents of the file and the deadlines that are running.

03

Administrative appeals

Requests for reconsideration and appeals against decisions that affect you, where the applicable procedure provides for them.

04

Defence against penalties

Written submissions and appeals against fines, closures and other penalties, focusing on notice, the right to be heard and the reasoning of the decision.

05

Permits and licences

Applications, renewals and defence of permits, licences and authorisations before public authorities and municipalities.

06

Legal review of public procurement

Review of tender specifications and bid documents, and preparation of complaints or challenges in the matters we accept.

If the matter needs to go to court

Claims before the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court are handled under Constitutional & administrative litigation, always after a feasibility study.

Deadline first, merits second

1

Initial assessment

We review your enquiry, check for conflicts of interest and tell you whether we can take the matter on, what deadlines apply and what is needed.

2

Written proposal

Scope, fees and third-party costs listed separately, plus what is not included. Nothing starts until you accept it.

3

Remote preparation

Documents, filings and strategy are handled by email, video call or messaging, and you review them before anything is filed.

4

Filing and follow-up

Filing with the relevant authority, responses to its requests and progress updates until a decision is issued.

Written work, with in-person steps assessed upfront

Most of this work is written. Some steps, such as inspecting a physical file or attending certain hearings, may require attendance. We assess this before accepting the matter and tell you how it will be covered.

The institutional map

General administrative procedure is governed by Law 38 of 2000, together with the rules specific to each sector.

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Ministries, autonomous agencies and municipalities

Each with its own procedure and deadlines. This is where almost every administrative matter begins.

DGCP

Directorate General of Public Procurement

Oversees the State’s purchasing system and runs the PanamaCompra platform.

TACP

Administrative Tribunal for Public Procurement

Decides challenges against acts in contractor selection procedures.

ANTAI

National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information

The route to enforce access to public information, useful when building a file.

PA

Office of the Attorney for the Administration

Issues opinions that guide public authorities and takes part in administrative litigation.

CSJ

Third Chamber of the Supreme Court

Reviews the legality of administrative acts through administrative litigation claims.

What to have ready

For guidance only. To tell whether there is room to act we need:

If a deadline is running, say so first

Tick the option in the form indicating that you have a notice or deadline. We will ask for a copy of the decision through an agreed channel; please do not attach it to the web enquiry.

Worth knowing before you start

Do I always have to exhaust administrative remedies before going to court?

Not in every case. It depends on the claim and the procedure. Some claims require the available administrative appeals to have been used first and are subject to time limits; others do not, and the law and case law recognise exceptions.

That is why the first step is to identify what is being challenged and by which route. Getting this wrong can lead to a claim being dismissed without examining the merits.

How long do I have to appeal a decision?

It is set by the rules of each procedure. Deadlines are usually short and run from notification; once they expire, the decision may become final.

Contact us as soon as you are notified and include the date in your enquiry.

Can I challenge the award of a public tender?

Public procurement rules provide for complaints and challenges with short deadlines and their own requirements. It is best to review the tender specifications and the file as early as possible. We assess feasibility before accepting the matter.

Do you assist foreign clients with administrative matters in Panama?

Yes. The assessment can be done remotely and representation is formalised by power of attorney. Some steps may require attendance; we tell you before committing to the engagement.

Received a decision or request that affects you?

Describe the matter in general terms and give us the notification date. We will tell you whether we see room to act and what we need to assess it.

Sending an enquiry does not engage the firm or confirm that we will take on the matter.

Other services

This page provides general information about Panamanian law. It is not legal advice and does not replace the analysis of a specific case. Sending an enquiry does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship: an engagement is formalised only by written agreement, after the matter has been assessed and checked for conflicts of interest.