María de los Ángeles Lombeyda

Meet María de los Ángeles:

María de los Ángeles stands out as a highly qualified lawyer in the areas of intellectual property and competition law, in which, mainly, she has developed her professional practice.

Her years of expertise, added to a solid academic preparation, allow María de los Ángeles to provide her clients with a qualified and highly specialized service, with innovative strategies, demonstrating a constant commitment to professional excellence and the defense of the rights of her clients.

Her professional practice has been characterized by ethics, integrity and commitment to customer satisfaction. María de los Angeles stands out for her ability to understand the specific needs of each client and provide legal advice, which not only meets the highest standards of quality, but is also aligned with her clients’ business objectives.

In the field of intellectual property, her experience in the design and implementation of strategies for the protection of intangible assets makes her an invaluable ally for companies seeking to protect their innovations, whether in Ecuador or other countries.

Her experience working with clients from various nations enables her to understand different legislations and cultures, which qualifies her to provide personalized service tailored to the specific needs of each client.

In the field of competition law, her thorough knowledge of the regulations, as well as national and international jurisprudential trends, combined with her experience, allows her to advise our clients on the prevention and detection of anti-competitive behavior, as well as in defending their interests before the competent authorities.

At AVL Abogados, María de los Ángeles leads the Intellectual Property department and co-directs the Competition and Life & Science departments.

Intellectual Property Expertise

• In the field of intellectual property, María de los Ángeles, representing one of the largest entertainment companies in the country, has led negotiations with collective management societies to achieve long-term favorable outcomes for her client’s interests while respecting the rights of authors and copyrighted works.

• After designing a strategy for a leading client in non-alcoholic beverages at the regional level, actions were proposed in different locations, to protect the rights granted over non-traditional trademarks, which implied a challenge in front of the judicial and administrative authorities. Favorable results were achieved in all initiated proceedings, leading to the destruction of the infringing product.

Competition Experience:

• María de los Ángeles represented a trade association in an investigation process initiated by the competent national authority for alleged restrictive practices. The directors of the trade association were also included in the process. A defense strategy was designed that contemplated the most recent jurisprudential trends at the Andean and European community level, together with constitutional arguments that allowed favorable results to be obtained and the closure of the process for the clients.

• She led the strategy that led to the presentation of a binding consultation with the competition authority, to evaluate the obligation to notify about an economic concentration. Prior to this consultation, the relevant market for payment gateways had not been delineated in Ecuador. During the consultation process, and as a result of in-depth research, criteria and parameters used in other jurisdictions to determine this market were presented, offering a comprehensive analysis and articulating their legal perspective on the determination of the relevant market.

• María de los Ángeles advises several guilds from different industries on competition matters, providing preventive advice that seeks to align the actions of these sectors with national regulations and current trends in competition law. Her comprehensive and proactive approach allows guilds to anticipate potential risks and adopt practices that promote fair competition and regulatory compliance, thereby strengthening their position in the market and ensuring an ethical and sustainable business environment.

• In addition, she develops daily strategies for national and international clients she has been advising for several years, as one of her strengths is building solid and lasting relationships with those who entrust her with the protection of their intangible assets or the defense of their interests in competition matters.

Formation

• Lawyer, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE), Ecuador.

• Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property and Electronic Commerce from the University of Alicante, Spain.

• Master’s Degree in Law, Business, and Justice from the University of Valencia, Spain.

Memberships 

• Ecuadorian Lawyers Forum.

• International Trademark Association (INTA).

• Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI).

Certifications/Other

• Professor of Intellectual Property at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador.