Practice and Professional Life
In the area of Intellectual Property, Karina has advised Grupo Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala and Holding de Cervecería Centroamericana, S.A. She is considered a National Expert by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to develop the National Intellectual Property Strategy, agenda of the Ministry of Economy. Furthermore, Karina is part of Origin –Organisation Pour les Indications Géographiques (Geneva, Switzerland): Vice President for Central America and the Caribbean period 2011 – 2013. In the corporate law area, she was the in-house attorney for Holding de Cervecería Centroamericana, S.A. and member of the Board of Directors of Companía Agrícola Industrial Santa Ana, S.A. (Santa Ana Mill). Karina has extensive experience in trademarks, patents, copyrights, connected rights, unfair competition, due diligence processes, electronic commerce, and litigation related to these topics. Karina participated as Legal Review Coordinator of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America, Central America, and the Dominican Republic (DR-CAFTA). She has been a professor of undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Intellectual Property and Jurisprudence at Universidad Rafael Landívar and Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.
Education
- Course in Political Science. Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
- Master's degree in Intellectual and Industrial Property and Information Technology. Universidad de Alicante, Spain
- Master's degree in Economic, Commercial, Banking, and Stock Market Law (pending thesis). Universidad Rafael Landívar de Guatemala
- Postgraduate course in specialized legal studies in business law, societies. Universidad de Salamanca, Spain
- Bachelor's Degree in Legal and Social Sciences, Attorney and Notary. Universidad Rafael Landívar de Guatemala.
Awards and Honours
- Hall of Fame - Tier 2 in Intellectual Property by Legal 500 Latin America 2024.
- Recommended Lawyer - Band 2 in Intellectual Property by Chambers & Partners 2024
Memberships
- Guatemalan Chamber of Intellectual Property: Founding member and President of the Board of Directors.
- Institute of Commercial Law: Member of the Board of Directors.
- Competition Law Institute: Active member
- International Trademark Association: Member of the Data Protection Leaders Committee. (2018-2020); Member of the Geographical Indications Leaders Committee (2016-2018); Member of the Committee of Leaders of Notorious and Famous Brands (2013-2015).
- Inter-American Industrial Property Association: Secretary of the Regulatory Committee (2016-2018).
- Pharmaceuticals Trademarks Group (PTMG), London: Associate member.
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP): Associate member.
IMPORTANT CASES:
- First Latin American denomination of origin to register in Europe: Ron de Guatemala.
- Acquisition negotiation of the Zacapa brand by Diageo.
- Efraín Recinos cases.
- Legal reviewer of the Free Trade Agreement between El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.
- Negotiator in intellectual property and safeguards for free trade agreements with Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Chile.
