Joel R. Medina

Of Counsel

Areas of Practice:

Maritime Law; Company Formation and Management; Corporate Law.

Email:

Phone:

+507 205-6016

Joel Medina has been a partner at Icaza, González-Ruiz & Alemán since 1973, and is currently a member of the partners of counsel. He specializes in Maritime Law and Corporate Law.

He has been part of the drafting committee for legislation in maritime matters, and served as General Coordinator and member of the National Council for the Development of the Maritime Sector and as an alternate judge in the Maritime Court.

Joel is a member of the Panamanian Association of Maritime Law, currently serving as Chairman of the Former Presidents Committee. He is also a member of the Iberoamerican Institute of Maritime Law, and the Maritime International Committee.

He has been recognized as a leader in his field by Chambers and Partners, and in 2021, he received the Eduardo Morgan medal by the Panama Bar Association in recognition of his outstanding and notorious performance as a legal professional and the effort he has been making for 48 years in benefit of the administration of justice in Panama.

More Info

Academic Instruction

Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Political Sciences, Universidad de Panama, (1973). Thesis: “La Excepción del Contrato no Cumplido”.
License Certificate: 1973

Experience

ICAZA, GONZÁLEZ-RUIZ & ALEMÁN, Partner since 1973.

Academic Experience

Nautical School of Panama, (1978 – 2000).

Public Offices

Maritime Court, Alternate Judge, (1991 – 2000)
National Council for the Development of the Maritime Sector (CONDESMAR, for its acronym in Spanish). General Coordinator and Full Member (1992 – 1994).
Executive Branch
- Member of the Drafting Committee of the Cabinet Decree N°33 of February 9th, 1990, whereby the Regional Offices of the Merchant Marine are created.
- Maritime Labour Tripartite Commission, Main Member (1990 – 1994).
- Drafting Commission of the Law which created the Maritime Courts and its procedural rules. Deputy member (1978 – 1982).

Memberships

Member of the Panamanian Association of Maritime Law.
Vice-President and President of the Association of Maritime Law (1986 – 1988).
Member of the Iberoamerican Institute of Maritime Law.
Vice-President of the Iberoamerican Institute of Maritime Law.
Full Member of the Maritime International Committee.

Publications

Compilation of Merchant Marine Laws Regulation, 1984.

Awards and Recognition

Chamber and Partners Global
Chamber and Partners Latin-America.

Hobbies

In his spare time, Joel practices bullfighting and horseback riding.