Carlos Castillo
Latin America Guide 2025
Band 3 : Intellectual Property
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+503 2505-5555Share profile
Band 3
About
Provided by Carlos Castillo
Practice Areas
Litigation
Dispute
Intellectual Property
Brand Protection
Career
Carlos is partner of the Romero Pineda Firm and director of the Litigation area, as well as legal advisor in various Intellectual Property matters such as Corporate and corporate matters that the firm represents. He is a consummate authority on Intellectual Property in El Salvador and the Central American region, being one of the first expert lawyers in drafting the Intellectual Property chapters in different international treaties signed by El Salvador.
He has more than 40 years of experience in Intellectual Property in which he has supported activities to defend the rights of this area.
In 1996, upon observing the need for control and surveillance of Intellectual Property in El Salvador, he was motivated to carry out joint work with Dr. Roberto Romero Pineda and the Attorney General of the Republic at that time to form the Protection Unit. of Intellectual Property, later the Intellectual Property Unit, leaving a legacy of utmost relevance in the observance and protection of Intellectual Property rights.
Carlos has been part of different chambers and associations in matters of Intellectual Property and Litigation both nationally and internationally. Thus, as a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in El Salvador (AmCham), he organized the creation of the Intellectual Property committee. This effort to create a committee specialized in Intellectual Property was replicated and incorporated in the different Chambers. Americans from the entire Central American region.
He has participated in the Central American effort to modernize regional Intellectual Property legislation through various programs of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). From 2001 to 2002, he was part of the legal advisory team of the Ministry of Economy, in the drafting of the new Law on Trademarks and other Distinctive Signs.
In the realm of international treaties, he has served as legal advisor for the private sector in various negotiations. He acted as an advisor to the Salvadoran Association of Industrialists (ASI) during the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between Central America and Mexico (FTA), specifically in the dispute resolution and Intellectual Property discussions.
He also participated as an advisor to the Organization for Support to the Productive Sector in International Trade Negotiations (ODASP) in all negotiation rounds of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Central American countries (CAFTA), particularly in the dispute settlement and Intellectual Property discussions.
Due to his experience in international treaty negotiations, Carlos was called upon to advise officials from the Government of El Salvador on protecting cultural traditions, particularly regarding the national dish, pupusas. In this capacity, Carlos recommended that the pupusa be officially recognized and declared as an expression of El Salvador's culinary tradition. He proposed designating a day for its celebration, leading to the declaration of the second Sunday of November as the "National Pupusa Day."
In his capacity as an international consultant, he has participated in events organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic (AmCham), Chemonics International, among others. His extensive experience in matters of Intellectual Property and his career spanning several decades in academia were key elements to be appointed legal advisor of the Republic of Peru in the internationally relevant case regarding the Pisco designation of origin.
For his key participation in the legal defense of the ownership and Peruvian origin of the Pisco Denomination of Origin, he was recognized in 2011 with the decoration of the “Order of Merit for Distinguished Services”, in the rank of Commander, by the Republic of Peru.
He is currently a professor of Intellectual Property at the José Matías Delgado University in the Faculty of Law and in other faculties such as Design, Communications and Economics. He has been a professor in a master's degree at the Technological University of El Salvador. He has also participated as a lecturer at the Mónica Herrera School of Communications and the Francisco Gavidia University, among other prestigious universities and schools, and has given seminars on Intellectual Property within the framework of CAFTA-DR: Registered Trademarks and Copyrights. He was appointed by the Culture Commission of the Honorable Supreme Court of Justice, as a lecturer on issues of Intellectual Property and International Trade, and has written numerous articles on Intellectual Property and Litigation, which have been published by institutions.
Professional Memberships
Carlos has been part of different chambers and associations in matters of Intellectual Property and Litigation both nationally and internationally. Thus, as a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in El Salvador (AmCham), he organized the creation of the Intellectual Property committee. This effort to create a committee specialized in Intellectual Property was replicated and incorporated in the different Chambers. Americans from the entire Central American region.
This year he has been appointed as a delegate of the José Matías Delgado University for the formation and creation of the RED Center for Support of Technology and Innovation (CATI) together with the National Center for Records (CNR) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
He is a member of the Inter-American Intellectual Property Association (ASIPI) and has worked with the different subcommittees of the International Trademark Association (INTA) for several decades. He is a member and advisor of the Salvadoran Association of Designers-CROMA and has served as a founding member and president of the Intellectual Property Committee of AmCham El Salvador. He is currently legal advisor to the COEXPORT Franchise Committee.
Publications
https://issuu.com/derechoynegocios/docs/edici_n_124_dyn/s/16771142
Intellectual property for beginners – Disruptiva Magazine
https://diarioelsalvador.com/por-un-malentendido-conozca-el-curioso-origen-del-dia-nacional-de-la-pupusa/295017/
Expert in these Jurisdictions
El Salvador and Central America
Languages Spoken
Spanish and English
Industry Sector Expertise
Litigation
Unfair Competition
Anti-piracy
Arbitration and Mediation
Intellectual Property
Distribution Agency
Advertising
CAFTA
Trade
Consumer Rights
Contracts
Administrative Law
Franchises
Education
Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado
Bachelor in Law
1984
Awards
Decoration “Order of Merit for Distinguished Services” by the Republic of Peru, in the rank of Commander.
Republic of Peru
Recommended Lawyer
WWL
2024
Ranked Lawyers
Legal 500
2024
Band 3 Lawyer Chambers Global
Chambers
2023
Chambers Review
Latin America
Partner and co-head of department Carlos Castillo has strong capabilities in IP work in El Salvador. His work includes advising on trade mark strategies, renewals and prosecutions.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Carlos Castillo is a very professional and astute lawyer who knows a lot about intellectual property matters in El Salvador."
"Carlos Castillo is a very professional and astute lawyer who knows a lot about intellectual property matters in El Salvador."
Discover other Lawyers at
Romero Pineda & Asociados
El Salvador
Key Sectors
Provided by Romero Pineda & Asociados
Retail and Consumer
Health and Life Sciences
Energy and Utilities
Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT)
Business and Professional Services