David García Hellebuyck

Practice Areas

• Dispute Resolution, Litigation & Arbitration

• Corporate & Commercial Law

• Administrative & Constitutional Law

• Intellectual Property Litigation

• Employment Disputes & Labor Law

Career

• Founding Partner – García Hellebuyck Abogados (2018 – Present)

• Head of Litigation & Arbitration Department – Torres Legal (2016 – 2018)

• Judicial Assistant and Interim Clerk at the First Civil Chamber of San Salvador's Judicial Branch (2014 – 2016)

• Judicial Assistant at the Third Chamber of the San Vicente Central Section within the Judicial Branch (2010 – 2014)

Personal

Dr. David Alejandro García Hellebuyck is a leading litigation and dispute resolution lawyer in El Salvador, with over 15 years of experience acting as litigation counsel and arbitration lawyer in complex civil, commercial, and intellectual property matters. He is widely recognized for his strategic, business-oriented approach to commercial litigation in El Salvador and cross-border disputes across Central America.

Dr. David García Hellebuyck advises local and multinational clients on high-stakes disputes, including breach of contract and termination, debt recovery in El Salvador, contentious-administrative proceedings, antitrust disputes, and conflicts in highly regulated sectors such as finance, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and energy. His practice spans all stages of disputes, from risk mitigation and dispute prevention to trial, appeal, interim relief, and enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards in Central America.

He has extensive experience in commercial and international arbitration, as well as mediation and alternative dispute resolution, where he is known for achieving efficient, commercially sound outcomes aligned with his clients’ business objectives. His prior experience working within El Salvador’s main commercial courts provides him with a unique, insider perspective on judicial processes, strengthening his ability to anticipate risks and design effective litigation strategies.

As Founder of García Hellebuyck Abogados, a boutique firm specializing in dispute resolution, arbitration, and intellectual property litigation, he leads a team recognized for its strong performance before judicial and arbitral tribunals. The firm represents clients in complex disputes involving distribution agreements, corporate conflicts, M&A-related disputes, transportation, insurance, and IP enforcement, including trademark infringement, nullity, and revocation proceedings.

Dr. David García Hellebuyck is particularly noted for his tactical, solution-oriented and fearless approach to litigation, combining legal precision with a deep understanding of business dynamics. Clients value him as a trusted advisor and strategist, capable of navigating sophisticated disputes in an increasingly complex and cross-border legal environment.

His client portfolio spans key industries such as agriculture, industrials, pharmaceuticals, technology, telecommunications, food and beverage, textile, fashion, distribution, and construction, advising both domestic companies and international clients from the United States, Central America, Europe, and Asia.

Under his leadership, the firm has been recognized as Best Firm in Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration (2023) by Derecho & Negocios, and he was named among the “45 under 45” leading lawyers, highlighting his standing as one of the top dispute resolution practitioners of his generation in El Salvador.

Languages Spoken

• Spanish

• English

Professional Memberships

• Ex Vice President & Member of El Salvador’s Chapter for the Spanish Arbitration Club.

• Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb, London - United Kingdom)

• Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC – Paris)

• Member of the Latin American Arbitration Association – ALARB next generation

• Arbitrator of the Mexican Arbitration Center (CAM), the Mediation and Arbitration Center of the National Chamber of Commerce of Mexico City (CANACO), the Conflict Resolution Commission of the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala (CRECIG), the Registry of Arbitrators of the International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (CICA) of Costa Rica and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador (CAMARASAL)

• Member of the Arbitration and Conciliation Center of the Guatemala Chamber of Commerce (CENAC)

Publications

• Book: “Recopilación jurisprudencial en materia de arbitraje” (Jurisprudential Compilation on Arbitration Matters), ISBN:978-99961-2-890-5, Mega Editorial, 2024

• Book: “Arbitraje por medios tecnológicos” (Jurisprudential Compilation on Arbitration Matters), ISBN:978-99983-60-05-1, Editorial Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador (UESS), 2023

• Article: “Problemas y retos para la ejecución de laudos arbitrales electrónicos con relación al artículo IV.1 CNY 1958” (Challenges and Issues in Enforcing Electronic Arbitral Awards Under Article IV.1 of the 1958 New York Convention) in Chipana Catalán, Jhoel y DUARTE LAU, Mauricio (Dirs). Arbitraje y Nuevas Tecnologías, ISBN: 978-612-4887-6-0, Themis Editorial Jurídica, Lima, 2021, pgs 187-2016.

• Book: “Manifestaciones y Garantías en Contratos de Compraventa de Empresas: Remedios Contractuales en la Legislación Salvadoreña” (Representations and Warranties in M&A Agreements: Contractual Remedies in Salvadoran Law), ISBN: 978-620-2-47999-8, Dictus Publishing, 2018

• Article: Audiencias virtuales en el arbitraje ¿Nueva realidad Post-COVID 19? (Virtual Hearings in Arbitration: A New Post-COVID-19 Reality?), in magazine Revista Ley, Derecho y Jurisprudencia de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador, n° 22,2020, pgs 114-125.

Experience

• Professor of Commercial Arbitration in the Master's Program in Corporate Law at the Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador (2022 – Present)

• Professor of Commercial Arbitration in the Master's Program in Corporate Law at the Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" (2024 – Present)

Clients

Local Clients:

• Distribuidora Santiago

• Clinsa

• Grupo Cam

• Triple Kam

• Motoxperts

• Escenarios Deportivos

• Grupo Cassa

• Salud

• Hiram-Tech

• CDT

• Sites

• Villamoda

• Mercosal

• Distribuciones Diversas

• Corporación de Arroceros de El Salvador (COARSA)

• APAC

• Wan Peng de El Salvador

International Clients:

• Laboratorios y Drogueria Pharmadel (Guatemala)

• Graphisoft (Hungary)

• DK Fashion

• Lorens

• INTECSA-INARSA (Spain)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

• El Salvador

• USA

• Honduras

• Guatemala

• Panama

• México

Work Highlights

• Grupo CAM, S.A. de C.V. – Advised in challenging the unlawful administrative closure of their car repair business ordered by the Mayor of Antiguo Cuscatlán, securing a Supreme Court ruling declaring the closure illegal and obtaining the reopening of a civil damages claim against the Municipality—despite significant political sensitivity and prolonged procedural delays—with proceedings currently ongoing.

• CDT- Advised in a shareholders’ dispute regarding advanced profits that were affecting the company’s profitability.

• Distribuciones Diversas, S.A. de C.V.- Advised in a litigation arising from a commercial lease agreement.

• Tech Company: Won appeal dismissing $10M NDA claim; court found no IP novelty, setting precedent on protection of business ideas.

• Shareholder Dispute: Secured $3.7M arbitral award in equity; corrected undervaluation and upheld fair exit price for shareholder stake.

• Software Company: Won $26M award vs municipality for unpaid software contract, enabling recovery after client insolvency.

• Ad hoc international arbitration in equity, representing defendant in dispute about breach of representations and warranties within the framework of a sale and purchase agreement.

• Institutional arbitration due to non-payment related to a construction contract.

• Ad hoc arbitration in equity over dispute regarding shareholder exit claim and damages for breach of rights.

Education

Industry Sector Expertise

David García Hellebuyck has diversified experience in many important industries including the following:

1. Technology

2. Pharmaceutical

3. Family Business

4. Agriculture

5. Transportation

6. Distribution

7. Telecommunications

8. Food and Beverage

9. Construction

10. Automotive

11. Consumer Goods

12. Agro-industry

13. Real Estate

14. Textile

15. Ecommerce

Awards