The Legal 500 > Latin America > Costa Rica > Dispute resolution

The 'very proactive' litigation team at EY Law Central America handles litigation due diligence, disputes and the evaluation of possible contingencies. The team has a particular focus on distribution matters, representing foreign suppliers and local distributors in cases of modification, restructuring and termination. María del Mar Herrera and Allan Hernández co-chair the department, with the former well equipped to handle consumer protection and e-commerce disputes and the latter covering various areas, including the identification of contingencies in contracts, and acting in arbitrations. Daniela Rivas joined the group in August 2019 from the General Superintendence of Financial Entities, bringing expertise in administrative and financial disputes.

Facio & Cañas is well known for its strength in administrative, civil and criminal proceedings related to various branches of law. Moreover, the department puts an emphasis on representing economic crime and fraud victims in corporate, real estate and intellectual property cases. The department led by Federico Torrealba also represents its impressive client roster in arbitrations and frequently covers novel ground, for instance in a recent software piracy matter. While Torrealba has deep knowledge of tort law, key associate Gianna Cersosimo often handles the defence of intellectual property rights for international brands. Associate Adelita Olivares adds construction and property crime expertise to the litigation group. Former key practitioner Víctor Garita left to lead the litigation department at Arias in September 2019.

At the 'results-driven' Aguilar Castillo Love, the primary focus is on contentious matters related to M&A and compliance, as well as environmental, antitrust and corporate law. Specific areas of expertise include international trade issues, anti-dumping cases and acting for healthcare clients. The department is spearheaded by a trio comprising John Aguilar-Osborne, Esteban Agüero Guier and John Aguilar-Quesada. Aguilar-Quesada shines particularly in cases related to M&A, whereas Agüero often handles arbitration cases and founding partner Aguilar-Osborne brings a wealth of experience in various practice areas to the table. Criminal litigator Rodolfo Brenes Vargas handles anti-corruption investigations and associate Laura Rodríguez Amador is adept at assisting with administrative, civil, constitutional and criminal cases.

Thanks to its up-to-date technology experience, the dispute resolution team at Arias is well equipped to handle contentious matters for IT companies and start-ups. Furthermore, the team led by Víctor Garita and associates German Rojas and Abraham Balzer assists with white-collar crime cases and the prevention of such issues. Commercial arbitrator Garita joined the firm from Facio & Cañas in September 2019 and class action expert Balzer moved from litigation powerhouse Batalla Abogados in August 2019, significantly improving the firm's contentious offering. Debt collection and arbitration proceedings are also part of the department's growing portfolio of services.

Consortium Legal offers the full gamut of dispute resolution services, with niche expertise in extra-contractual civil liability, contractual liability, damages claims and rights in rem. Other areas of strength include arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, as well as banking and public law litigation. The well-balanced group is spearheaded by a trio comprising Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, José Pablo Valverde and Andrés Martínez. Martínez, who joined the firm from Dentons Muñoz in January 2020, has enhanced the team's portfolio of services further thanks to his expertise in condominium and real estate law, as well as his experience in judicial collections and foreclosures.

Although its primary focus is on advising clients on avoiding litigation, ECIJA assists with the resolution of domestic and international court and arbitration proceedings. Investment disputes, collection procedures, and corporate and commercial issues are at the forefront of the practice, which is headed by 'expert in litigation and arbitration' Mauricio París and Mariela Hernández. The former is highly regarded for commercial and construction disputes, while the latter shines particularly in litigation against government agencies, for instance in tax-related disputes. Real estate, construction and food industry corporations are especially well represented on the group's client roster. In August 2020, the team was bolstered by the addition of special counsel Arturo Guerrero, an experienced litigator and arbitrator, from Sáenz & Asociados.

Interdisciplinary law firm BG&A Abogados is active in litigation in a variety of areas, such as antitrust, administrative and criminal law, and regularly represents clients in lawsuits against the government. Benjamín Gutiérrez heads the department, and has significant trial experience as well as alternative dispute resolution expertise. María Gabriela Monge is also a key figure in the litigation team, with particular strength in contentious labour and employment matters.