Arias > San Jose, Costa Rica > Firm Profile

Arias > The Legal 500 Rankings

Costa Rica > Intellectual property Tier 1

The powerhouse intellectual property group at Arias remains a market leader, coordinating with seven offices in six countries across Central America to employ regional strength when managing and safeguarding the intellectual property portfolios of household-name global corporates (including Bayer), across sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, consumer goods and chemicals to entertainment, hospitality and the automotive industry. The practice’s comprehensive service covers litigation and enforcement, licensing, brand management and the development of registration strategies for copyrights, trade marks, trade names, slogans and patents. The practice is jointly led by IP authority María Del Pilar López, who brings expertise to regulatory affairs, personal data protection, and judicial and administrative processes; veteran patent prosecutor Simón Valverde; and biotech patent expert Luis Diego Castro. Key support is provided by senior associate Ariana Lizano, who develops strategies for Costa Rica market entrants in the food and consumer products industries, and associate Valeria Grant, who handles patent registration procedures. Associate María Laura Torres joined in October 2022 from trade mark boutique RJM Abogados.

Costa Rica > Banking and finance Tier 2

The banking and finance practice at regional firm Arias brings strength to advising multinational law firms and local and global banks and financial institutions (including HSBC, JP Morgan, Citibank and BNP Paribas) on day-to-day matters and high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The group’s comprehensive services range from debt restructuring, the structuring of local security documents, debt financing and loan security packages to equity investments, insolvency and bankruptcy law, the issuance of negotiable instruments, regulatory compliance and asset securitisation. The team is led by Diego Gallegos, an expert in asset and project finance, and Vicente Lines, who brings decades of experience in adversarial negotiations, acquisitions and financing matters in regulated industries. Senior counsel Mariella Quirós joined in January 2023.

Costa Rica > Compliance Tier 2

The San José office of regional firm Arias leverages the experience of its team to design programmes to address national and international compliance regulations for such major multinational corporates as Coca-Cola FEMSA and Dos Pinos, across the food and beverages, tech, consumer goods and financial services sectors. The group’s full service covers matters ranging from risk identification and status analysis to anti-money laundering and anti-corruption policies, the preparation and drafting of regulatory compliance policies and the preparation of monitoring, auditing and periodic compliance assessments. The team is headed by senior counsel German Rojas, who also leads the firm’s Costa Rican litigation practice. Key support is provided by senior counsel Abraham Balzer, a specialist in civil liability and consumer rights, who brings experience in judicial and arbitral procedures.

Costa Rica > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

The experienced corporate team at regional firm Arias brings strength to advising major multinationals (including Telefónica and Mondelez) across such sectors as telecoms, pharmaceuticals, sports, food and beverages, professional services, chemicals and energy on day-to-day matters and complex, cross-border transactions. The team is headed by due diligence and contract negotiation specialist Andrey Dorado; energy sector expert Melania Dittel; Vicente Lines, who assists telecoms infrastructure and service providers with establishment in the Costa Rican market; Víctor Manuel Garita, who brings expertise to multi-jurisdictional M&A; and international trade authority (and former consul for the Costa Rican Consulate General in New York) Carlos Camacho. Diego Gallegos employs a project and asset finance skill set and provides support with political risk mitigation. Senior counsel Tracy Valera advises on shareholders’, stock purchase and asset purchase agreements and senior associate Sebastián Solano also provides key support.

Costa Rica > Energy and natural resources Tier 2

The energy team at regional firm Arias provides advice on major energy generation projects at every phase – from initial investment to operations. The group’s comprehensive service extends to assistance with bidding processes, regulatory compliance issues and advisory services to large energy consumers in the development and support of contracts of sale or supply. The team is led by project finance expert Carlos Ubico, who brings strength to administrative procedures and litigation proceedings, the creation of public-private partnerships, public works concessions and challenges before the Constitutional Court. Ubico is supported by senior counsel Luis Diego Obando, an administrative law specialist with experience litigating at both the national and international levels.

Costa Rica > Environment Tier 2

The environmental group at Arias employs regional strength to advise national and international corporates and developers on a wide spectrum of matters across the practice area. With a client base spanning such sectors as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, agriculture, energy and chemicals, the team’s comprehensive service covers environmental litigation and alternative dispute resolution, legal permits and licences, ESG services, expansion planning, regulatory compliance, renewable projects and environmental due diligence. The team is led by seasoned environmental litigator Roberto Cordero, who brings over 20 years of experience and who assists clients with environmental health and safety, sustainability, and crisis management, and Carlos Ubico, who utilises a background in project finance, public law, administrative litigation, and constitutional claims before the Costa Rican Constitutional Court. Other key figures include senior counsel Luis Diego Obando, who has litigated internationally before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and associate Mónica Espinoza, who handles the environmental aspects of major transactions for clients across the fishing, automotive and hospitality industries.

Costa Rica > Insurance Tier 2

Specialising in regulatory insurance matters, the multidisciplinary team at the San José office of regional firm Arias brings strength to advising major insurers and multinational corporates across such sectors as infrastructure, tourism and tech. The firm’s comprehensive service covers high-value transactions, agreement drafting and interactions with the General Superintendency of Insurance (SUGESE). The team is headed by former consul for the Costa Rican Consulate General in New York Carlos Camacho and Diego Gallegos. Key support is provided by senior counsel Rolando García, who brings strength to complex contractual negotiations.

Costa Rica > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

The team at Arias utilises its regional presence to advise investors, government agencies, NGOs and multinationals including Telefónica and McKinsey & Company on a diverse spectrum of matters, ranging from administrative procedures, lawsuits against the government and government procurement proceedings to public works, infrastructure concessions, public project financing, and claims before the Costa Rican Constitutional Court. The firm’s active client base spans such sectors as telecoms, construction, pharmaceuticals, tech, energy, and hospitality. The team is led by Carlos Ubico, who brings experience in administrative procedures, work concessions and project finance, along with Vicente Lines (an expert in energy and infrastructure), Carlos Camacho, Andrey Dorado and Diego Gallegos (who brings expertise to asset finance transactions). Other key figures include senior counsel Luis Diego Obando and associate Mónica Espinoza, both seasoned international litigators.

Costa Rica > Tax Tier 2

The experienced tax team at Arias brings strength to advising major multinationals such as Telefónica on a comprehensive range of tax matters. With an active client portfolio spanning sectors ranging from hospitality, aviation and food to manufacturing, energy, real estate and delivery services, the firm’s full service covers tax ​​compliance, planning, due diligence, litigation, transfer pricing and the tax implications of M&A transactions. The team is led by corporate tax compliance expert Carolina Flores and Carlos Camacho, who advises companies on the free trade zone regime and specialises in advising investors in the telecoms, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and retail sectors. Senior counsel Ligia Alfaro provides support in day-to-day consulting and in complex tax litigation.

Costa Rica > Dispute resolution Tier 3

The experienced team at regional firm Arias brings strength to representing major multinational corporates such as Pfizer in diverse range of dispute resolution matters.  The firm’s comprehensive service ranges from litigation prevention, commercial disputes and white-collar criminal cases to complex distribution matters, fraud and debt collection proceedings, and disputes related to intellectual property and environmental law. The team is led by Víctor Manuel Garita, an expert in arbitration related to concession disputes, construction and distribution contracts; and senior counsels German Rojas, an experienced civil litigator, and Abraham Balzer, a specialist in civil liability, consumer rights and class actions.

Costa Rica > Labour and employment Tier 3

Coordinating with seven offices in six countries across Central America, the labour team at Arias provides regional corporates, major multinationals, financial institutions and private universities with support in their day-to-day operations and representation in complex, high-stakes litigation. With an active client base spanning sectors ranging from consumer goods, telecoms and education to healthcare, hospitality, and food and beverages, the practice’s comprehensive service extends to advice on HR management procedures and the labour aspects of M&A, internal investigations, the establishment of training programmes, due diligence, risk assessment and administrative claims. The team is led by Carolina Soto, who is experienced in proceedings before the Supreme Court of Justice.

Costa Rica > Real estate Tier 3

The real estate practice at regional firm Arias employs a multidisciplinary approach, coordinating with its tax and free trade zone teams to advise private investors, developers, and national and multinational corporates across the tech, government, retail, consumer goods, manufacturing, hospitality and pharmaceuticals sectors on high-value transactions involving the expansion of their facilities in Costa Rica. The practice’s comprehensive service extends to the negotiation and drafting of share purchases, construction contracts, lease and services agreements, concession rights, mortgages, and due diligence and title verification. The team is led by former consul for the Costa Rican Consulate General in New York Carlos Camacho, who brings expertise to developments and acquisition projects, along with experienced regulatory adviser Vicente Lines and Luis Diego Castro. The group is supported by senior counsel Vicente Lines.

Central America > Corporate and finance Tier 1

Formed following the split of pioneering Central American firm Arias & Munoz, Arias has a well-established network of seven offices in the region, spread across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras (where it has branches in both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The firm has a long history of handling high-profile local and international M&A and financial transactions, acting for an impressive roster of multinationals, global financial institutions and leading regional banks. Diego Gallegos, who has expertise in asset and project finance, and Vicente Lines, an expert in the infrastructure and telecoms spaces, lead the finance practice in Costa Rica and are also key figures in the corporate team, where energy specialist Melania Dittel is also noted. In El Salvador, Mario Lozano is sought after for his advice on fintech and cryptocurrency issues, while Lilian Arias, the M&A-focused Roberta Gallardo and Luisa Rivas are among the key contacts for corporate matters. In Guatemala, Luis Pedro del Valle, who has a strong track record in cross-border M&A, took over leadership of the corporate and finance practices in April 2023. The highly experienced Evangelina Lardizábal steers the corporate and finance teams in Honduras alongside Mario Agüero, while in Nicaragua Ana Teresa Rizo, a go-to partner for foreign investments, Bertha Argüello, Gustavo-Adolfo Vargas and Rodrigo Ibarra, a specialist in the energy sector, are the names to note. María Cristina Fábrega takes the lead on M&A and financial transactions in Panama.