Facio & Cañas > San Jose, Costa Rica > Firm Profile
Facio & Cañas Offices
SABANA BUSINESS CENTER, 11TH FLOOR, CALLE 68, BOULEVARD ROHRMOSER. LA SABANA
PO BOX 5173-1000
SAN JOSE
Costa Rica
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Facio & Cañas > The Legal 500 Rankings
Costa Rica > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Bolstered by the March 2023 opening of two new offices in Puntarenas and Guanacaste, the multidisciplinary team at Facio & Cañas remains a leader in the market, bringing strength to representing public figures and household-name multinationals such as Coca-Cola FEMSA, Oracle, Sony Music and Peugeot involved in high-stakes criminal, administrative, civil and commercial litigation and arbitration. With a client base spanning such sectors as sports, real estate, education, hospitality, energy, telecoms, aviation, entertainment and food and beverages, the group’s full service covers matters ranging from defamation and breach of contract claims to cases involving intellectual property rights and the termination of distribution agreements. The team is headed by seasoned litigator Federico Torrealba and Carlos Oreamuno, an expert in international commercial distribution disputes. Other key figures include experienced arbitrator Gianna Cersosimo, a specialist in anti-piracy cases, and senior associate Adelita Olivares and associate Ana Guillén, who in addition to civil matters, have handled complex criminal proceedings representing victims of economic-property crime.Practice head(s):
Federico Torrealba; Carlos Oreamuno
Key clients
Coca Cola FEMSA
Oracle
Warner Music
Sony Music
Universal Music
UST (formerly UST Global)
Peugeot Automobiles
Aercaribe – Aerolínea del Caribe & Latinoamericana de Aviación
Tous
Acino Pharma
Agencia Datsun
Dover Luxembourg Services
Zimmer Biomed
Lanco & Harris Manufacturing Corporation and Lanco Paints
Grupo Corporativo Saret
BIA Foods
Work highlights
- Representing Grupo Saret in insolvency proceedings.
- Acting for the three captains of the Costa Rican national football team in criminal and civil defamation lawsuits brought against two former FIFA officials.
- Representing Peugeot Automobiles in a dispute resulting from the termination of a distribution agreement governed by the Sales Representative Act.
Costa Rica > Tax Tier 2
The multidisciplinary tax team at Facio & Cañas brings strength to assisting major national and international corporations, banks, and insurers, including such key market players as Telefónica, Del Monte, British American Tobacco, ASSA and Holcim, with a diverse range of matters across the practice area. With a client portfolio spanning the banking, telecoms, construction, tech, agriculture, food, tobacco and retail industries, the practice’s comprehensive service covers administrative tax audits, litigation, corporate restructuring, M&A, tax planning for profit and non-profit organisations, compliance monitoring and tax return processing. Department founder and finance and tax law expert Adrián Torrealba leads the team, along with Jose Maria Oreamuno, who specialises in administrative matters, senior associate Modesto Vargas, who brings experience of working for the Costa Rican Treasury, and tax manager Erik Ramirez.Practice head(s):
Adrián Torrealba; José María Oreamuno; Modesto Vargas; Erik Ramírez
Testimonials
‘Agile responses.’
‘Very knowledgeable on the subject.’
‘The team led by Adrián Torrealba has an enormous capacity to respond to complex cases, and to address them comprehensively and with different perspectives. In addition, it has the ability to collaborate with colleagues outside the department to handle tax cases in a coordinated manner and with priority attention to the client’s interests.‘
‘Fundamentally, the team stand out for their deep knowledge of the subject, for the respect they have among Costa Rican lawyers, and for being able to provide original and innovative answers to the problems that clients present in the tax area. The leadership of Adrián Torrealba undoubtedly stands out – due to his intellectual quality, he is a national and international reference in the area of tax law.‘
‘What makes this practice unique is its deep, comprehensive knowledge on the subject, which offers the possibility of making reasoned and comprehensive analyses of the issues – not just an interpretation of the law, but the analysis of a situation – that a conservative practice could not provide.‘
Key clients
Holcim
Del Monte
Durman Esquivel
Improsa Financing Group
Megasuper
British American Tobacco
FHACASA
ICON
Sigma
INS
Federación Costarricense de Futbol
Banco Davivienda
ASSA Aseguradora
Telefónica Centroamérica
Work highlights
- Advising Durman Esquivel in a contentious-administrative lawsuit regarding a tax increase.
- Supporting Del Monte in two contentious-administrative lawsuits regarding the use of transfer pricing methods for the fiscal years 2012-2015 and 2016.
- Supporting two subsidiaries of Florida Ice and Farm Co (a beer producer in Costa Rica) in two contentious-administrative lawsuits.
Costa Rica > Corporate and M&A Tier 3
Bolstered by the March 2023 opening of two new offices in Puntarenas and Guanacaste, the corporate team at Facio & Cañas provides a one-stop shop to advise major multinational corporates, including Oracle and GSK, on day-to-day matters and complex, high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. With a client portfolio spanning such sectors as tech, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, consumer goods, medical devices and retail, the team’s comprehensive service ranges from regulatory compliance, corporate governance, due diligence and the negotiation of local and regional M&A to company incorporation and franchising, agency and distribution matters. The practice is led by Federico Rucavado, who brings expertise in business structuring and free trade zone regime matters; seasoned litigator and arbitrator Carlos Oreamuno; Roberto Leiva, who brings over 30 years of experience and assists with contract negotiation, general corporate matters, financial operations, real estate deals and M&A; managing partner Sergio Solera; and foreign investment expert Edgar Odio, who specialises in the structuring of commercialisation arrangements for the avoidance of competition risks. Key support is provided by senior associate Mariela Solano, whose background includes work on corporate transactions in the energy and fintech sectors.Practice head(s):
Federico Rucavado; Carlos Oreamuno; Roberto Leiva; Sergio Solera; Edgar Odio
Key clients
Ingram Micro
Pixel506
Volaris Group
Nitel
Tico Electronics
You Solutions (Arxada)
GSK
Terumo Corporation
Oracle de Centroamérica
Work highlights
- Assisted Ingram Micro in the sale of its Commerce & Lifecycle Services (CLS) business to CEVA Logistic, with work including due diligence, contract preparation and review, and legal counselling in corporate, commercial, employment and tax matters.
- Advising the seller in the sale of assemblies and electromechanical solutions manufacturer Tico Electronics to the G.W. Lisk Company.
- Advised Nitel, a technology service provider, in the purchase of Hypercore Networks.
Costa Rica > Intellectual property Tier 3
Faycamark, the intellectual property division of Facio & Cañas (which expanded in March 2023, opening two new offices in Puntarenas and Guanacaste) brings strength to advising major multinational corporates such as Jaguar Land Rover on a diverse spectrum of matters related to copyrights, patents, trade marks, trade secrets and regulatory law. Assisting clients across sectors ranging from apparel, tech and entertainment to food and beverages and the automotive industry, the group’s comprehensive service covers enforcement, strategic portfolio development and management, due diligence and complex IP litigation, representing foreign and national franchisors, licensors and distributors engaged in merchandising ventures and product licensing. Managing partner and IP authority Milagro Chaves leads the team, with senior associate and life sciences specialist Laura Valverde.Practice head(s):
Milagro Chaves; Laura Valverde
Testimonials
‘I would like to recommend Laura Valverde and Milagro Chaves. They are responsive and provide helpful feedback. They also know what is important to their clients and formulate strategies that will benefit the client’s business.‘
‘They are a great team and are always available to support us in the matters we deal with in Costa Rica. They definitely compare favourably with other teams because of their collaborative attitude.‘
‘What stands out is definitely the excellent customer service they provide to us as clients.‘
Key clients
Guangdong Loongon Animation & Culture
Rigo Trading
Xiaomi
Jaguar Land Rover
Work highlights
- Representing Guangdong Loongon Animation & Culture in a dispute with Lego Juris regarding a claim of infringement of the design of the Lego brick.
- Representing Rigo Trading in a dispute with Monsters Energy Company regarding the use of the trade mark “Monster” by both parties.
- Representing Xiaomi in a trade mark dispute with its local distributor in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica > Labour and employment Tier 3
The labour and employment practice at Facio & Cañas (which in March 2023 opened two new offices in Puntarenas and Guanacaste) brings strength to advising household-name multinationals including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and IBM on the full range of labour and employment matters. The practice is powered by two teams – one led by experienced litigator Luis Sanchez Montero and the other headed by senior associate Graciela Soto, who joined from Deloitte Legal in September 2022, and who utilises a labour and immigration skill set to advise clients in such sectors as life sciences, energy, manufacturing, financial services, tech and agribusiness. Montero is supported by Mauricio Bolaños, who provides clients with expertise in alternative dispute resolution, compensation packages and termination agreements. With an active client portfolio also spanning the sports, telecoms, logistics and aviation sectors, the team’s full service extends to payroll restructuring, due diligence and human resources queries. Other key figures include associates Katherine Zamora, who advises on workplace risk management and compliance with social security regulations, and Javier Guerrero, who handles both litigation and day-to-day matters.Practice head(s):
Luis Sánchez; Graciela Soto
Testimonials
‘The team has incredibly short response times, they are knowledgeable in their field of action, and they are always right with their arguments.’
‘They work well as a team, complement each other and communicate.’
‘Experience, professionalism and prestige.‘
‘Luis Sánchez and Mauricio Bolaños stand out for their knowledge, experience, customer service and sense of urgency.‘
‘They are excellent professionals. It is clear that they are dedicated and passionate about their work.‘
‘Katherine Zamora is very easy to understand and makes it simple for most audiences. Always available and attentive.‘
‘The Facio & Cañas team always gives us support in matters of labour law. If there are updates to the law they notify us and are always open to training us.‘
‘The team stand out for their passion for what they do, which always generates a very good service for us. They are always available and looking for a way to guide us and support us.‘
Key clients
Coca-Cola FEMSA
Establishment Labs
McDonald’s Costa Rica (Arcos Dorados Centroamérica)
Asociación de Jugadores Profesionales de Futbol (ASOJUPRO)
APL Services Center Costa Rica
Oracle
Agencia Datsun
Zimmer Biomet Centroamérica
Kapital Asesores Patrimoniales
Fujitsu Consulting Costa Rica
Capris
IBM
United World College Costa Rica
Autopistas del Sol – Globalvía
Lincoln School
PROCOMER (Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica)
Anixter Costa Rica
Transfesa
Electrificar
Grupo Numar
Agroquímica Industrial RIMAC
Warner Music México
Caeser’s Pizza (Little Caesar’s)
Telus International AI Costa Rica
SPS Security
Griffith Foods
Costa Rica Country Club
Wrike Costa Rica
ASEMBIS (Asociación De Servicios Médicos Para El Bien Social)
American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM)
AMN Healthcare (Stratus Video)
Prolusa
Elevadores Otis
West Monroe
UST
Work highlights
- Advising Griffith Foods on compliance with the applicable labour regulations, and all other legal requirements for its daily operation as well as its obligations as an employer.
- Advising AMN Healthcare (Stratus Video) on employment issues and assistance with human resources queries, and in a judicial process in which the company and four of its directors were sued for mobbing.
- Provided advice for Wrike Costa Rica on labour law matters arising from the company’s due diligence to acquire Citrix.
Costa Rica > Real estate Tier 3
Bolstered by the March 2023 opening of two new offices in Puntarenas and Guanacaste and coordinating with its environmental department and network of engineers, topographers and consultants, the real estate practice at Facio & Cañas provides a one-stop shop for realtors, developers, construction companies and multinational corporates (across such sectors as hospitality and pharmaceuticals) involved in major real estate projects and transactions. The practice’s comprehensive service extends to due diligence, transaction structuring, and negotiation and consultations on free trade zone regimes. The team is led by Sergio Solera, who brings expertise in advising companies in major acquisitions, and Federico Rucavado, who advises on project development, risk management and day-to-day matters. Senior associate Marco Castegnaro assists individual clients with the purchase of properties in Costa Rica.Practice head(s):
Sergio Solera; Francisco Rucavado
Testimonials
‘The firm has a comprehensive set of services with depth in each area. This is really effective and efficient to provide a one-stop solution for legal needs.’
‘Sergio Solera and Marco Castegnaro have excellent customer service, and are very responsible and attentive.’
‘It is a team with very fast response times, as well as being very well informed and having the support of professionals from various areas, and a network of contacts that help the client in the development of their properties.’
‘They do a great job working as a team to get back to clients on time and are professional. They have a great network where they can get all the answers you need.‘
‘Sergio Solera always takes my calls and even gives me advice and strategy personally.‘
‘Francisco Rucavado stands out for his great availability to clarify and answer questions.‘
‘The team is familiar with the needs of US clients investing in Costa Rica with expertise in both US and Costa Rican law.‘
‘Sergio Solera and Marco Castegnaro are fully dedicated to their clients’ needs. They always seem to be available and they communicate very clearly and promptly.‘
Key clients
Coldwell Banker
RP Uvita
Vandará
Libelula Hotel
Terumo Cardiovascular
Coldwell Banker – Sunset Reef (Santa Teresa)
Work highlights
- Representing the Coldwell Banker master franchise for Costa Rica.
- Assisted Terumo Cardiovascular with the purchase of property and the development and construction of a medical devices manufacturing plant in the free trade zone.
- Assisted with the purchase of the Libélula Hotel and adjoining real estate in Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Costa Rica > Banking and finance
Facio & Cañas > Firm Profile
Desde 1942, Facio & Cañas lidera la trayectoria de la historia legal en Costa Rica, mediante el diseño de soluciones legales a la medida con un equipo multidisciplinario de abogados de todas las generaciones, liderado por 14 socios ampliamente reconocidos en la región.
Nuestra experiencia y ambición por innovar nos convierte en la firma de mayor trayectoria en Costa Rica.
Nuestro equipo de abogados, altamente calificados en distintas áreas de especialidad, garantizan el cumplimiento de los más altos estándares de calidad, eficiencia y servicio al cliente. Nuestra experiencia a través de las distintas áreas de práctica nos permite ofrecer servicios legales integrales bajo el esquema de “full-service”, y a la vez generando un alto valor agregado a los clientes, sus intereses y negocios.
Por muchas décadas, continuamos potenciando los principios y valores éticos que nos distinguen, buscando siempre la excelencia.
Somos una firma que ofrece servicios integrales con alcance global. Facio & Cañas es el representante exclusivo de las destacadas redes internacionales Lex Mundi la asociación más grande y prestigiosa de bufetes de abogados independientes (más de 21.000 abogados en 160 bufetes de abogados y más de 100 países de todo el mundo), Terra Lex, WTS Global. Club de Abogados, la asociación de despachos de abogados más tradicional de Europa y Latinoamérica. Además, contamos con la marca país
Áreas de práctica
Arbitraje y mediación: los abogados de la firma siguen las últimas tendencias en negociación, mediación, arbitraje y otros mecanismos de resolución alternativa de disputas. Se mantienen estrechos vínculos con el CIADI y la AAA.
Representación corporativa general: la firma representa una amplia lista de empresas internacionales en el proceso de establecer y mantener una operación local.
Seguros: La experiencia de Facio & Cañas en asuntos regulatorios y de seguros es un activo valioso para aquellas empresas interesadas en participar en esta industria.
Litigio: los litigantes de la firma son reconocidos por manejar los casos más complejos en litigios civiles y comerciales para empresas locales e internacionales.
Fusiones y adquisiciones, negocios internacionales y transacciones financieras: con una vasta experiencia en transacciones transfronterizas, la firma es un participante activo en algunas de las transacciones de capital más importantes que tienen lugar en Costa Rica.
Inmobiliaria: Facio & Cañas ha colaborado en el desarrollo de nuevas oportunidades de negocio y soluciones para clientes nacionales y extranjeros en proyectos y transacciones residenciales, turísticas, industriales y comerciales.
Grupos de práctica especializada: la firma cuenta con prácticas especializadas en áreas estratégicas del derecho empresarial: FAYCA MARK (propiedad intelectual); FAYCA TAX (planificación y litigio fiscal); FAYCA LABORAL (temas laborales con enfoque empresarial); FAYCA MIGRACION (ley de inmigración y reubicación de expatriados); FAYCA GOBIERNO (derecho administrativo y asuntos gubernamentales (asuntos constitucionales y regulatorios, litigios gubernamentales, adquisiciones y contratos gubernamentales y concesiones públicas); y FAYCA TMT (asuntos regulatorios de telecomunicaciones, medios y tecnología, protección de información personal, contratos relacionados con la tecnología y cumplimiento de normativa nacional e internacional).
Clientes: Algunos de los clientes más representativos de Facio &cañas son: AT&T, Access Corp., Alcatel-Lucent, Abbott, Amway Corporation, America Movil, American Standard, Bank of America, BAT, BNDES, Bridgestone, Critical Mass Holding, Caterpillar, CISCO, Coca-Cola, Corporación Multiinversiones, Dell, Dole, Fujitsu, Femsa, General Electric, Intertec, JP Morgan Chase, Kellogg, KfW, Lanco Paints, Marriott International, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Monte Freshfruit, Oracle, Pfizer, Samsung, Southwest Aerolíneas, St. Jude Medical, UBS, Nomura Bank, Walt Disney, Western Union.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Partner and CEO | Adrian Torrealba Navas E: atorrealba@fayca.com | atorrealba@fayca.com | +506 2105-3609 / +506 2221-2333 |
Managing partner | Sergio A Solera E: ssolera@fayca.com | ssolera@fayca.com | +506 2105-3603 / +506 8844-1529 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Ximena Araya | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Monique Azuola | Senior Associate Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mauricio Bolaños | Of Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Laura Camacho | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Marco Castegnaro | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Gianna Cersosimo | Partner Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Esteban Chaves | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Milagro Chaves | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Valeria Corea | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
César Domínguez | International Tax Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mathieu Dorion | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Carlos Espinoza | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Marisia González | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Manuel González | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Javier Guerrero | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Ivette Hoffman | Of Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Julio Kierszenson | Of Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Roberto Leiva | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Juan Lobo | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Isabella Mangel | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Ignacio Monge | Partner at Facio & Cañas. | View Profile | |
Catalina Moya | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Pamela Navarro | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mario Navarro | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mr Edgar Odio | Partner at Facio & Cañas. | View Profile | |
Adelita Olivares | Associate | View Profile | |
José María Oreamuno | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Carlos Oreamuno | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Marieta Rodríguez | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Erick Rojas | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mr Federico Rucavado | Partner at Facio & Cañas. | View Profile | |
Mr Francisco Rucavado | Partner at Facio&Cañs | View Profile | |
Stephanie Sánchez | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Luis Sánchez | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Enrique Solano | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Mariela Solano | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Karla Solís | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Guillermo Solórzano | Of Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Graciela Soto | Senior Associate | View Profile | |
María José Soto | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Manuela Tanchella | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Federico Torrealba | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
María Lucía Torrealba | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Adrián Torrealba | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Laura Valverde | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Jorge Vargas | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Modesto Vargas | Senior Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Sofía Villalobos | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Katherine Zamora | Associate at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Víctor Zapata | Of Counsel at Facio&Cañas | View Profile | |
Sergio solera | Partner at Facio&Cañas | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 14 Total staff : 100Languages
English SpanishOther
Partners : 14- Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
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