The corporate team at Aguilar Castillo Love leverages the bench strength of nine offices throughout the region to advise major multinationals such as Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca on high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. With a client base spanning sectors ranging from chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness and manufacturing to healthcare, food and beverages, IT and consumer goods, the group’s comprehensive service extends to complex negotiations, antitrust matters, tax issues, labour matters and the detection of criminal risks. The practice is headed by foreign investment authority and senior partner John Aguilar Quesada, who brings expertise to complex, multi-jurisdictional M&A. Other key figures include Esteban Agüero Guier, the former head of the Costa Rican government’s international investment and trade disputes department; Tatiana Rojas Hernández, who brings expertise to restructuring, corporate compliance and investigations; Marco Solano Gómez, who has over 20 years’ experience managing major cross-border deals and day-to-day operations; free trade zone regime expert Andrea Sáenz; administrative law specialist Laura Rodríguez Amador; and senior associates Carolina Kierzenson and Stephanie Howard Peña.

The powerhouse team at BLP remains a market leader, employing the full bench strength of offices in San José, Las Catalinas, Marina Los Sueños and Marina Flamingo, in addition to branches across Latin America and Europe, to advise national and global corporates across such sectors as telecoms, software, pharmaceuticals, fintech, telecoms and hospitality on day-to-day matters and complex, high-value, cross-border M&A. The group’s skill set extends to restructuring, spinoffs and compliance matters. The practice is headed by David Gutiérrez, who divides his time between the San José and Madrid offices, and who brings expertise to corporate structuring and infrastructure financing, and Adriana Castro, who - along with Eduardo Calderón - specialises in telecoms and media industry matters. Other key figures include real estate and project finance expert Luis M. Castro; Adelina Villalobos, who advises on free trade zone matters; and, at the junior level, directors Adriana Acuña, who manages files involving corporate governance, and Elia Naranjo, who brings experience to contractual negotiations. Also of note is José María Pacheco, a special counsel experienced in cross-border M&A.

The corporate team at Consortium Legal remains a leader in the market, harnessing the deep bench strength of offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua to advise multinationals across such sectors as manufacturing, consumer goods, retail, tech, telecoms, healthcare, energy, hospitality and aviation involved in high-value, cross-border transactions. The team’s comprehensive service covers real estate acquisitions and sales, M&A, asset purchases, bulk sale processes, environment matters, specialised drafting and regulatory compliance. The team is led by Rolando Laclé Zúñiga, who draws on over three decades of cross-border M&A and foreign investment experience; Juan Manuel Godoy, who brings expertise in the energy sector and green projects; David Reuben, who specialises in deals involving private equity and highly regulated sectors; and real estate development expert Juan Manuel Cordero.

The experienced corporate team at Arias harnesses regional strength to advise major multinationals across such sectors as entertainment, hospitality, tech, energy, pharmaceuticals, professional services, and food and beverages on day-to-day matters and complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The group also draws on support from the firm’s labour and tax practices. The team is led by M&A and contract negotiation specialist Andrey Dorado; major transaction and corporate governance expert Melania Dittel; and Vicente Lines, who brings over 25 years' experience in the practice area to assisting companies with entry into the Costa Rican market. Other key figures include senior counsel Tracy Valera, who advises on shareholders’, stock purchase and asset purchase agreements, and senior associate Sebastián Solano.

The team at ECIJA draws on the bench strength of its March 2023 alliance with Taylor Wessing LLP and offices throughout Europe and Latin America to advise major multinationals (including Sanofi and Pfizer), across such sectors as pharmaceuticals, hospitality, energy, food, retail and agriculture, on day-to-day matters and high-value, cross-border transactions. The practice’s full service covers matters ranging from M&A, due diligence and corporate governance to commercial contracts and foreign investments. The practice is headed by corporate structure authority Guillermo Zúñiga, who has led the practice for over 25 years, and who brings strength to managing complex distribution schemes and advising overseas investors. Mariela Hernández provides litigation and arbitration expertise. Other key figures include experienced director Monserrat Soto Roig, who assists with major transactions and internal corporate changes, and senior associate Warren Corrales, who specialises in real estate matters.

The corporate and M&A group at regional firm EY Law Central America leverages the bench strength of eight offices in seven countries and coordinates with its real estate and finance teams to advise local and multinational corporates on day-to-day matters and complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions. With a client base spanning such sectors as education, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, logistics and IT, the firm’s comprehensive service extends to distribution and franchise agreements, due diligence, joint ventures and restructuring. The practice is led by corporate law authority Hernán Pacheco, free trade zone specialist Fernando Vargas and senior associate Ana Sáenz, an experienced economist. Other key figures include senior managers Carlos Ayón, who handles complex real estate matters, and Laura Navarrete, who brings strength to labour matters.

The team at BG&A Abogados Corporativos brings a multidisciplinary approach to advising investors, creditors, multinationals (including Office Depot, Sherwin-Williams and Telefónica), directors and shareholders on matters ranging from due diligence, company formation, complex negotiations and the purchase and sale of assets to M&A and entry into the Costa Rican market. The firm’s broad client base spans such sectors as construction, real estate, education, sports, hospitality, telecoms, software and retail. The team is headed by founding partner and seasoned litigator and arbitrator Benjamín Gutiérrez, who brings 20 years of expertise to the corporate space. The practice is supported by senior associates Eslava Hernández Jiménez, who assists with commercial and labour disputes, senior associate María Gabriela Monge, who along with associate Nicole Damha, specialises in the education area.

The corporate team at CENTRAL LAW draws on the regional bench strength of eight offices in seven countries to advise multinationals across such sectors as retail, apparel, education, tech, healthcare and manufacturing on day-to-day matters, market entry strategy, corporate structures and cross-border M&A. The practice is headed by founding partner Rafael Quirós Bustamante, who brings over 30 years of experience in the practice area, transactional specialist Tomás Quirós and real estate specialist Mauricio Quirós are the key contacts. At the junior level, director Ricardo Rodríguez Valderrama brings IP expertise, and associate Gian María Berello delivers proficiency in litigation.

The corporate team at Dentons harnesses the bench strength of its extensive network to advise national and multinational corporates across sectors ranging from energy, tech, fashion, real estate and pharmaceuticals to food, agribusiness, telecoms and manufacturing on day-to-day operations and complex, cross-border transactions. The practice’s full offering covers M&A, tax matters, compliance, business unit spinoffs, tender and exchange offers, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, strategic alliances and divestitures. The team is headed by Eduardo Zúñiga, who specialises in the hospitality and real estate sectors, and Tatiana Reuben, who brings over 20 years of in-house experience to the practice, and who brings expertise to the design and implementation of compliance programmes. Other key figures include senior associate Montserrat Ortega and director Pamela Contreras.

With offices in San José, Puntarenas and Guanacaste, the corporate team at Facio & Cañas provides a one-stop shop to advise on day-to-day matters and complex, high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions in Costa Rica. Acting for domestic and multinational corporates from such sectors as construction, food, real estate and manufacturing, the team’s comprehensive service ranges from the negotiation of local and regional M&A, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and due diligence 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; managing partner Sergio Solera, who brings strength to market entry matters; 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 associates Mariela Solano, whose background includes work on corporate transactions in the energy and fintech sectors, and Catalina Moya, who advises on complex due diligence for M&A transactions.

The experienced corporate team at Lang & Asociados advises major multinationals such as Microsoft and Smart Fit on their entry into the Costa Rican market under the free trade zone regime. With a client roster spanning such sectors as medical devices, fitness, education, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, software and tech, the firm’s full service covers matters ranging from corporate structures and share transfer agreements to insurance matters, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. The team is led by Henry Lang, a foreign investment authority who brings over 30 years’ experience in the practice area. Other key figures include Milena Jaikel, a free trade zone specialist, and Juan Carlos Cersosimo, who brings expertise to restructuring procedures and M&A, as well as intellectual property and data privacy and protection matters.

Tactic Legal, which continues to grow after being formed by former COLBS Estudio Legal partner Javier Escalante in February 2022, advises major multinationals such as Inchcape and Rubicon Water on a diverse range of corporate matters. With an active client roster spanning such sectors as healthcare, manufacturing, education, tech, investment and jewellery, the practice’s full offering covers the management of day-to-day matters, corporate governance, market entry, cross-border M&A, distribution and franchising agreements, and the free trade zone regime. Escalante, an experienced trade negotiator who has served as both Consul General of Costa Rica in Singapore and Ambassador of Costa Rica in Qatar, heads the team and specialises in civil and contractual law, commercial dispute resolution and real estate matters. Other key support is provided by corporate law specialist Sylvia Clark Escalante, who draws on a background as an in-house counsel and external consultant. Since the conclusion of research, the firm has merged with Guatemala's A. D. Sosa & Soto and rebranded as Tactic Legal as part of an ongoing process to become a regional player; the new entity also has offices in El Salvador and Honduras.

The corporate practice at COLBS Estudio Legal draws on the experience of its team to advise national and multinational corporates across such sectors as pharmaceuticals, hospitality, fintech, construction and chemicals on day-to-day matters and expansion into the Costa Rican marketplace. Sebastián Jiménez leads the team, bringing expertise t0 such matters as company incorporation, joint venture agreements, sale and leaseback transactions, the design of corporate structures and the free trade zone regime. Other figures of note include Edwin Rojas, a seasoned litigator who specialises in breaches of commercial agreements, civil liability, administrative law conflicts and real estate issues, and associate María Teresa Urpí Sevilla, who, in addition to the corporate arena, manages matters in the tax and banking and finance areas.