The powerhouse team at BLP remains a market leader, providing day-to-day advice to national and global corporates, including Amazon, Uber, Cargill and Airbnb, and assisting with complex, multi-jurisdictional M&A. Headed by David Gutiérrez, who divides his time between the San José and Madrid offices, and corporate structuring expert Adriana Castro, the group’s clients span such industries as tech, food, logistics, education, e-commerce and consumer products. Eduardo Calderón specialises in telecoms and media-related matters, working alongside Adelina Villalobos, who advises on the free trade zone. Additional support is provided by senior associate Adriana Acuña, who handles corporate governance matters, and director Elia Naranjo, who has expertise in contractual negotiations. José María Pacheco, a newly appointed special counsel experienced in cross-border M&A, joined the team from Sfera Legal in August 2022. Since publication the firm has opened a fourth office in Costa Rica, located in Marina Flamingo on the country's northwestern coast - effective as of January 2023.

Drawing on its regional bench strength in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua, Consortium Legal continues to be a force in the corporate practice area, advising major multinationals such as Walmart, Maersk and Fyffes on high-value transactions across the construction, food and beverages, and tourism sectors. The team is led by Rolando Laclé Castro, who brings 30 years of cross-border M&A and foreign investment experience to the team; Juan Manuel Godoy, who focuses on the energy sector and green projects; concessions and free trade zone expert David Reuben; and Juan Manuel Cordero, a specialist in real estate development. In addition, the practice’s comprehensive service extends to assistance with environmental planning and regulatory compliance. Value was added with the promotion of Daniel Rojas to senior associate in April 2022.

The corporate and M&A group at Aguilar Castillo Love continues to be a leader in the marketplace, advising multinationals such as Johnson & Johnson and Discovery/WarnerMedia on high-value, cross-border transactions. Led by foreign investment authority John Aguilar Quesada, the multidisciplinary team’s services extend to complex negotiations, antitrust matters and the detection of criminal risks. In addition, the firm is known for its work with Magic Circle firms, among them Linklaters LLP and Slaughter and May. Esteban Agüero Guier, former head of the Costa Rican government’s international investment and trade disputes department, handles major share transfers and capital increases for clients across the medical device, entertainment, manufacturing, health, and food and beverages sectors. Other key personnel include corporate compliance and investigations specialist Tatiana Rojas Hernández; Marco Solano, who brings his banking and finance skill set to multi-jurisdictional M&A; and Andrea Sáenz, a free trade zone expert. Stephanie Howard Peña and Laura Rodríguez Amador provide key support at the associate level.

Following its 2021 merger with firms in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to create a regional entity, Alta Batalla continues to be a leader in private equity and venture capital transactions. Led by Rodrigo Zelaya, an expert in advising on early-stage financings, the team assists multinationals (particularly in regulated industries including energy and telecoms), finance funds, investment advisers, family offices, and institutional and angel investors on cross-border M&A, fund formations and portfolio transactions. Mariano Batalla, a former innovation and entrepreneurship instructor at Harvard University, specialises in corporate compliance and the development of large-scale real estate projects. Value has been further added with the April 2022 hiring of Mariana Castro , the former president of Costa Rica’s competition authority COPROCOM, as senior counsel for the corporate and M&A team and co-head of the competition law practice.

Fresh off advising Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica on the $538m sale of its regional operations (coordinating the Costa Rican side of the transaction), the team at Arias remains a leader in M&A, assisting major multinationals with multi-jurisdictional deals, in addition to advising on day-to-day operations. Andrey Dorado, who is experienced in due diligence processes and contract negotiation, leads the team along with Melania Dittel, a key figure on energy sector matters; Vicente Lines, who builds market entry strategies for telecoms infrastructure and service providers; M&A expert Víctor MI Garita; and international trade authority (and former consul for the Costa Rican Consulate General in New York) Carlos Camacho. Diego Gallegos, a project and asset finance specialist, provides support with political risk mitigation.

Backed by deep regional bench strength, with eight offices in seven countries, the corporate team at CENTRAL LAW advises major multinationals including Hoffman La Roche, BT Global and Isuzu on day-to-day matters, corporate structures and multi-jurisdictional M&A. Founding partner Rafael Quiros Bustamante , who has over 30 years of experience in the practice area, leads the practice along with Tomas Quiros Jimenez , a transactional specialist assisting clients across the hospitality, retail, tech and food sectors, and real estate expert Mauricio Quirós González . Key support is provided by IP director Ricardo Rodríguez Valderrama  and associate Gian María Berello .

With offices in 17 countries spanning Central America, Europe and Asia, and working relationships with Magic Circle firms such as Clifford Chance LLP, the corporate and M&A group at ECIJA utilises its deep bench strength to advise global corporates such as Pfizer and Upjohn on day-to-day operations and high-value, cross-border transactions, with expertise across the energy, software, tech, real estate and pharmaceuticals sectors. Corporate structure Guillermo Zúniga, who has led the practice for over 20 years, recently assisted pharmaceutical giant Sanofi with a distribution agreement, entailing negotiations with 22 distributors in 20 countries throughout the region. Real estate specialist Mercedes Sancho advises NGOs and foundations seeking to establish a Costa Rican presence, such as US-based Operation Underground Railroad, which combats human trafficking. Key support is provided by experienced associate Monserrat Soto Roig.

The multi-disciplinary corporate and M&A group at regional firm EY Law Central America coordinates with its real estate and finance teams to advise local and multinational corporates involved in complex, cross-border transactions. Led by corporate law authority Hernán Pacheco and free trade zone specialist Fernando Vargas Winiker, the team’s comprehensive service includes distribution and franchise agreements, joint ventures and restructuring. Real estate practice co-head Alejandro Antillón brings his expertise to assisting hospitality chains and developers.  Key support is provided by senior managers Ana Sáenz, an experienced economist, and Jurgen Nanne Koberg, who manages due diligence processes across multiple jurisdictions.

BG&A Abogados Corporativos advises investors, creditors, multinationals (including Holcim, Mexichem and Telefónica), directors and shareholders on market entry, company formation, complex negotiations, asset sales, due diligence and M&A. The team is headed by founding partner and veteran corporate litigator Benjamín Gutiérrez, and supported by senior associate María Gabriela Monge and associate Nicole Damha, both education law specialists. Its client base spans the sports, construction, consumer goods and real estate sectors.

Dentons Muñoz utilises the bench strength of its regional network of seven offices in six countries and its bespoke Dentons Direct cloud system (which streamlines case tracking) to advise national and multinational corporates such as Western Union, GSK and Merck on day-to-day operations, complex restructurings and multi-jurisdictional transactions. Headed by Tatiana Reuben, Jennifer González, who joined the firm in September 2021 from an in-house role, and Eduardo Zúñiga, a specialist in hospitality, real estate and project development, the corporate, M&A and compliance team advises clients across the life sciences, retail, energy, financial services and automotive sectors.

The corporate practice at Facio & Cañas provides a one-stop shop for major multinationals engaged in high-value, cross-border M&A. The team’s comprehensive service covers regulatory compliance, corporate governance, complex contract negotiations, due diligence and advice on market entry. Led by Federico Rucavado, an expert in business structuring and free trade zone regime matters, veteran litigator and arbitrator Carlos J. Oreamuno, managing partner Sergio Solera, and Edgar Odio (who brings over 25 years' experience advising on foreign investment to the table), the practice’s clients span the tech, pharmaceuticals, hardware, medical, and food and beverages sectors. Added value arrived with senior associate Mariela Solano  from Vector Legal in June 2021.

At Lang & Asociados, the experienced corporate group specialises in advising major multinationals such as Microsoft and Mastercard on their expansion into the Costa Rican market under the free trade zone regime. Headed by Henry Lang, a foreign investment authority with over 30 years in the corporate arena, the team provides the full range of services, assisting clients with share transfer agreements, insurance matters, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. With clients spanning the software development, medical devices, food, fitness, digital services and real estate sectors, the team is supported by Milena Jaikel, a consultant to free trade zone government entities on changes to the regime, and Juan Carlos Cersosimo, whose expertise ranges from corporate restructuring and M&A to data privacy and protection.

The corporate team at Nassar Abogados utilises a strong regional presence to advise major multinationals across the aviation, pharmaceuticals, retail and telecoms sectors. Multi-jurisdictional M&A and day-to-day corporate affairs expert Tomás Nassar J.  (whose clients include Visa and Phoenix Tower International) heads the team, along with Henry Rodríguez, who is experienced in the negotiation of commercial contracts and international lending operations. Key support is provided by senior partner and aviation and maritime transport authority Tomás Nassar P.  (who represents household names IBM and General Motors) and Alina Nassar , a specialist in administrative procedures before the competition authority. Senior associate Alejandro Vargas  has expertise in market entry and franchise and distribution issues. Added value arrived with associate Rebeca Alvarado , who joined from Vector Legal in July 2021.

Coordinating with offices in New York, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, the team at Sfera Legal assists national and multinational companies, including Dell, Philip Morris International and Sony, on high-value, cross-border transactions. Led by Eric Scharf, who advises on M&A, due diligence and the formation of public-private corporations, the group’s clients span the hospitality, pharmaceutical, insurance, finance, tobacco and tech industries. Founding partners Rafael Canas Coto and Robert Van Der Putten bring decades of experience in the practice area, with key support provided by Andrea Martín Jiménez, a specialist in regulatory compliance. At associate level, Mariana Castro, who handles antitrust matters, and Camila Rodríguez, who advises on corporate structures, are the names to note.

Formed by former COLBS Estudio Legal partner Javier Escalante  after he and Sebastián Jiménez split their practices in September 2021, Tactic Estudio Legal provides comprehensive services to major multinationals such as LafargeHolcim and Rubicon Water, ranging from the management of day-to-day corporate matters to the design of corporate structures, distribution and franchising agreements, the free trade zone regime, multi-jurisdictional M&A and market entry strategy. Escalante, an experienced trade negotiator who has served as both Consul General of Costa Rica in Singapore and Ambassador of Costa Rica in Qatar, leads the team, advising clients across the mining, construction, fintech, financial services, retail and medical device sectors. Key support is provided by team of associates who followed Escalante to his new firm, including contractual development specialist Andrés Herrera  and corporate governance and IP expert Karla Villalobos . In 2022, the team was also joined by associate Sylvia Clark-Escalante , a specialist in corporate law with a focus on advising transnational companies.

The corporate practice at COLBS Estudio Legal, led by founding partner and transactional strategist Sebastián Jiménez, has experience in such complex matters as company incorporation, the design of corporate structures, joint venture agreements and the free trade zone regime. With key support provided by senior associate Alejandra Arguedas, a specialist in tax and customs matters, the team advises clients across a broad range of sectors, including hospitality, pharmaceuticals, fintech, construction and retail.

The experienced team at Oller Abogados advises national and multinational corporates throughout the region on contracts, company incorporation, market entry, free trade zones, corporate restructurings and cross-border M&A. With a client base covering sectors from food and energy to health and finance, the group is anchored by corporate law director and experienced arbitrator Pedro Oller and Ricardo Vargas, who is also litigation practice head, with support from associates Yaliam Jaime, a restructuring specialist, and Andrés Mercado, who handles public works concessions and administrative proceedings.

The multidisciplinary team at Zürcher, Odio & Raven provides clients with a comprehensive range of corporate services, from contract negotiations and corporate governance to strategy development and trade secrets matters. Alberto Raven-Odio is the key contact.