Coordinating with seven offices in six countries across Central America, the team at Arias employs regional strength to manage and safeguard the intellectual property of major global corporates (including Bayer). Bolstered by the July 2021 arrival of regulatory compliance expert and new practice co-head María Del Pilar López from Zürcher IP (where she held the same position), along with senior associate María José Campos (a specialist in the fashion, food chains and tech sectors) and associate Desirée Barahona (who brings expertise in personal data protection matters), the group’s comprehensive service covers litigation and enforcement, brand management, licensing and the development of registration strategies for copyrights, trade marks, trade names, slogans and patents. The team is co-headed by veteran patent prosecutor Simón Valverde and biotech patent authority Luis Diego Castro, with support from senior associate Ariana Lizano, who develops market entry strategies for food and consumer products industry clients, and associate Valeria Grant, who focuses on patent registration procedures.

With offices in San José, Puntarenas and Guanacaste, and six other locations across Latin America and Europe, the powerhouse intellectual property group at BLP remains a market leader, leveraging the bench strength of its network and the experience of its team to advise major global corporates such as Microsoft, Sony and Netflix on the management, licensing and enforcement of their international portfolios. Led by Giselle Reuben (an expert in copyright, trade mark and anti-counterfeiting litigation), the group’s full service extends to complex patent prosecutions, cross-border registration reports, the seizure of counterfeit goods, third-party infringements and the assignment of rights. Uri Weinstok and senior associate León Weinstok bring expertise in data protection matters, representing clients in breaches and assisting with assessment and compliance programmes. Key support is provided by associate Anel Aguilar, a specialist in trade mark filing strategies. With a client base spanning such industries as pharmaceuticals, tech and food, the practice has seen a recent rise in activity in the cannabis sector.

Co-ordinating with its offices in Central America and the Caribbean, the experienced team at IP boutique Eproint provides a comprehensive service to major global brands including Aston Martin and Procter and Gamble, developing strategies for portfolio management, regional expansion, patent protection, complex registrations and IP litigation. Led by founding partner Aaron Montero, who serves as the ambassador of intellectual property of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and anti-piracy and counterfeiting specialist Gabriela Bodden, the practice remains active in the entertainment, pharmaceuticals, cannabis, tobacco and food, and automotive sectors.

Consortium Legal employs the deep bench strength of offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua to manage and protect the intellectual property of major corporations and financial institutions in the national, regional and global markets. Headed by senior associate Fabiola Saenz (a specialist in the food and beverages, finance and cosmetics sectors), the team utilises market surveillance and monitoring to provide comprehensive copyright and trade mark infringement assessments. With a full service that extends to complex filings, renewals, and copyright, patent and trade mark prosecution and regulatory matters, the practice maintains an active client base across the telecoms, health, tobacco and packaging sectors.

With offices across Costa Rica and in Central America, Europe and Asia, the intellectual property group at ECIJA employs deep bench strength and its Virtual ECIJA meeting platform to manage and safeguard the trade marks, copyrights and patents of its national and multinational clients. Led by senior associate Monserrat Soto Roig, the team provides a full service, from managing day-to-day contractual matters (including image rights, work-for-hire agreements, and trade mark and software licences) to advising on regulatory compliance, conflict resolution, sponsorships, advertising and privacy protection. The group maintains a client base of household names spanning such industries as pharmaceuticals, fashion, consumer goods and software.

The intellectual property group at regional firm EY Law Central America coordinates with eight offices in seven countries (including the March 2022 opening of a Pacific coast office in the Guanacaste province) to manage the portfolios of local and international corporates and protect their IP rights, advising on administrative procedures and trade mark protection strategies and handling infringement disputes and anti-counterfeiting litigation. Department head Roxana Cordero Pereira is the key contact.

Faycamark, the intellectual property division of Facio & Cañas, advises multinational corporates on a diverse spectrum of matters related to copyright, patents, trade marks, trade secrets and regulatory law. Led by managing partner and IP authority Milagro Chaves and newly promoted senior associate and life sciences specialist Laura Valverde, the team’s services include strategic portfolio management, due diligence, anti-counterfeiting strategy and complex infringement litigation. In addition, the practice provides support to domestic and international franchisers and distributors on licensing and merchandising ventures. A go-to firm for global brands including Jack Daniel’s, the team maintains strength in the cosmetics, apparel, tech, and food and beverages sectors, while developing its practice in pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices.

The experienced team at Lexincorp advises on administrative, criminal, civil and precautionary measures to protect the intellectual property portfolios of major multinationals in the telecoms, consumer products and pharmaceutical industries. The firm’s comprehensive service includes registrations and renewals, cancellations, oppositions and nullity actions. IP director Gabriela Miranda is the key contact. Founding partner Arnoldo André Tinoco is currently serving in the cabinet of newly elected president Rodrigo Chaves as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship.

The team at boutique firm MMonivation is experienced in advising multinationals, regional companies and start-ups on the protection and management of their trade marks, patents, copyrights and sanitary registrations. Led by Ana Catalina Monge, an expert in the IP aspects of cross-border transactions and a former head of the Patent of Invention Government Office, the practice’s full service includes contracts, registration procedures, cancellations and refusals, assignments, litigation and due diligence. With support from senior associate and former Trademark Registry examiner Andrés Hernandez, who brings over 30 years' experience in the practice area to the team, the group coordinates with agent firms in Central America, South America and the Caribbean to assist clients in the automotive, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food and beverages industries.

The seasoned group at Nassar Abogados manages and safeguards the IP portfolios for national and multinational household names including Delta Air Lines and Pernod Ricard (which owns the Absolut, Chivas Regal, Havana Club and Jameson brands). Led by Tomás Nassar J. and Guillermo Rodríguez, an IP enforcement specialist, the practice provides comprehensive support in patent and trade mark infringement litigation and contract and regulatory matters. Supported by María Lupita Quintero, who leads on the IP aspects of multi-jurisdictional transactions, the team has strength in the manufacturing, automotive, aviation and pharmaceutical sectors.

Formed by former COLBS Estudio Legal partner Javier Escalante after he and Sebastián Jiménez split their practices in September 2021, Tactic Estudio Legal offers a comprehensive service for the management and protection of the intellectual property of major multinationals. Led by Escalante, a veteran trade negotiator who has served as both Consul General of Costa Rica in Singapore and Ambassador of Costa Rica in Qatar, the team assists with cross-border sanitary registrations and trade mark matters, trade mark surveillance and regulatory compliance. Supported by experienced associate Karla Villalobos, who joined the firm with Escalante, the group’s clients include key players in the mining, construction, beauty, healthcare, tech, agriculture, and food and beverages sectors. In addition, the firm advises on such emerging areas as data protection, cannabis and blockchain.

Boutique firm Zürcher IP employs state-of-the-art tech tools (such as trade mark surveillance systems) and the experience of its team to advise global brands on the protection and management of their international intellectual property portfolios. Headed by director and partner Marco Lopez  (who was promoted in July 2021) and coordinator and senior attorney Kristel Faith  (who joined the team in August 2021 from BDO CO), the group’s service covers high-stakes litigation, anti-counterfeiting actions, sanitary registrations, consumer protection and advertising issues, antitrust matters and franchising, as well as cybersecurity and data protection. In addition to the hospitality and tourism sectors, where senior partner Harry Zürcher provides expertise, the firm’s clients span the finance, tech, food, consumer products, life sciences and entertainment industries.