Rising Stars

Firms To Watch: Tax

Formed in 2020 by Daniel Araya and his team from DentonsForza continues to grow, advising multinational corporates and start-ups on tax planning, transactional structuring and regulatory compliance, in addition to representing clients in administrative disputes.

Tax in Costa Rica

Consortium Legal

Consortium Legal's tax practice remains a force in the market, employing the deep bench strength of locations in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua to advise banks, non-bank lenders, and local and multinational corporates - including household names such as Colgate, Walmart and Chiquita - on a diverse spectrum of matters across the practice space. With a client base spanning such sectors as consumer goods, retail, food, media, building materials, logistics, and banking and finance, the firm’s comprehensive service extends to the tax aspects of high-value, cross-border transactions and major infrastructure projects (including toll roads and port concessions), transfer pricing, judicial and administrative litigation, tax compliance and customs processes. The team is led by Diego Salto, who brings over 28 years of experience to the tax space, transfer pricing expert Rafael Luna and tax litigation coordinator Anayansi Mora. Senior associate Felipe Guevara provides key support on customs processes and on high-value infrastructure projects.

Responsables de la pratique:

Diego Salto; Rafael Luna; Anayansi Mora


Les références

They have very good technical knowledge and are knowledgeable about tax laws.

They are always willing to support the needs of their clients. It is very easy to contact them and get a good response.

Anayansi Mora is very knowledgeable about tax matters.

Principaux clients

Colgate


Walmart


Cemex


Teletica


SPC


Cuestamoras


BAC


APM


SC Riesgo


Chiquita


Principaux dossiers


  • Provided Cemex Colombia with tax analysis and advice regarding the sale of its majority participation in Cemex Costa Rica and Cemex El Salvador to Cementos Progreso.
  • Assisted Colgate with two adjustments conducted by the Tax Administration.
  • Advising Walmart on all tax and customs matters derived from its daily operations, as well as on special projects.

Arias

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.

Responsables de la pratique:

Carolina Flores; Carlos Camacho


Les références

The great advantage that the Arias team has in its tax practice is its very high technical level, accompanied by impeccable customer service. In this way, Arias manages to analyse highly technical topics and transmit recommendations and answers in a simple, concise and effective way.

Ligia Alfaro is an exceptional lawyer who seeks innovative solutions while managing to provide the best service in tax practice in Costa Rica. Studious, analytical and with unmatched personal qualities.

The team are super knowledgeable and have a lot of experience. They are very technical, responsive and great writers.

Principaux clients

Telefónica


Micro


Principaux dossiers


  • Designed a tax strategy to install a services operation for Clearsource under the free trade zone regime, preparing all regulatory matters and completing the two-step complex approval process for the company.

EY Law Central America

The tax group at EY Law Central America leverages the bench strength of eight offices in seven countries (including the March 2022 opening of a Pacific Coast office in the Guanacaste province) to provide a comprehensive range of services to national and multinational corporates involved in high-value, cross-border transactions. Assisting with transfer pricing, business tax, international tax, tax policy and controversy, transaction tax and tax compliance reporting, the firm’s active client base spans the pharmaceuticals, beverages, logistics and apparel sectors. Rafael Sayagués, who is managing partner of the tax and legal practices in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic, brings expertise to such matters as corporate restructuring and reorganisations, the design and implementation of cross-border transactions and tax incentive systems. Other key figures include Juan Carlos Chavarría, who has over 25 years' experience in the practice area, advising clients on transfer pricing, tax modelling and international trade and tax incentive systems; Antonio Ruiz Rojas, who leads the transactional tax and tax controversy practice in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic, specialising in the tax due diligence aspects of cross-border deals; and indirect tax, customs and global trade director Carolina Palma, who manages matters relating to free trade zone structuring and compliance.

Responsables de la pratique:

Rafael Sayagués


Principaux clients

Destillers United Group (DUG)


Hapag-Lloyd


Laboratorios Stein


Principaux dossiers


  • Acted as lead counsel and tax adviser to Distillers United Grupo in the sale of the Ron Diplomático brand, production facilities and distribution to Browne Forman.
  • Advised Hapag-Lloyd on the Costa Rican tax implications of its $1bn acquisition of 100% of Chile-based SAAM marine terminal and logistics businesses.
  • Advised Laboratorio Stein on the tax aspects of the sale of its operations to Laboratorios Saval, a pharmaceutical company based in Chile.

Facio & Cañas

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.

Responsables de la pratique:

Adrián Torrealba; José María Oreamuno; Modesto Vargas; Erik Ramírez


Les références

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.

Principaux 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


Principaux dossiers


  • 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.

Aguilar Castillo Love

Leveraging the bench strength of 9 offices throughout the region, the team at Aguilar Castillo Love provides household-name multinationals (including Coca-Cola and Hewlett-Packard) with advice on the tax aspects of cross-border transactions and representation in contentious-administrative proceedings. With a client portfolio spanning such sectors as security, tech, food and beverages, and financial services, the firm’s comprehensive offering covers tax advice on M&A, joint ventures, real estate matters, restructurings and derivatives. In addition, the team assists with tax planning related to transfer pricing, advance pricing agreements and tax credits. Tax compliance expert José Pablo González heads the department, bringing extensive in-house experience (having served as Walmart’s tax counsel in Costa Rica).

Responsables de la pratique:

José Pablo González


Principaux clients

Hewlett-Packard


The Coca-Cola Company


Consorcio Nacional de Empresas de Electrificación de Costa Rica


Johnson Controls


Assa Abloy Costa Rica


Autostar


Moody’s


DLA Piper


Stryker


Seaboard Marine


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Hewlett-Packard in a contentious-administrative lawsuit against the Republic of Costa Rica following a tax determination and adjustment made by the Costa Rican Tax Administration.
  • Representing The Coca-Cola Company in two tax disputes at the administrative stage derived from audit procedures initiated by the Costa Rican Tax Administration.
  • Advised Johnson Controls on all tax aspects connected with international corporate transactions, including capitalisations, intercompany debt restructuring and the implementation of software licence agreements.

BLP

The tax team at BLP employs the combined bench strength of offices in San José, Puntarenas and Guanacaste, in addition to branches across Latin America and Europe, to represent domestic and multinational corporates involved in complex, cross-border disputes. With an active client base spanning such sectors as hospitality, digital services, aviation, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices, the practice’s comprehensive service covers tax litigation, tax consultancy, due diligence, asset planning and customs matters. Tax director Vittoria Di Gioacchino heads the team, specialising in international taxes and corporate structuring. Special counsel Luis Chacón brings over 30 years of tax litigation experience to the practice. Senior associate Isis Ulloa handles administrative and judicial tax litigation processes.

Responsables de la pratique:

Vittoria Di Gioacchino 


Les références

Knowledge, availability, integrity, creativity.

Always up to date on the relevant tax issues for foreign investors.

ECIJA

The tax team at ECIJA leverages the combined bench strength of offices in 17 countries spanning Central America, Europe and Asia (plus one in the metaverse) to provide national and international corporates including Coca-Cola FEMSA with comprehensive tax advisory services, covering tax contingencies analysis and planning and representation before administrative tribunals and in judicial proceedings. The practice’s active client base spans a broad range of sectors such as hospitality, real estate, energy and beverages. The team is headed by experienced litigator and arbitrator Mariela Hernández, who assists clients with tax adjustments and the annulment of fines on administrative contracts.

Responsables de la pratique:

Mariela Hernández


Les références

Knowledge in tax matters and clear and prompt responses.

The experience and knowledge of the team is unique. There is a solidity in the service and a clarity in the explanation of each situation, regulation, or action to take that gives you confidence in the advice received.

Mariela Hernández’ knowledge of tax matters is incredible.

Principaux clients

Union Fenosa Generadora La Joya


Ecodesarrollo Papagayo


Riteve


Rosvil de Grecia


Principaux dossiers


  • Successfully represented Union Fenosa Generadora La Joya in the annulment of a VAT adjustment, interests and penalties imposed in connection with the building and operation of a 50 MW hydroelectric plant.
  • Successfully disputed for Ecodesarrollo Papagayo the legality of the Municipality of Liberia’s intention to collect unlawful amounts in excess for royalties over the maritime zone, for the past several years.
  • Achieved a significant reduction in the amount Riteve is bound to pay the state for a lost tax lawsuit.

Sfera Legal

The tax group at Sfera Legal represents multinational corporates in high-stakes tax litigation, in addition to advising on such matters as international tax planning, tax compliance, family tax planning, tax policy, assisting with tax audits, and claims and petitions before the tax authorities. Key contacts include founding partner Eric Scharf, Andrea Martín Jiménez and Roberto Castillo.