Fernan Vargas

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1933
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: fvargas@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1961)
• Universidad de Madrid, Spain (Law Degree, 1958)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1964-2006)
• Ambassador, Embassy of Costa Rica in Taiwan (1959-1962)
• Minister, Embassy of Costa Rica in Paris (1958-1959)
• Chargé d’ Affaires, Embassy of Costa Rica in Madrid (1958)

Publications:

“Costa Rican Labor Law”
“Investments for Foreigners in Costa Rica”

Languages:

Spanish, English and French

Practice Areas:

Banking Law, Civil Law, Commercial Law, International Law

Miguel Ruiz

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1949
Telephone: (506) 2201-0301
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: mruiz@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• University of Louvain, Brussels (1980)
• Academie du Droit International, The Hague, Caracas Seance (1975)
• New York University, New York (LL.M., 1973)
• Amsterdam University, The Netherlands (Graduate Courses, 1972)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1971)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)
• Fundación Caatec (Co-Founder and Comptroller, 2000-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1982-2002)
• Costa Rican Export and Investment Center (Executive Director, 1980-1982)
• Costa Rican Representative before European Economic Community (1978-1980)
• The World Bank, Washington, D.C. (Legal Counsel, 1976-1978)
• Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro, San Francisco (1973-1974)

Languages:

Spanish, English and French

Practice Areas:

Agency and Distributorship, International Arbitration, Banks and Banking, Business Law, Corporate Law, Hotel and Resort Development

Carlos M. Arrea

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1956
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: carrea@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1991)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)
• Guardia, Cubero & Facio, Costa Rica (1996-2002)
• KPMG Legal Services, Costa Rica (1992-1996)

Member:

Vice President of the Board of Directors, Costa Rican Railway Institute (1990-1992)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Foreign Investment, Corporate Law, Energy Law, Infrastructure, Privatization and Concessions

Claudio Quirós

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1950
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: cquiros@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1977)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Fundación de Cooperación Estatal (FUSE) (Legal Counsel, 1991-1998)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1977-2006)

Member:

• Member of the Board of Directors, Banco Cuscatlán de Honduras, S. A. (2005-2008)
• Member of the Board of Directors, Administradora de Fondo de Pensiones Confía, S. A. (2004-2008)
• Member of the Board of Directors, Corporación UBC Internacional, S. A. (2003-2008)
• Member of the Board of Directors, Almacenes Bancarios Unidos (2000-2003)
• Member of the Board of Directors, Banco Cuscatlán de Costa Rica, S. A. (1998-2008)
• Puesto de Bolsa Interbolsa (Chief Legal Counsel and Board Member 1990-1996)
• Banco Fincomer (Chief Legal Counsel and Board Member 1990-1996)
• Member of the Board of Directors, Acorde (1986-1990)
• Fiduciaria de Inversiones Transitorias Fintra (Legal Counsel, 1985-1998, Statutory Auditor 1993-1998)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking Law, Foreign Investment

Alvaro Lara

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1943
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: alara@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1969)
• University of Minnesota, Minnesota (BA in History, Science and Politics, 1964)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1977-2006)

Languages:

Spanish, English and French

Practice Areas:

Civil Law, Commercial Law

Mario Gutiérrez

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1947
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: mgutierrez@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• ILO Italy, Italy (Labor Relations, 1982)
• Organización Iberoamericana de Seguridad Social, Madrid (Graduate Courses, 1979)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1972)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2008-present)
• Labor Consultancy Group, Costa Rica (2000-2008)
• Gutierrez & Asociados (1974-2000)
• Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) (Legal Counsel in charge of the Labor Department, 1973-1982)
• Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) (Deputy Manager of the Legal Department, 1970-1972)

Faculty Experience:

Professor, Employment Law and Social Security System, Universidad Nacional y Universidad de Costa Rica (1979-1984)

Member:

Founding Member of the Costa Rican Employment Law Association

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Employment Law, Employment Litigation, Labor Law, Management Labor Law, Occupational Hazzard Prevention

Jorge M. Ulloa

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1955
Telephone: (506) 2201-0321
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: julloa@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1983)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2004-present)
• Bufete Ulloa Maduro, Costa Rica (1994-2004)
• Bufete Robles Laclé, Costa Rica (1981-1994)
• Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) (Legal Counsel, 1978-1985)
• Bufete Martén, Jiménez & Guillén, Costa Rica (1975-1978)

Languages:

Spanish

Practice Areas:

Civil Law, Real Estate, Contracts, Corporate Law

Adolfo García

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1961
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: agarcia@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Collegium Academicum, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1986)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Bufete Echeverría, Costa Rica (2005-2006)
• Bufete Esquivel & Asociados (1999-2005)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1989-1999)
• Bufete Guier-Serrano-Guier (1986-1989)

Publications:

“Costa Rican Labor Law”
“Investments for Foreigners in Costa Rica”

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Commercial Law, Litigation, Real Estate, Tourism

Jorge D. Guzmán

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1968
Telephone: (506) 2201-0420
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: jguzman@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Georgetown University, School of Business, Washington, D.C. (International Finance and Global Markets Certificate Program, 1997)
• Harvard Law School, Cambridge (Program of Instruction for Lawyers, Negotiation Workshop and courses, 1996)
• American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. (LL.M., 1996)
• Tulane University, New Orleans (Course of Legal English, 1995)
• Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica (UACA). Collegium Academicum, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1993)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2005-present)
• Pacheco Coto, Costa Rica (1998-2005)
• Serrano & Asociados, Costa Rica (1994-1995)
• Zürcher, Odio & Raven, Costa Rica (1989-1994)

Member:

Board of Directors, Amcham’s Center for Mediation and Arbitration (2004-present)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Commercial Law, Contracts, Corporate, Real Estate, Mergers and Acquisitions

Luis E. Sibaja

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1973
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: lsibaja@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Universidad de Salamanca, Spain (Postgraduate Degree in International Private Law, 2002)
• American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. (LL.M., 1998)
• Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1996)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Business School, Costa Rica (Certificate in International Business and Trade, 1996)
• Tulane University, New Orleans (Course of Legal English, 1995)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1999-2002)

Publications:

“Aliens in Costa Rica and International Law”

Faculty Experience:

Professor of International Trade Law and Conflict of Laws, Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (1999-2006)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

International Business Law, International Trade Law, Conflict of Laws, Local and International Litigation and Arbitration

Mario Quirós

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1973
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: mquiros@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Universidad Latina, Costa Rica (MBA Banking and Finance, 2000)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1996)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1992-2006)

Member:

• Board of Directors, Polaris Energy Corp. (2005-present)
• Board of Directors, Codisa Software Corp. (2002-present)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Foreign Investment, International Banking Law

Julio Zelaya

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1973
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: jzelaya@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Master in Securities Law, 2001)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1998)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)
• Guardia, Cubero & Facio, Costa Rica (1996-2002)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Hydroelectricity, Energy Project Development, Corporate Law, Banking Law, Privatizations, Concessions, Government Procurement

Roxana Villalobos

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1971
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: rvillalobos@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 1999)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Bufete Echeverría, Costa Rica (2005-2006)
• Bufete Esquivel & Asociados (1999-2005)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1994-1999)

Languages:

Spanish.

Practice Areas:

Commercial Law, Real Estate, Notarial Law

Adriana Calvo

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1978
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail:acalvo@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (PH.D in Commercial Law Candidate, 2006-)
• Legal-Ease International, Costa Rica (Legal English, 2005)
• Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2002)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Intellectual Property, Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Trust Law

Sebastián jiménez

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1977
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: sjimenez@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• London School of Economics, London (LL.M., 2007)
• Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Tax Specialist, 2004)
• Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2002)
• ULACIT, Costa Rica (BA, 2000)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2005-present)
• Pacheco Coto, Costa Rica (1998-2005)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Business Law, Condominium Law, Real Estate Acquisitions, Telecommunications Law

Paola Gutiérrez

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1978
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: pgutierrez@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Cambridge ESOL - Instituto Británico. Costa Rica. (International Legal English Certificate, 2009).
• Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE). Madrid, Spain (Master in Human Resources Management, 2002)
• Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica (UACA). Collegium Academicum, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2000)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2008-present)
• Labor Consultancy Group (2002-2008)
• INTACO Costar Rica, S.A. (2006-2008)
• Coca Cola Femsa de Costa Rica (2006)
• Software Support, S.A. (2004-2006)
• Sara Lee Hanes Brands (2003-2004)
• Gutierrez & Asociados (1996-1999)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Labor and Employment Law, Employment Litigation, Human Resources Management, Occupational Hazzard Prevention

Cecilia Naranjo

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1972
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: cnaranjo@lexcounsel.com

Education:

ULACIT, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2005)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2002-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (1998-2002)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Commercial Law, Notarial Law

Manrique Quirós

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1982
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: manquiros@lexcounsel.com

Education:

Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2007)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2006-present)
• Vargas, Jiménez & Peralta, Costa Rica (2002-2006)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Real Estate, Corporate Law, Notarial Law

Federico Castro

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1984
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: fcastro@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• Imperial College, London (MBA, 2009)
• Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2007)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2005-present)

Publications:

“Bosques Costarricenses y Mercados de Carbono”

Languages:

Spanish English and German

Practice Areas:

Concessions, PPPs, Environmental Law, Corporate Law, Real Estate Acquisitions, Environmental Law, Climate Change Regulatory Framework

Jose Alfredo Campos

Born San José, Costa Rica, 1984
Telephone: (506) 2201-0300
Facsimile: (506) 2201-0412
e-mail: jcampos@lexcounsel.com

Education:

• University of Oregon, Oregon (Academic Legal English, 2008)
• Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica (Law Degree, 2007)

Experience:

• Lex Counsel, Costa Rica (2009-present)
• JD Cano, Costa Rica (2005-2008)

Languages:

Spanish and English

Practice Areas:

Immigration Law