Law & notary
Advice, consulting and litigation across nine legal practice areas, with in house notarial services that give legal certainty to every transaction.
We also handle: immigration law, traffic law and specialized litigation.
Corporate law
Regulation of business and commercial activity: the formation, operation, restructuring and dissolution of companies, and their relationships with shareholders and other stakeholders.
- Due diligence
- Incorporation of companies, corporations, associations and foundations
- Corporate mergers and acquisitions
- Registry of Transparency and Beneficial OwnersFiled with the Central Bank of Costa Rica.
- Registration of trade names and trademarks
- Compliance assessmentsCommercial, civil and criminal regulations.
- Corporate governanceCorporate governance codes, anti-corruption assessment and prevention.
- Civil and commercial contractsDrafting, review and negotiation.
- Debt collection and civil liabilityStrict and fault-based liability proceedings.
- Board of directors supportTechnical and legal reports.
Corporate transactions & technology
We support companies and investors in complex transactions, combining legal analysis with business objectives, in Costa Rica and in international operations.
- Technology agreementsSaaS, software licensing and technology services.
- International mergers and acquisitions and technology transactions
- Commercial agreements and strategic partnershipsIncluding revenue-sharing arrangements.
- Corporate governance
- Data privacy and cybersecurity
- Regulatory compliance
- Contracting processes and templatesFor operations across multiple jurisdictions.
Labor law
Labor compliance and defense so your company operates within the law and keeps a harmonious workplace.
- Employment contractsDrafting, review and updates.
- Internal work regulations
- Labor complianceWages, working hours, vacation, year-end bonus (aguinaldo) and dismissals.
- Labor compliance assessments
- Labor dispute resolution
- Public employmentAppointments and disciplinary proceedings.
- Solidarity associations (asociaciones solidaristas)
- Labor litigationBefore the Ministry of Labor and the labor courts.
Administrative & municipal law
Advice and representation for individuals and companies in their dealings with the State, ministries, municipalities and public bodies, from administrative proceedings to administrative litigation and public procurement through SICOP.
- Administrative managementWe handle your case directly before ministries, municipalities and public bodies to reach a prompt solution.
- Administrative proceedingsManagement and support in proceedings before the Public Administration.
- Defense in disciplinary proceedingsInvestigations, administrative inquiries and application of the Civil Service Statute and the municipal regime.
- Administrative litigationWhen a case calls for the courts, we design the strategy and take it before the Administrative Litigation Courts.
- Specialized adviceRepresentation in matters before the State, with constant updates on regulatory changes.
- Public procurement
- Strategic advice on SICOPReview of tender documents, compliance with technical and legal requirements, and preparation of competitive bids.
- Participation in tendersStrategy for your company to compete for and win public contracts.
- Defense and litigationRepresentation in appeals and administrative litigation.
- Urban planning and municipal
- Urban and tourism projectsSupport before municipalities, INVU and ICT. Specialists in the Maritime Terrestrial Zone, marinas and the Papagayo Law.
- Permits and approvalsBuilding permits, land use, plan approvals, business licenses and municipal authorizations.
- Representation before municipalities and INVUAppeals and challenges to administrative acts.
Insurance law
Regulation of insurance contracts, the rights of policyholders and insurance activity, under the Insurance Contract Law and the supervision of SUGESE.
- Contract advicePolicy review, analysis of coverage, exclusions and the duty to disclose risk.
- Claims managementFiling and negotiation of claims, challenges to denials.
- LitigationBreach of contract, late indemnity payments and contractual liability of insurers.
- Corporate insurance lawDesign of insurance programs, risk audits and SUGESE compliance.
- Specialized insuranceProperty, life and health, liability, cyber risk and motor.
Intellectual property
Protection and valuation of intangible assets: trademarks, patents, designs, copyright and new technologies, aligning legal strategy with business goals and international expansion.
- IP contracts and business
- Trademark, patent and software licensesDrafting and negotiation.
- Technology and know-how transfer
- Confidentiality and R&D agreements
- Commercialization and franchising
- Image and broadcasting rightsTelevision and image rights agreements.
- Portfolio, registrations and litigation
- Portfolio and registrationsFeasibility studies, registration, renewal and monitoring of trademarks, patents, designs and copyright, locally and internationally.
- Technology and the digital economyProtection of software, databases, websites and multimedia works, and e-commerce compliance.
- LitigationDefense of IP rights and unfair competition matters before administrative and judicial courts.
- Global managementCoordination of registrations across multiple jurisdictions.
Family law
Regulation of the relationships and rights among family members: marriage, divorce, custody, adoption, parental authority, filiation, inheritance and protection of vulnerable persons.
- Mediation and child support proceedings
- Family contact arrangements
- Paternity, filiation, parental authority and adoption
- Protective measures under the Domestic Violence LawIncluding the Law on the Criminalization of Violence against Women.
- Protection of children, adolescents and older adults
- Safeguarding proceedings
- Divorce and judicial separationRecognition of de facto unions.
- Early division of marital property
- Civil marriages and prenuptial agreements
Wealth and succession planning; family businesses
At Five Stones we coordinate the legal, financial and wealth aspects under a single approach, to protect and pass on your family's wealth with confidentiality and a long term view.
- Wealth and corporate structures
- Tax planning and regulatory compliance
- Succession and legacySuccession plans, family protocols, wills, trusts and family governance.
- Consolidated accounting and reporting
- Real estate and insurance management
- Coordination with investment advisors
Who it is for
Families and business owners whose wealth includes companies, real estate, investments or assets in several countries.
This practice area works together with our Accounting & finance and Real estate pillars.
Notarial & registry law
Notarial authentication and legal certainty for contracts and legal acts, with registration in the corresponding official registries.
- Core services
- Transfers of assetsSales, transfers of vehicles and real estate, subdivisions.
- Collateral and encumbrancesCreation, amendment and cancellation of mortgages, pledges and usufructs.
- Notarial family lawCivil marriages, divorce by mutual consent and prenuptial agreements.
- Estate planningWills and probate, testate or intestate.
- Powers of attorney and notarial recordsGeneral or special powers of attorney, notarial records, authentications and sworn statements.
- Registry searchesVerification of the legal status of assets, liens and preventive annotations.
- Civil RegistryPetitions, corrections of entries and name changes.
- Formation of entitiesCorporations (S.A.), limited liability companies, sports entities, associations and foundations.
- Special services
- Service of process abroad
- Corporate mergers and acquisitions
- Condominium and trust formation
Escrow: custody of funds in guarantee
For real estate transactions, especially with foreign buyers, we recommend channeling the operation through a licensed escrow company registered with SUGEF.
It is a neutral, independent third party that holds the purchase funds until every condition agreed in the contract (due diligence, transfer, permits, etc.) has been fully met. This way, neither the buyer nor the seller has access to the money until the transaction closes securely, ensuring transparency and legal certainty for both parties.
What is escrow and why do we recommend it?
It is the safest way to buy in Costa Rica. Instead of transferring money directly to the seller, your money is deposited in a secure escrow account. The money is released to the seller only once the property is legally registered in your name. Zero risk.
Full details of the process and its costs in the Real estate section.
Associate attorneys
Every practice area has dedicated professionals.
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Attorney admitted to practice in New York and the Commonwealth of Virginia, with extensive experience advising businesses on complex corporate transactions, commercial agreements, technology licensing, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and strategic business initiatives. With a background in Costa Rican law, she applies her international experience within the Costa Rican legal context. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Career. Associate at Alston & Bird LLP in Washington, D.C., in business law, communications and internet law, corporate and finance, energy and sustainability, technology, and telecommunications policy and regulation. She has held senior legal positions, including General Counsel at FrontStream Holdings and Senior Corporate Counsel at Kroll LLC and Edifecs, partnering with executive leadership, boards of directors, and sales, finance and human resources teams to negotiate strategic agreements, manage legal risk and support business growth.
Experience. Domestic and international agreements involving SaaS, software licensing, technology services, vendor relationships, strategic partnerships and revenue-sharing arrangements; mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, intellectual property, real estate transactions, employment matters, data privacy and cybersecurity. She has developed contracting processes and templates for operations across multiple jurisdictions, and initiatives to reduce legal exposure while improving business performance.
Education. Juris Doctor, cum laude, Autonomous University of Central America (UACA). Two Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees from The George Washington University, in Intellectual property Law and in International and Comparative Law.
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