Outside general counsel for companies in Costa Rica.
Bilingual outside general counsel for foreign-owned, regulated and growing companies operating in Costa Rica. One senior lawyer learns the business and advises on contracts, employment, governance, public procurement and regulatory risk before problems become expensive disputes.
30+ years in Costa Rica
Bilingual · English / Spanish
Former Legal Director · RECOPE (Costa Rica's state-owned fuel company)
Legal risk appears every week, not only when a lawsuit arrives.
A contract, dismissal, board decision, permit or government-client issue can create exposure long before a company would call a litigator. Outside general counsel gives management a known decision-maker who understands the operation, keeps priorities moving and can identify when a specialist or formal proceeding is actually needed.
A legal function built around the company's real decisions.
Contracts and negotiations
01Review, draft and negotiate commercial agreements, supplier terms, leases, powers and recurring documents with clear decision points for management.
Employment and internal process
02Hiring and termination questions, disciplinary files, policies, executive issues and preventive documentation before a dispute reaches court.
Governance and regulation
03Corporate records, board and shareholder decisions, permits, regulated-sector questions and coordination of local compliance.
Public-sector and disputes
04Tender questions, government contracts, administrative claims and early dispute strategy, with separate scopes for major proceedings when needed.
For companies that need judgment more often than they need litigation.
The model works best when management has recurring legal decisions but a full internal department would be disproportionate.
Foreign-owned companies
Costa Rican operations that need bilingual advice and reporting to owners or counsel abroad.
Regulated businesses
Energy, infrastructure and other operations where permits, agencies and public law shape commercial decisions.
Government suppliers
Companies with recurring SICOP bids and public contracts that need preventive review.
Growing businesses
Management teams adding employees, contracts and complexity without an in-house lawyer.
A relationship that becomes faster and more valuable over time.
- 01
Legal and operational intake: management priorities, contracts, workforce, regulators and recurring decision points.
- 02
Written monthly scope, response expectations, fee and clear boundaries for extraordinary projects or litigation.
- 03
Priority review of the highest-risk contracts, employment files and corporate or regulatory gaps.
- 04
Ongoing advice and concise reporting so management and overseas stakeholders know what is pending and why it matters.
What is outside general counsel?
Outside general counsel gives a company ongoing access to a senior lawyer who learns the business and advises before decisions become disputes. The relationship is usually defined by a monthly retainer and a written scope covering recurring legal work.
Which companies benefit most from this model?
It is especially useful for foreign-owned businesses, regulated companies, government suppliers and growing companies that face recurring contracts, employment or compliance decisions but do not yet need a full internal legal department.
What can the monthly scope include?
The scope may include contract review and drafting, employment matters, corporate governance, regulatory questions, public procurement, management consultations and coordination with accountants or specialist counsel. It is tailored to the company's volume and risk profile.
Does the retainer include litigation?
Routine preventive work is included according to the agreed scope. Litigation, major transactions and extraordinary projects are normally scoped separately, while the existing relationship reduces ramp-up time because the business and its records are already known.
Can you report to a parent company outside Costa Rica?
Yes. Advice, matter reporting and decision memos can be provided in English to owners, boards or regional counsel abroad, while local filings and representation are handled in Costa Rica.
Give management a lawyer who already knows the business.
Tell me how the Costa Rican operation works, what decisions recur and where management currently loses time or carries avoidable risk.
Discuss outside counsel