Pacheco Coto

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Pacheco Coto (1939) is dean of Costa Rica’s law firms, acknowledged for the highest ethical tradition, distinctive international background and uppermost professional standards. Evaluators define it as “a high-octane operation with a superb and exceptionally qualified team, a highly coveted clientele, a second-to-none international network of offices and contacts and a historic reputation for excellence.”

Chambers & Partners Latin America Awards for Excellence designated Pacheco Coto ‘Best Law Firm of the Year – Costa Rica’ in 2009 and 2010. The firm received the Client Service Award 2011.

Acknowledged as the Costa Rican law firm with superior international trajectory transcending regional confines, Pacheco Coto provides comprehensive, sophisticated legal solutions in foreign jurisdictions to multinational clients, through its international offices in Switzerland and New Zealand. Pacheco Coto is the exclusive representative in Costa Rica of World Services Group, with associate legal firms in Central America, Panama, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean.

Pacheco Coto registers a prominent international clientele – including more than 36 Fortune 500 companies – that recognise its foremost expertise in diverse branches of the law.

Main international areas of practice

International asset planning: Since 1972, one of Pacheco Coto’s premium fortes has been international corporate, tax and estate planning. Its major-league experts provide comprehensive, sophisticated solutions to multinational clients in cross-border transactions worldwide, specialising in international trusts and other structures that reduce tax impact on global holdings, provide asset protection and ensure optimal transfer of succession wealth. International evaluators list senior partner Humberto Pacheco A as ‘Star Performer’ in the international asset planning – tax category.

Business & corporate law: Pacheco Coto’s specialists provide advanced solutions in local and cross border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate restructuring, project finance, distributorship, agency and franchise agreements, civil and commercial contracts, free zone, antitrust and consumer law, international trade and insurance, design/implementation of direct foreign investment strategies.

Real estate and hospitality: The division handles a vast range of real estate transactions, from residential and commercial condominium projects to the most complex and innovative developments in Costa Rica – including the major international brands of the hospitality industry – advising developers requiring progressive legal counsel. With in-depth understanding of real estate legislation and the local market, they have spearheaded changes in obsolete laws, generating legislation suitable to current market needs.

Intellectual property: This division handles all aspects of intellectual property, including patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright law; prosecution, registration and enforcement of rights before national and international bureaux; franchise, licence and technology transfer agreements, food and drug related agencies and e-commerce. Its attorneys have an outstanding record of achievements in trademark anti-counterfeit and unfair competition cases, obtaining landmark convictions under current IP enforcement laws.

Dispute resolution: This division’s attorneys handle complex civil, commercial, constitutional, administrative, labour and criminal matters, and mediation and arbitration as legal counsel and neutrals listed in the foremost arbitration and conciliation centres.

Administrative law/government procurement/telecommunications: This division represents local and multinational companies in negotiations with state entities, and litigation therewith. The lawyers’ expertise comprises regulated industries, public utilities, public works, infrastructure or service concessions, national and international bidding, procurement, urban development, municipal regulations, energy, transportation, power generation and distribution, telecommunications, and administrative and judicial proceedings before national, decentralised, and municipal public entities; utility regulatory authorities; contentious administrative and appeal courts; the Supreme Court.

Environmental law/energy and clean technologies: The environmental division counsels corporate clients, public institutions and non-governmental organisations on the Costa Rican environmental and regulatory framework, providing comprehensive advisory services in the environmental field to companies that are in the process of establishing a presence in Costa Rica, have already initiated operations or are subject to administrative or judicial proceedings.

Energy & project finance: Specialists combine expertise in complex corporate law, administrative law, energy law and large-scale project finance. Division director Humbeto Pacheco O was a member of the international law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosie LLP, of New York, where he advised numerous oil companies in the structuring of their strategic projects.

Languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and Hebrew.

www.pachecocoto.com