Corporate Lawyer — Costa Rica

Job Title: Corporate Lawyer — Costa Rica
Location: Costa Rica (San José preferred)
Type of Contract: Independent Contractor — Monthly payments, Full-Time 
Salary Range: Market Rates
Language Requirements: Fluent Spanish and professional-level English, written and spoken

Our client is seeking a skilled Corporate Lawyer with strong experience in Costa Rican corporate law, entity formation, and statutory compliance to support their international clients operating in Costa Rica. You will play a key role in entity formation, ongoing corporate compliance, legal representation, and client advisory services. Your work will directly impact clients' ability to establish and maintain compliant Costa Rican entities efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the incorporation of Costa Rican legal entities (S.A. and S.R.L.), including drafting the escritura constitutiva and coordinating registration with the Registro Nacional

• Coordinate initial tax registration with the Ministerio de Hacienda and obtain the entity's cédula jurídica

• Act as, or coordinate the appointment of, local legal representatives and resident agents for client entities as required

• Draft and review powers of attorney (including poderes generalísimos and especiales), board resolutions, and shareholder resolutions

• Manage annual corporate compliance obligations, including custody and legalisation of corporate books, annual shareholders' meetings, and personerías jurídicas

• Prepare and file the annual Registro de Transparencia y Beneficiarios Finales (RTBF) declaration and manage related updates

• Monitor and coordinate payment of the annual corporate tax (impuesto a las personas jurídicas) and maintain entities in good standing

• Coordinate registered office and domiciliation arrangements for client entities

• Liaise directly with international clients and referral partners (including global EOR and PEO providers) in English regarding entity structuring, compliance timelines, and documentation requirements

• Coordinate with notaries, the Registro Nacional, and government authorities to progress incorporation and compliance filings

• Provide ad-hoc legal advisory support on employment law, commercial contracts, and corporate structuring matters, including dormant entity maintenance and dissolution

Requirements

• Law degree (Licenciatura en Derecho) from an accredited Costa Rican university

• Active registration with the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica

• Minimum 3 years of experience in corporate/commercial law, ideally supporting foreign-owned entities or international clients

• Strong working knowledge of Costa Rican corporate law, Registro Nacional procedures, and RTBF beneficial ownership obligations

• Fluent Spanish and professional-level English, both written and spoken

• Experience drafting incorporation documents, powers of attorney, and corporate resolutions

Preferred

• Active notarial licence (Notario Público) — highly valued given the notarial requirements of Costa Rican corporate practice

• Experience supporting global EOR, PEO, or multi-country expansion service providers

• Familiarity with immigration and work permit processes before the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería

• Experience with free zone regime applications and incentive structures