Buy property in Costa Rica, and live your best Tico life.
Bilingual, full-service legal counsel for expats in La Fortuna — from purchase and escrow to residency by investment. One attorney and public notary handling your case personally.
A full-service firm, built for expats
Real estate and residency lead the way — but we practice across every branch of Costa Rican law.
Purchase & option contracts, registry and title studies, escrow through secure title companies, and trusted local agents.
Residency by investment, structuring your purchase to support the application, and bringing funds legally into the country.
Property transfers, mortgages, condominiums, powers of attorney and company incorporation across Costa Rica.
Company formation, contracts, capital increases, shareholder agreements, certifications and annual compliance.
Advice on wills and disposition of assets, drafting and registration of wills, and probate proceedings.
Civil, labor law, agrarian, criminal and traffic matters, judicial collection and foreclosure — representation and defense in court.
Planning to invest in a property or business in Costa Rica? We advise you from the very beginning on all your accounting needs.
Once you close on a property or settle a corporation, we keep you compliant with every owner and shareholder obligation, year-round.
One attorney by your side — not just for the paperwork
Most of our work is real estate, and we don't hand you off to someone else. We walk you through the whole process — setting up your corporation, opening your bank account, buying your car, and clearing every legal hurdle in between.
In the bank, beside you
We set up your corporation and bank account, then take you to the bank and make sure everyone understands exactly what needs to happen. Opening an account here is famously hard; it's the part clients thank me for most.
Land, clear and free
Before you buy, we check the title for liens, leases and tenants, and confirm water and power are connected. No surprises after closing. We do the due diligence.
Your car, sorted
From choosing and transferring a vehicle to its registration, we handle the legal side so you're driving legally from day one.
Every hurdle, handled
A traffic accident, a contract, an unexpected legal snag — one message and we take it from there, in English or Spanish.
Berlan Francisco Paniagua Lobo
"Being a lawyer is the art of advocating and helping people." Every case is handled personally, face to face — priority, responsible and efficient. With more than twelve years of experience, from a lawsuit to the purchase of a property, I'd be glad to help.
Trusted by clients & companies
We are foreign nationals who used Berlan to help us buy property in Costa Rica with a view to applying for residency. His knowledge, experience and confidence was evident through the way he answered questions and gave counsel. He was always available to us, patient and willing to be helpful even beyond his professional role. He made the process very easy for us. He is easy to work with, calm and consistent. We trusted Berlan immediately and appreciated that he communicated with us as the process unfolded; we never had to chase him.
From the very first day we decided to buy property in Costa Rica, Berlan has been an invaluable partner and guide. Buying real estate abroad can feel daunting, but his incredible knowledge, patience, and trustworthiness made the entire purchase process seamless and stress-free. Beyond being an exceptional attorney, he is one of the most personable, kind, and genuinely nice people you will ever meet.
Berlan is an amazing lawyer! He walked us through the process of purchasing a property in Costa Rica, establishing a Costa Rican LLC, a contract for building our new house, and much more! He's been so helpful with getting through processes when we had no idea what we were doing! I'm happy to say he's become more than just our lawyer, he's also become a friend.
I highly recommend this lawyer if you're in the La Fortuna area. He's not only fluent in both English and Spanish, but also incredibly reliable and trustworthy. Whether you need help with legal documents, real estate, or any other service, he's the go-to guy. A true professional and a genuinely good man — it's rare to find someone so dependable.
Berlan has been our attorney for years and always provides the best service.
Excelente profesional, abogado y notario, 100% recomendado para cualquier trámite, English spoken y mucha experiencia certificada!
Common questions & insights
Let's talk about your move to Costa Rica.
Consultations by appointment, remote or in person. Message us and we will reply personally.
Serving clients across the country & abroad