RÓGER GUEVARA
Partner
“An excellent strategist who is very good at identifying how things will play out on various fronts and in the long term,” and note his ability to ”play to strategy in US courts and emphasise the strengths of a case.” Sources also note his ”tremendous knowledge of Costa Rican law” and consider him ”an extremely resourceful, diligent and aggressive litigator.”
Roger advises local and foreign clients in on air and maritime transport law, international trade, customs and logistics. He has extensive knowledge and certifications from the ICC on INCOTERMS and its application to international sale and transport transactions. On international trade matters, his experience includes international transport, logistics and customs, customs regimes (Tax Free Zones, inward and outward processing arrangements, temporary imports), use of customs-tax incentives given by Free Trade Agreement, customs valuation, tariff classification and rules of origin, among other areas in commerce.
As co-director of the Dispute Resolution practice Roger represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation and arbitration, especially relating to civil liability matters due to breaches of contract, damage claim and product responsibility. He also has experience in white collar and financial crime cases, and insurance and reinsurance claims. In the past several years he has been part of relevant cases involving FCPA and RICO matters regarding white collar crime cases with cross-border implications. Roger has served as a Costa Rican law expert in several different courts in the United States (New York, Massachusetts, Florida), as well as Panama, Bolivia and China. He has participated in more than 35 arbitrations both in a local and international level, in Costa Rica, Miami, Panama, and Washington DC, representing interest of over 650 million dollars. He has broad experience working in cases that involve communication, cooperation, and leadership with firms from all over the world.
In the past two years Roger has coordinated the representation of Mr. Eduardo Li, ex-president of the Costa Rican Football Federation and Executive Director of CONCACAF and FIFA, in the FIFA-GATE case and representing the interest of a group of American investors before the ICSID, against the Republic of Costa Rica in a investment arbitration process. He also represented the interests of a transnational company in an international arbitration against an autonomous entity of the Costa Rican State.
His broad knowledge has allowed him to provide counsel in international trade and customs matters to the Customs Administration of Costa Rica through the Legal Commission of Public Function Assistants as representative of the CANACO, mainly counseling in implementation of Central American legislation with the CAUCA III and RECAUCA (between 2002 and 2004)
For 10 years (from 2000 to 2009) he was counsel of logistics operator associations, such as the National Chamber of Freight Consolidators and Allied CANACO and the Costa Rican Association of International Freight and Logistics Agencies (ACACIA).
Roger has been a professor of the Law School of the University of Costa Rica, Interamerican University, and International Cooperation University. Currently he is professor in the Public Administration School of the University of Costa Rica in the Customs and International Trade degree, in the “Legal Aspects of International Trade” course (from 2010 to present).
He is a member of the Costa Rican Bar Association since 1999.
His experience and trajectory have been lauded for the past 8 years by publications such as Chambers and Partners, Latin Lawyer, and Legal500.
Academic Background
Law degree (with honors) from the University of Costa Rica (1997)
Masters degree in Aerial Transportation Utrecht University, Holland (1998)
Bachelor’s degree in Customs Administration and International Business from the University of Costa Rica (2001)
Master in Business and Tax Law from la Universidad para la Cooperación Internacional (2002)
Rankings and awards
