Biography • Banking

José Antonio Muñoz, founding and managing partner, has been at the helm of the firm since its inception over 14 years ago. Mr Muñoz has overseen the growth of Arias & Muñoz from its formation to its current position as the largest and only fully integrated Central American law firm, with eight offices in six countries throughout the region.

Mr Muñoz's legal career has been extremely diverse. In the public sector, he has held a number of public positions, both in Costa Rica and abroad. In the private sector, he has established himself as one of the top corporate lawyers in Central America, specialising in transactional work and international investment. His multi-faceted career and diverse experience allows him to provide a unique perspective that is invaluable to clients.

In March 2011, Mr Muñoz received the Central America Law Firm Leader of the Year Award from Latin Lawyer. In June 2011, the Costa Rican Bar Association 2011 honoured him with the Distinguished Lawyer of the Year Award.

Mr Muñoz has created an ever-expanding full-service firm, known for attracting and developing top tier talent in the market. The internal culture fostered by Mr Muñoz holds the team together, thus improving the firm's profitability and position in the international marketplace. José Antonio Muñoz received his LLM in Common Law Studies from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a Fulbright scholar, and his JD equivalent from the University of Costa Rica Law School in 1978. He also practises in corporate law and corporate governance, foreign direct investment and international investment disputes, corporate and tax structuring (both international and domestic), real estate law, and government affairs.

Other Practice Areas

José Antonio Muñoz also features in the following practice areas:

• Corporate Governance
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Real Estate