Mauricio Salas

Mauricio Salas is a prominent legal professional serving as the Head of Litigation at BLP Abogados, the largest law firm in Costa Rica. He is recognized for leading one of the region's most significant dispute resolution practices, which has received accolades from various legal rankings, including Legal 500.2

Education and Academic Involvement

Salas holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Costa Rica. He furthered his education with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in international trade from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. His academic contributions include serving as an associate professor at the University of Costa Rica, where he taught International Trade, Trade Remedies, and International Law. He is also involved in teaching dispute settlement in international trade at Lead University.13

Professional Experience

With over 20 years of experience in the legal field, Salas has specialized in areas such as dispute resolution, environmental law, and compliance. His career includes a significant internship at the Appellate Body Secretariat of the World Trade Organization in Geneva in 1999. He has also been listed as an arbitrator in various international agreements, including CAFTA and the Costa Rica-Mexico Free Trade Agreement.145

Recognition and Leadership

Salas has received multiple accolades for his contributions to international law, including the Rodolfo Piza Award in 2011 from the Costa Rican Association of International Law. He currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the AMCHAM International Arbitration Center in Costa Rica and as comptroller for the Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre environmental fund. His expertise has been recognized by several legal directories, positioning him among the leading lawyers in Costa Rica for dispute resolution and environmental law.16