Founding Partner

Gloria Navas Montero, Esq., graduated from the University of Costa Rica in 1974 as an attorney and Notary Public. Initially, she worked for the Legal Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Aftwerwards, she performed as the in-house attorney of Productos de Concreto, S.A., where she was responsible for providing legal advice on different matters, such as litigation, collections, Union negotiations and others.

Later, Mrs. Navas performed as a Labor Judge of the Supreme Court and, as such, she gained essential experience in oral hearings, which complemented with different training courses on public speaking and debate that she took in the United States while completing her high school studies with an American Field Service scholarship. After performing as Labor Judge, Gloria Navas entered the Prosecutors’ Office at a time where a public oral debate was being introduced into Costa Rican legal system, and it was then when Mrs. Navas showed her outstanding capacity as a trial lawyer.

As part of her practice, Gloria Navas also worked as the Head of the Public Defender’s Division and received special recognition from the Supreme Court in 2005 during the 35th Anniversary of the foundation of said Department. At said event it was stated that: “…The Public Defender’s Division of Costa Rica owes Mrs. Navas for the solid foundation and formation of a generation of outstanding professionals who set the precedent for excellence and vocation to service that symbolizes this Institution …” At the same time, Judge Magda Pereira, of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court stated: “Mrs. Navas’s legacy is a Public Defender’s Department that is an example for Latin America.”

Later, Mrs. Navas also worked as Judge of the Criminal Court of Appeals and has performed, for over thirty years, as a reknowned and outstanding private trial lawyer in areas such as Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Labor Law, Administrative Law and Intellectual Property.

Professional Experience

• Legal Department, Ministry of Labor and Social Security; Labor Judge for the Supreme Court; Prosecutor, Attorney General’s Office; Head of Public Defenders Office; Superior Court Alternate Judge.
• Founding Partner, Navas & Navas Law Firm, and legal advisor on intellectual property law for the Business Software Alliance (BSA).
• Participant in the Governing Authority on Administrative Procedures; staff and advisor to other professional law firms, including Facio & Cañas and BLP Attorneys
• Controller, Bar Association
• Advisor to Banks on matters pertaining to their area, specifically Banco Popular, Mutual de Alajuela, Banco Metropolitano, and public institutions such as INVU (Costa Rican Institute for Housing and Urbanism), the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Agriculture
• Conference Speaker at Latin University, La Salle University, INCAE and others.
• Advisor on Legislative Committees
• Member, advisor controller for Chamber for Communications and Information Technology (CAMTIC)
• Professor of Criminal Law at the Free School of Law and Professor of Criminal Procedures Law at University of Costa Rica.
• Thesis director and reader on matters related to Criminal Law.
• Member of the Alberto Brenes Córdoba Award Classification Tribunal for the Bar Association.
• Coordination with the United States Embassy regarding intellectual property and handling court proceedings.
• Nominated for the Chamber of Commerce Liberal Professional of the Year Award (November 2003)
• 40 years practicing law
• Member of the Bar Association, Alberto Brenes Córdoba Award Classification Committee in 2003.
• Conference speaker invited by INCAE
• Controller of the Chamber for Communications and Information Technology (CAMTIC), from 2007-2009.
• Diverse interviews by the following: Summa Magazine, El Financiero, Channel 7, Repretel and more.
• On issues regarding intrafamily violence and women.
• President of the Manantial Association for the Project on the Holistic Support for Women in Conditions of Violence.
• Invited conference speaker on issues of intrafamily and labor violence at the Esperanza (Hope) Foundation, Federation of Physicians and Surgeons, private companies and more.

Education

• Graduate of the University of Costa Rica
• ILANUD/UNAFEI scholarship alumnus United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders. Seminar in Japan on Criminal Justice and Treatment of Offenders.
• Participant at the V International Training Course on Effective Treatment Measures to Facilitate Prisoner Reintegration and Rehabilitation into Society held in San Jose in July 2003 organized by ILANUD.
• Attended the 2007Costa Rica Technology Insight Seminar organized by PROCOMER and CAMTIC
• Attended the 2008 Costa Rica Technology Insight Seminar
• Courses on Alternative Conflict Resolution (Harvard-Costa Rica)