Simple LC: Legal clarity for living, investing, and building in Costa Rica
Human, strategic, and efficient legal guidance for expatriates, investors, and companies.
Founded by Herman Duarte, MSc & LLM, SLC is a boutique firm specializing in immigration, investment, corporate law, real estate, and dispute resolution.
Our work is to simplify the complex, safeguard your interests with integrity, and guide you with rigor, strategy, and humanity.
Vision. To establish ourselves as the boutique law firm of choice for a select group of discerning and reputable clients, fostering relationships built on trust, learning, and mutual pride.
Mission. To provide high-quality legal and consulting services that transform complex processes into clear, human, and well-executed pathways. We simplify business and personal matters, protect what truly matters, and act with unwavering integrity.
What We Do
We help you organize your legal situation, understand your options, and make decisions with confidence.
Many of our clients come to us with doubts, incomplete information, or past frustrating experiences. That’s why our work begins by clarifying the landscape, explaining what truly matters, and outlining a clear path tailored to your case.
Whether you need residency, plan to invest, want to protect your assets, intend to create a company, or are facing an arbitration or judicial dispute, we walk you through each stage with honesty, realistic timelines, and no unnecessary technicalities. Our approach combines solid legal analysis, practical judgment, and straightforward communication so you never feel lost.
We work with expatriates, investors, entrepreneurs, companies, and families who value a lawyer who speaks clearly, responds quickly, and provides strategic guidance from day one.
Expert Legal Solutions for Corporations, Investors & Expats in Costa Rica
At Simple Legal Consulting (SLC), we provide high-quality legal counsel tailored to the needs of corporations, investors, and expats in Costa Rica. Our approach goes beyond traditional legal advice. We integrate strategic, commercial, and human perspectives to facilitate informed decision-making and ensure optimal results.
Business & Corporate Law – Helping companies navigate Costa Rica’s legal landscape with clarity and confidence
Immigration & Expat Services – Residency, visas, and relocation solutions for seamless transitions.
Real Estate & Investment Law – Secure property transactions and investment structuring with expert guidance, download out practical guide.
Arbitration & Dispute Resolution – Strategic advocacy to resolve disputes efficiently.
With a commitment to personalized legal support, SLC ensures clear solutions, proactive strategy, and trusted guidance every step of the way.
📍 Expert Guidance for Costa Rican Immigration
We specialize in Costa Rican immigration law, representing both companies and individuals before the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME).
✅Residency Applications: We assist with temporary and permanent residency under the following categories:
Investor – $150,000+ investment in real estate, securities, or business.
Rentista – Proof of $2,500/month passive income for the next 2 years.
Pensionado – Pension income of $1,000+ per month.
COMEX Residency – For executives working in multinational companies.
Company Manager – Business owners setting up operations in Costa Rica.
✅ Digital Nomad Visa: For remote workers earning $3,000+ per month, offering tax exemptions and ease of doing business while working from Costa Rica.
With clear guidance and strategic support, we simplify the complexities of immigration law, ensuring a smooth and stress-free process.
📩 Request a Consultation – Let’s Begin Your Residency Process
📍 Exclusive Legal Services for Investors & Businesses in Costa Rica
At Simple Legal Consulting (SLC), we specialize in protecting and empowering investors by providing high-level corporate and investment legal solutions.
✅ Company Formation & Corporate Structuring – We establish Costa Rican corporations tailored to your business needs, if you want to create one, just fill out this form and we can fix it in one week.
✅ Due Diligence for Investments & Real Estate – Comprehensive legal risk assessments before purchasing property or companies (Download Our Free Practical Guide).
✅ Free Trade Zone Authorization – We handle applications for tax-exempt operations under the Free Trade Zone regime.
✅ Ongoing Legal Advisory – Dedicated support in commercial, labor, and tax matters to ensure smooth business operations.
✅ Fixed-Fee Legal Subscription – Enjoy predictable legal costs with our monthly-renewable corporate legal packages—tailored for businesses that value stability and efficiency.
With exclusive, personalized legal counsel, we protect your investments, minimize risks, and ensure long-term success in Costa Rica.
📩 Request a Consultation – Secure Your Business & Investments Today
⚖️ High-Level Legal Representation – Arbitration, Litigation & Human Rights Advocacy
At Simple Legal Consulting (SLC), we provide elite legal representation for clients who require discreet, strategic, and results-driven advocacy in high-stakes disputes.
✅ Premier Arbitration & Litigation Counsel – We handle complex cases in criminal, commercial, labor, and constitutional law, ensuring aggressive and effective representation.
✅ Strategic Dispute Resolution – Our proactive, solution-oriented approach minimizes risks while securing favorable outcomes.
✅ International Human Rights Advocacy – We represent clients before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and United Nations expert mechanisms, ensuring their rights are upheld at the highest level.
✅ Exclusive Legal Representation – We selectively take on cases where our expertise delivers the strongest impact, ensuring personalized, dedicated attention to every client.
When the stakes are high, elite legal representation makes the difference.
📩 Request a Confidential Consultation – Protect Your Rights with Expert Counsel
How We Work: Integrity and Precision
Our process is designed to give you clarity from the start, reduce uncertainty, and move forward in an organized way. Each stage aims to prevent mistakes, anticipate risks, and ensure you understand what is happening, where your case stands, and what comes next.
1. You tell us about your case — in a free first consultation
We listen before anything else.
No assumptions, no rushed conclusions, no generic answers.
We analyze your real situation, your objectives, your timelines, and your concerns.
Every process begins with an honest and simple conversation.
2. We explain your options without embellishment
Legal clarity only exists when someone tells you the truth.
You won’t see complicated speeches or unrealistic scenarios.
We explain what is possible, what is not, what makes sense, and what carries risk.
With realistic timelines and concrete steps.
3. We design a clear roadmap and review risks
We turn complexity into an organized work plan.
We identify risks, review documents, anticipate obstacles, and outline the safest route forward.
The goal is to save you time, money, and energy by avoiding unnecessary processes.
4. We guide you through every stage until the final resolution
We stay by your side throughout the entire process.
We respond quickly, keep you updated, coordinate documents, prepare strategies, and handle unexpected issues.
Your case is never passed around — we personally accompany each phase until we reach the final result.
WHY CLIENTS TRUST US
Every client comes looking for something different: security, order, speed, protection, clarity.
What they all find is a way of working that is serious, human, and transparent.
We explain the complex in simple terms
If you can’t understand your own process, something is wrong.
We turn technical language into clear, direct guidance.
We work fast
We don’t abandon cases or leave emails unanswered.
Efficiency is a core part of our practice.
We are direct and transparent
We prefer the truth from day one.
No inflated expectations, no surprise endings.
We think strategically
Your case is not a formality; it is part of your life, your plan, or your business.
We make decisions with your long-term interests in mind.
We take care of our clients
Legal matters often create anxiety.
Our goal is for you to feel supported, not confused or alone.
We do not exaggerate results
Honesty is essential.
We never promise what we cannot deliver.
We avoid unnecessary expenses
We do not send you into procedures or steps that add nothing.
Our job is to protect you, not complicate your life.
Herman Duarte, founder of Simple Legal Consulting (SLC). Strategic legal counsel for those who demand clarity, precision, and unwavering protection of their interests.
Herman is a Salvadoran, Swiss, and Costa Rican attorney, naturalized by choice and love for Costa Rica, and the founder of Simple Legal Consulting (SLC). With over 15 years of international legal experience, he has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor in the fields of immigration, corporate law, real estate, and dispute resolution. His approach blends legal precision with strategic thinking and genuine human care—making him a key partner for investors, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking legal clarity and protection in Costa Rica.
He is licensed to practice law in El Salvador (2010) and Costa Rica (2013). His academic background includes an LL.B. from ESEN, a degree validation from the University of Costa Rica, an LL.M. in International Law from Stockholm University, and an MSc. in Human Rights from the London School of Economics, the latter awarded through the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, the most important award in the UK.
At the helm of Simple Legal Consulting, Herman leads a boutique firm built on trust, transparency, and results. His areas of focus include:
Corporate structuring and business advisory
Immigration and residency (investors, rentistas, digital nomads, executives, families, etc.)
Real estate transactions and foreign investment (free trade zone regime, investment protection)
Strategic criminal and civil litigation, arbitration, and negotiation
Regulatory compliance and complex contract review
Over the years, Herman has advised clients across industries such as technology, fintech, real estate, tourism, agriculture, healthcare, education, and entertainment. Known for his ability to turn complex legal challenges into clear strategies, he communicates with precision and delivers with results.
Herman is also the author of two books and over 200 legal publications, and has been a featured speaker at legal forums in more than 14 cities such as London, New York, Paris, and San José. He remains deeply committed to staying ahead of legal and regulatory developments so his clients benefit from cutting-edge insight and informed legal strategies.
“Every client has a vision. My role is to protect it, shape it, and give it a strong legal foundation. I only take on matters where I know I can make a real difference.”
With Herman Duarte, you don’t just get legal advice—you gain a trusted partner who protects your interests as if they were his own.
📩 Request a Consultation – Let’s Find the Right Legal Strategy for You.
NEWS
Media presence, conferences, and publications
We believe in critical thinking, legal education, and the responsibility of contributing to public conversation.
That is why we share analysis, opinions, and specialized content on migration, investment, human rights, regulation, urban development, technology, arbitration, public reform, and topics relevant to investors and expatriates.
Here you will find articles published in La República, La Prensa Gráfica, interviews with LexLatin, lectures delivered at international universities, participation in forums on legal technology, digital nomads, arbitration, and commentary on significant judicial decisions.
This section reflects not only experience but also independent judgment and a clear point of view.
The combination of legal practice, research, and public commentary has positioned Herman as a respected voice in migration, corporate, and international law in the region.
Presence in Media, News and Conferences
We can be your legal advisor for a specific assignment (investment advice, obtaining a digital nomad VISA or a residency to live in Costa Rica, setting up a company, or by representing you in a litigation, ) or become your permanent trusted legal advisor, by creating a true external legal department.
We are fortunate to work with prestigious clients such as ULACIT, no.1 private university in Costa Rica, or the regional group, Financia Credit.
We firmly believe that an attorney is defined by the moral quality of the clients they defend and that, in turn, a client is defined by the moral quality and values of the attorneys they hire.
