Academic Background

• Law School Degree (J.D. equivalent), University of Costa Rica, February 1983.
• Notary Public, University of Costa Rica, March 1983.
• Public Law Specialist, (Diplôme d'études Approfondies) University of Paris I, Sorbonne, France, July 1987.
• Doctor of Laws (Ph.D. equivalent), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, May 1988.
• Visiting Researcher, Harvard Law School, 1996-1997

Publications

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• Eficacia e invalidez del acto administrativo, Editorial Alma Mater, University of Costa Rica, First Edition 1986; Ediciones Seinjusa, Second Edition 1994; Editorial Juricentro Third Edition 2003.
• La admisibilidad en la acción de inconstitucionalidad, Revista de Derecho Constitucional N. 2, San José, Costa Rica, 1990.
• Las vías de hecho de la Administración, Award of the Costa Rican Bar Association, 1991.
• Normas Básicas de Derecho Público, Ediciones Seinjusa. First Edition 1992, Ninth Edition 2004. Costa Rica.
• International Human Rights Instruments in force in Costa Rica, Ediciones Seinjusa, First Edition 1993.
• Manual sobre Derechos Humanos y Ambiente. Ediciones de la Fundación Ambio, 1994, second edition 1995, Costa Rica. Co-authored with Roxana Salazar Cambronero and Jorge Cabrera Medaglia.
• Derecho Procesal Administrativo Costarricense, Editorial Juricentro, 1994.
• Los límites a las reformas parciales de la Constitución, Revista Parlamentaria, Vol. 3, No. 3, December 1995, San José, Costa Rica.
• El Bloque de Libertades Públicas, in collective work "La Jurisdicción Constitucional y su influencia en el Estado de Derecho", Constitutional Chamber of the Judicial Branch, Costa Rica, 1996.
• Diez años de la Sala Constitucional: las reformas pendientes, Revista Contrapunto, May 1999.
• Propuesta de modelo para la reforma del marco legal de la Administración Pública Costarricense, January 2000.
• El país posible. La construcción de una nueva institucionalidad posbipartidista. Editorial Juricentro, First Edition 2002, Second Edition 2004.
• El Estado Social y Democrático de Derecho: paradigma inagotado de reforma institucional. Revista Desarrollo Humano e Institucional en América Latina, No. 38, Instituto Internacional de Gobernabilidad, Cataluña, Spain, February 2003.
• Rendición de cuentas en Costa Rica: diagnóstico y propuesta de sistematización, Editorial Juricentro, San José, Costa Rica, March 2004.

Awards and Distinctions

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• Alberto Brenes Córdoba Award for best legal work awarded by the Costa Rican Bar Association, 1990.
• Cum Laude in obtaining the Doctor of Law degree (Ph.D.) from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1988.
• Academic Honors in the degree of specialist in Public Law, University of Paris I, Sorbonne, 1987.
• Approval of the thesis for the Law School Degree with excellence and recommendation for publication, University of Costa Rica, 1983.
• Honor student, University of Costa Rica Law School, 1981 and 1982.

Professional and Academical Experience

• 1978 to 1983: Legal Department of the General Comptroller of the Republic of Costa Rica. Advisory work to public entities and review of contracts and administrative obligations.
• 1983 to 1985: Private practice of law. General consulting activities and handling of lawsuits and claims in administrative litigation matters.
• 1984 to 1995: Professor of Administrative Law, Public Law and Constitutional Law at the University of Costa Rica.
• 1989 - 1990: External Legal Advisor to the Board of Directors of the National Electricity Service.
• 1990 to 1993: Civil Prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office. Legal representation of the government in trials before the Administrative Court and in constitutional matters. Legal advice concerning Public Law to the central government and decentralized administrative agencies.
• 1993 to present: Private practice and private consulting work: Handling administrative litigation, advisory services on government procurement

International Consulting

• World Bank Consulting in the Institutional Strengthening Program of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund 1993
• Pan American Health Organization consulting in the Ministry of Health Stewardship Program and Drafting of the Organic Law Project of the Ministry of Health, Costa Rica, 1993
• Inter-American Development Bank consulting in reviewing the State Contracts Law Project of El Salvador, April 1997.
• Inter-American Development Bank consulting in reviewing the Public Procurement Law Project of Ecuador, September 1997.
• Inter-American Development Bank consulting in preparing the Public Procurement Law Project of Paraguay, May 1998 - April 1999.
• Inter-American Development Bank consulting in the Analysis of Public Procurement Law Projects of Chile and Nicaragua, December 1998.
• World Bank consulting for drafting the State Procurement Law Project of Nicaragua and the State Procurement Law Regulation Project, June-July 1999. This project was approved by the National Assembly and is current Law.
• Inter-American Development Bank consulting in preparing substitute State Procurement Law project of Honduras, October 1999.
• Consulting for the Second Vice Presidency of the Republic of Costa Rica for reforming the legal framework of Public Administration, IDB, 1999-2001.
• Consulting for the Republic of Paraguay supporting the regional and hemispheric commercial negotiation process in government procurement matters – IDB-UNDP, May-August 2000.

Other Activities

• 1996-1997 Harvard Law School Visiting Researcher.

Languages

• French: Fluent
• English: Advanced level

Organizations

Costa Rican Bar Association