Ernesto Hütt Crespo

Ernesto Hütt

Partner

Ernesto Hütt Crespo is Partner at GarciaBodan Costa Rica and a member of the Corporate and Transactional, Real Estate, and Litigation and Arbitration practice areas.

With more than 25 years of experience, he has provided specialized legal counsel to both national and international companies across various sectors, including infrastructure, technology, banking, construction, real estate, and foreign trade.

Throughout his career, he has led major processes such as mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, estate planning, real estate project development, and strategic litigation. He has also been actively involved in public procurement processes, free trade zone management, and regulatory compliance.

He previously served as partner and managing director of a prestigious law firm in Costa Rica, where he led modernization processes, integration of business units, and strategic restructuring, achieving significant increases in revenue and productivity. In addition, he designed compensation models for talent retention, coordinated IT virtualization projects, and managed the firm’s external communications and public relations.

Ernesto is recognized for his strategic vision, negotiation skills, and leadership in complex projects, which have consolidated his reputation as a reference in the corporate and business legal field in Costa Rica.

  • Corporate-Commercial
  • Transactional
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Real Estate
  • Litigation
  • Labor
  • Immigration
  • Free Trade Zones
  • Graduated in Law (Summa Cum Laude) – Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica, 1995.
  • Advising companies and individuals on corporate law, real estate, contracts, civil and labor litigation, immigration, administrative litigation, free trade zones, foreign trade, and intellectual property.
  • Successfully filing more than 500 applications for Spanish and Italian nationality options.
  • Serving as strategic legal advisor to boards of directors of family-owned companies in sectors such as transportation, warehousing, and construction.
  • Leading complex negotiations, including private shareholders’ agreements and family protocols.
  • Coordinating and advising on real estate acquisitions valued at over US $1.7 million.
  • Developing corporate and tax restructuring strategies for family conglomerates, including the creation of holding structures.
  • Participating in the acquisition of technology companies valued at US $8 million.
  • Providing comprehensive legal counsel for the creation and operation of international financial institutions, including regulatory permits and authorizations.
  • Managing legal matters for real estate subdivision and development projects.
  • Successfully coordinating public procurement processes with multimillion-dollar awards.
  • Participating in international mergers and acquisitions, due diligence processes, and handling high-value civil litigation.

*This experience has been pior to joining GarciaBodan.

  • Speaker at international forums in Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.
  • Lecturer in specialized courses for attorneys, with an emphasis on finance for non-financial professionals.
  • Costa Rica Bar Association.
  • Board Member of Asociación Credimujer, 2023–2025.
  • Board Member of Cariari Country Club, 2016–2020.
  • Board Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Costa Rica, 2007–2015.
  • Academic Subcommittee Coordinator and Law Firms Committee Coordinator, Costa Rican Bar Association, 2009–2013.
  • Expert in Stock Markets – Universidad FUNDEPOS Alma Mater, Costa Rica, 2010.
  • Course in American and International Law – Center for American and International Law, Texas, USA, 2007.
  • MBA with an emphasis in Banking and Finance – INCAE Business School, Costa Rica, 2001.
  • Admitted to practice as Attorney and Notary Public.
  • Graduated in Law (Summa Cum Laude) – Escuela Libre de Derecho, Costa Rica, 1995.

Languages

  • Spanish
  • English
  • Italian

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