Member Voices: Mercedes Ramírez & João Prata Rodrigues
Mercedes Ramírez
Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Pérez Abogados (Peru) –> Arias (Costa Rica)
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What is a stand-out moment from your WLG | exchange experience?
MR: I would say that what I have appreciated the most throughout the exchange is the warmth of the people at Arias. At PRCP, we often say that we cannot be good professionals if we are not good people, and I have also strongly experienced this at Arias. From my very first day, everyone has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and people have genuinely made an effort to teach me something (not only about the firm and how things work here, but also about Costa Rican culture, the country, and its food). That has made the experience especially meaningful. I feel that I will be taking back a great deal of professional knowledge, but above all, a very enriching personal experience.
JPR: Without a doubt, the generosity and warmth of the people at BKL. What struck me most was their ability and willingness to make time to welcome me and share their work, even when they were clearly very busy and under significant pressure. That openness despite their workload left a real impression on me.What’s one similarity or difference between your home and host jurisdictions that surprised you?
MR: I have found many similarities in criminal litigation. Both Peru and Costa Rica follow a civil law system, and although some of the terminology used in criminal proceedings may differ, the underlying concepts and procedures are quite similar. I have also noticed similarities in the way courts and prosecutors’ offices operate. For example, both jurisdictions face the challenge that although legal deadlines are established, they are not always met in practice, in part due to the authorities' workload.
One of the differences I found particularly interesting relates to corporate criminal liability. Costa Rica’s corporate criminal liability framework is more focused on offenses such as public corruption, irregular administration of public resources, and money laundering. In Peru, the framework also covers those areas, but extends to additional offenses, including crimes against cultural heritage and certain accounting, tax, and customs offenses. There is also an important difference regarding compliance programs. Under Peruvian law, a company may be exempted from criminal liability in certain circumstances if it had a properly implemented compliance program in place before the commission of the offense. In Costa Rica, by contrast, the existence of an effective compliance program may mitigate liability, but it does not completely exempt the company from criminal liability.
I found these differences particularly interesting because both countries have developed their frameworks in line with OECD standards and recommendations, while adopting somewhat different approaches to corporate criminal liability and compliance programs.
JPR: Across the different practice areas I had the opportunity to engage with, I was struck by how often the legal challenges are essentially equivalent. The core issues practitioners face are remarkably similar, regardless of jurisdiction.
What’s one lesson, skill, or insight you’ll take back to your home firm?
MR: One of the main insights I will take back is the importance of approaching compliance from a genuinely cross-border perspective. Even when companies operate under the same general compliance principles, the specific legal requirements and mechanisms can vary significantly from one jurisdiction to another. Seeing how Arias approaches these issues has reinforced for me the value of understanding not only our own regulatory framework, but also how compliance programs can be adapted across jurisdictions while maintaining a consistent underlying culture and purpose. More broadly, the exchange has also shown me how valuable professional relationships across the WLG network can be. The ability to connect clients with trusted lawyers in another jurisdiction is a real advantage, particularly in areas such as criminal compliance, where businesses increasingly operate across borders.
JPR: The most important lesson I'm taking home is the value of these networking moments, both when you are the one being received and when you are the host. Experiencing firsthand the incredible level of warmth and attention I was given has created, for me, a genuine sense of obligation to reciprocate that hospitality whenever my firm hosts visiting colleagues. That spirit of generosity is something I want to carry forward.