Profile

Senior Counsel

Álvaro Fernández Silva is a well-known trial Attorney, legal advisor and former Supreme Court Judge, who speaks Spanish, Italian and is fluent reading in English, French and Portuguese.

In 1959, he began his studies in Medicine and Political Science in Padova , Italy. However, he decided to study Law at the University of Costa Rica (UCR), and in 1969, he obtained his Law Degree as an honor student. In 1970, he specialized in Administrative Law and Related Sciences with honors, (Suma Cum Laude), degree awarded by the University of Rome, Italy.

Experience

Professionally, Attorney Fernandez has a wide experience in the public, private and education sector.

Positions Held in Public Sector:

•He had the high honor to be appointed as a Supreme Court Judge for more than 13 years. He served 12 years, (1990 to 2002), for the Sala Segunda (Second Chamber); and 1 year (1989) for the Sala Primera (First Chamber).
•He worked as “ad honorem” Parliament Advisor for 4 years, (1986 to 1990).
•He also was appointed as Judge of the Juzgado Civil de Hacienda y de Contencioso Administrativo, with jurisdiction within all Costa Rica for 2 years. (1972 to 1974).

Positions Held in Education Sector:

•From 1971 to 1983, he lectured several courses at the University of Costa Rica (UCR): General Public Law I and II and Administrative Law I and II.
•Since 1971 he was awarded, by competition, the Professorship of Administrative Law, Faculty of Law of the UCR.
•From 1980 to 1982, he was a Law Professor at the Universidad Autonoma de Centro America (UACA), of the courses: Procedural Law and Litigation, Administrative Law; he was members of the University Courts Examining Grade.
•In 2000, he participated on the Leguina Project, for the reform of the Spanish Law on Jurisdiction Contecioso Admnistrativa, University Complutense of Madrid and Carlos III º (Getafe) and Alcala de Henares , Spain.

Positions Held in Private Sector:

•From 1975 to 1989, he was Legal Counsel of the Company KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines.
•From 1985 to 1988, he was Of Counsel for the company BANDECO (Del Monte).

Awards and Honors:

•Board Member of the National Association of Judicial Employees.
•President of the Costa Rican Union of Lawyers.
•Seminars in Italy, Spain, Colombia, Brazil (Judicial Conferences).
•Founder of the Italian Legal Studies Circle.
•Founder of the Costa Rican Association of Public Law.
•Founder and CEO of the College of Public Law and the Private Academic Center, both institutions had relationship with the institutes of Local Government Studies (EILA) and the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP), Spain.

Member of following Institutes or Commissions:

•American Institute of Constitutional Law.
•Permanent Commission of the Supreme Court to promote legislative reforms in public law and to improve the organization of the respective Judicial Offices.
•Coordinator of the Special Committee of the judiciary to reform the Law Governing Contentious Administrative Jurisdiction Rican Today "Administrative Procedure Code".