Senior Associate. Outstanding lawyer with over 30 years of experience, specialized in crime law.

He studied at the University of Costa Rica, where he got his law degree in 1993. Two years later, he obtained a specialty in crime law at the same university. After getting the crime law specialty, in 2002, he obtained a Master Degree in Crime Law at the academic institution where he obtained his law degree. In 2006, he obtained a doctorate in crime law at the University of Ludovico- Maximiliano, in Germany. Finally, in 2015, he got a diploma in Business Administration for Lawyers at INCAE

Dr. Gatgens possess an amply experience in crime cases of personal defense, care for crime victims, transit processes, business consulting and training, preparation of appeals in crime matters, attention to complaints and complaints from the administrative headquarters. 

His professional experience started in 1993, when he worked as public defender at San José, Cartago y Puntarenas. In 1996, he worked as public defender in Alajuelita and two years later, he entered as writer at the Third Court.

After getting his doctorate, he was one of the magistrates of the Third Court during five years (2007-2011).

After that, he founded his own legal firm named G&A Penalistas and in September 2023 he joined Signatulex as Senior Associate. 

During all his professional career, he has been advisor of different relevant international organisms such as: USAID, BID, OEA, ICAP, in which he had made law training modules, training of officials reporting and diagnosis of criminal matters. 

In the area of education, he has a solid career:

• Vice- Dean School of Law, University of Costa Rica (2015-2019)

• Director of the teaching area of the School of Law, University of Costa Rica (2016-2018).
•  Professor of Crime Law at the University of Costa Rica (1999-2001; 2006-2008, 2009, 2011).
• Professor of Crime Law at the Universidad Escuela Libre de Derecho (2006- April 2008)  
• Invited Professor of Procedure Crime Law at the National University of Honduras, April, 2008. 
• Professor of the Specialization of Crime and Constitutional Law at the University of Costa Rica (2008)

Additionally, he actively participates in research institutes, associations and editorial boards, in which it could be mentioned: 

• Member of the Scientific Council of the Legal Research Institutions of the Faculty Law (January 2015- August 2018) 
• Researcher at the Research Institute of the Faculty of Law of the University of Costa Rica, since January 2013, written investigation: Costa Rican Crime Procedure Law.
• Member of the Costa Rican Association of Criminal Sciences. 
• Member of the Ibero- American Institute of Procedural Law 
• Member of the Costa Rican Institute of Procedural Law

Member of the Editorial Board of the Editorial Juridica Continental (Costa Rica) 

Member of the Editorial Board of the Judicial School Lic. Edgar Cervantes Villalta, Judicial Power, Costa Rica (2014-2015) 

He speaks Spanish, German (fluently), English (fluently) and has a basic language level of Italian.