Hiring a lawyer in Colombia from abroad
You do not need to be in Colombia, or to speak Spanish, to resolve a legal matter here. ASD Servicios Legales is a Colombian law firm with offices in Bogotá and Montería that represents foreign nationals, expats and Colombians living abroad before courts, notaries, banks and government agencies across the country.
This guide explains how remote representation works in Colombia: what a local lawyer can do on your behalf, which documents you will be asked for, and what to check before you hire anyone. For an overview of our services for foreign clients, see our English-speaking lawyers page.
What a Colombian lawyer can do for you without you travelling
- File and defend lawsuits before civil, family, labour, criminal and administrative courts anywhere in Colombia.
- Attend hearings on your behalf; most are held by video conference.
- Sign public deeds before a notary under a power of attorney, including property sales and inheritance settlements.
- Obtain official records: property title certificates, court records, civil registry certificates and company filings.
- Negotiate and sign settlements, and collect money owed to you.
- Incorporate a company and handle filings with the chamber of commerce and the tax authority.
- Deal with government agencies such as the tax authority (DIAN), the immigration authority and the superintendences.
Matters foreign clients ask about most
- Buying or selling property: title search, promise of sale, public deed, registration and the tax and foreign-exchange side of the transaction.
- Inheritance: estates of relatives who died in Colombia or left assets here, with heirs living abroad.
- Family law: divorce, division of marital property, custody, child support and international travel permits for children.
- Foreign judgments: recognition in Colombia (exequatur) of divorces and other judgments issued abroad.
- Business: setting up a Colombian company, contracts, hiring staff and compliance.
- Debt recovery and disputes with partners, tenants, contractors or sellers.
- Fraud and scams: criminal complaints and civil action to recover what was lost.
- Accidents and injuries suffered in Colombia: insurance claims and compensation.
- Visas and residence, which we cover on a separate page.
Documents: power of attorney, apostille and translation
- Court cases: a special power of attorney can be granted by email as a data message under Law 2213 of 2022, with no notarisation.
- Notarial acts such as property sales and inheritance settlements: the power of attorney is signed before a Colombian consulate, or before a local notary and then apostilled.
- Foreign public documents (birth, marriage and death certificates, court judgments) must be apostilled under the 1961 Hague Convention, or legalised if your country is not a party to it.
- Documents that are not in Spanish must be translated by an official translator.
- A copy of your passport is normally enough for us to open your file.
How we work with clients abroad
- A video call in English, scheduled around your time zone.
- A written proposal with scope, deliverables, estimated timeline and fees before any work starts.
- One named lawyer responsible for your matter.
- Documents handled electronically; originals are requested only when a procedure requires them.
- Written updates in English on every relevant step.
- A frank opinion when a claim is not worth pursuing.
What to check before hiring any lawyer in Colombia
These checks apply to any firm, including ours.
- Licence: every practising lawyer holds a professional card issued by the Superior Council of the Judiciary, which can be verified in the public National Registry of Lawyers.
- Registration: a law firm organised as a company appears in the Single Business Registry (RUES) with its tax ID.
- Fees in writing: ask for the scope and the fee in a signed agreement before paying anything.
- No guaranteed outcomes: a serious lawyer will give you probabilities, not promises.
- A limited power of attorney: grant powers for the specific matter, not a general power over all your affairs.
- Who does the work: ask which lawyer will actually handle your case and how you will be kept informed.
Where we are
- Bogotá office: Calle 118 #19-52, Office 21, Acocentro 118 Building, Santa Bárbara, Bogotá D.C.
- Montería office: Calle 62B N 8-10, La Castellana, Montería, Córdoba.
- Remote service in all 32 departments of Colombia.
- WhatsApp +57 322 660 5404 and contacto@asdservicioslegales.com.co
Frequently asked questions
Do Colombian courts hold hearings online?
As a general rule, yes. Since Law 2213 of 2022, claims are filed electronically, the court file is digital and hearings are held by video conference. A judge may order an in-person hearing in specific cases, which is more common in criminal trials and in proceedings carried out on property.
Can I grant a power of attorney from my country?
Yes. For court cases it can be granted by email. For notarial acts you sign it at a Colombian consulate, or before a notary in your country and have it apostilled and, if it is not in Spanish, officially translated. We send you the text ready to sign.
Do you work in English?
Yes. Consultations, proposals and updates are provided in English. Court filings and notarial deeds are drafted in Spanish, which is the official language of Colombian proceedings, and we explain each document to you in English before it is filed or signed.
How long does a court case take in Colombia?
It varies widely with the type of case and the court. The procedural code sets a target of one year for a first-instance civil judgment, but many courts take longer. Notarial procedures by mutual agreement, such as an uncontested divorce or inheritance, are much faster. We give you a realistic estimate for your specific matter.
How are fees quoted and paid?
Fees are quoted in writing before any work begins. Depending on the matter, we work with a fixed fee, an hourly rate, a monthly retainer or a success-based fee in recovery cases. The proposal states the amount and the payment method.
I was the victim of a scam in Colombia. What can I do?
Preserve all evidence: messages, bank transfers, contracts and the identity details you have. A lawyer can file the criminal complaint with the Prosecutor's Office on your behalf and, where the person or company can be identified and has assets, bring a civil action to recover the money. We tell you honestly whether recovery is realistic.
A relative died leaving assets in Colombia. What is the process?
The estate is settled through a succession procedure, before a notary when all heirs agree, or before a court when they do not. Heirs abroad act through a lawyer with a power of attorney. Foreign documents proving kinship must be apostilled and translated.
How can I verify that your firm is real?
ASD SERVICIOS LEGALES S.A.S. is registered in the Colombian Single Business Registry (RUES) under tax ID 901.795.000-1 and with the Chambers of Commerce of Bogotá and Montería. Each of our lawyers holds a professional licence that can be checked in the National Registry of Lawyers.
ASD Servicios Legales S.A.S.
Firma de abogados colombiana. NIT 901.795.000-1. Sociedad inscrita en el RUES y en las Cámaras de Comercio de Bogotá y Montería.
Sede Bogotá: Calle 118 #19-52, Oficina 21, Edificio Acocentro 118, Santa Bárbara, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
Sede Montería: Calle 62B Nº 8-10, Castellana, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia.
WhatsApp: +57 322 660 5404 · Correo: contacto@asdservicioslegales.com.co
Horario de atención: lunes a viernes de 8:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m.; sábados con cita previa.