Mr León Larraín KC > Baker McKenzie Chile > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Baker McKenzie Chile
AVENIDA ANDRÉS BELLO 2457, PISO 19
PROVIDENCIA
SANTIAGO, CÓDIGO POSTAL 7510689
Chile

Position

Of Counsel

Career

Biography

Leon Larrain is a transactional lawyer with extensive experience in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Finance and Project Finance. Mr. Larrain practices also in telecommunications, securities and real estate projects. He is ranked as a “Recommended Individual” in Corporate/M&A and also in Banking & Finance by PLC Which Lawyer 2012. He has also been recognized by Chambers and Partners for his work in Banking & Finance and M&A. Mr. Larrain has served in several committees of Baker McKenzie. He provides pro bono work for several institutions. He is bar admitted in Chile since 1980.

Practice Focus:

Mr. Larrain has an extensive experience on Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity transactions, Corporate Finance and major infrastructure projects. He also provides corporate and securities advice to multinational and Chilean companies. Among some of the transactions he has worked on the acquisition of Dresdner Bank Chile by Grupo Security, acted for Autostrade per l’Italia in the acquisition of 4 toll road companies, advised GE Capital in a private equity transaction; has advised Kimco Realty Corp. in Chile in their private equity and real estate investments; has advised ED&F Man in the acquisition of Campos Chilenos and Industria Azucarera Nacional (two publicly listed companies); has advised Alliance Boots in the acquisition of Farmacias Ahumada (publicly listed company), etc. He has worked also advising some of the most important local and multinational companies.

Representative Legal Matters:

  • Advised E D & F Man, a British merchant of agricultural commodities, with the tender offer to acquire up to 100% of the shares issued by Sociedad de Inversiones Campos Chilenos S.A. and Empresas Iansa S.A. (IANSA).
  • Advised Grupo Security on acquisition of Compañía de Seguros de Vida Cruz del Sur S.A. (insurance company); Cruz del Sur Administradora General de Fondos S.A.; Cruz del Sur Capital S.A.; Cruz del Sur Corredora de Bolsa S.A. (stock broker); Hipotecaria Cruz del Sur Principal S.A.; y Sociedad de Asesorías e Inversiones Cruz del Sur Ltda. from the Angelini Group for USD300 million, allowing the company to double its insurance business, as well as its life annuities stock and investment portfolio.
  • Advised Atlantia in the sale of a significant stake in Chile’s Costanera Group. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) purchased a 49.99 percent stake in the group from Atlantia S.p.A. in a transaction valued at USD1.15 billion.
  • Advised Brasil Foods in the acquisition of the remaining 40% of the Chilean subsidiary of Sadia.
  • Acted for Atlantia / Autostrade in the acquisition of the following companies from Grupo Itínere USD340,000,000 approx.: a) 100% Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Nororiente S.A.; b) 100% Sociedad Concesionaria Los Lagos S.A.: c) 100% Gestión Vial S.A.; d) 50% Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Vespucio Sur S.A.; e) 50% Sociedad Concesionaria de Los Lagos S.A.; f) 50% Sociedad de Operación y Logística de Infraestructura S.A. The transaction included a tender offer in Spain from Citi Infrastructure Partners L.P. for the acquisition of over 50% of the stocks of Spanish Itinere Infraestructuras S.A., as well as the sale and transfer to Autostrade per L’Italia S.p.A. of a series of Itinere assets.
  •  Acted for Grupo Security S.A. in a Public Tender Offer, to acquire the control of Dresdner Bank Lateinamerica Chile, a listed company in the Stock Exchange of Santiago.
  • Acted for GE Capital in the acquisition of participation interest in the Integramédica Group in Chile (Private Equity transaction).
  • Acted for Alcatel Canada Inc. in the sale of its participation interests in the Coasin Group in various Central and South American countries, as well as in the acquisition of a participation interest in Tecnocom S.A. in Uruguay.
  • Acted for Grupo Security S.A. on the acquisition Acquisition of a Pension Fund company and two insurance companies from AGF France.
  • Acted for Grupo Security S.A. on the acquisition Acquisition of an insurance company from AIG.

Related Expertise:

Languages

Spanish - English

Memberships

  • Chilean Bar Association – Conciliator at Center for Settlement of International Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington,D.C.

Education

  • Harvard University (I.T.P.) (1990)
  • Adolfo Ibañez Business School (Certificate) (1988)
  • University of Chilé (Tax) (1986)
  • University of Chilé (LL.B.) (1978)

Personal

Professional Honors: 

  • Recognized as a top tier lawyer, Chambers & Partners Latin America Guide, 2016
  • Best Lawyer in Corporate and M&A Law and Project Finance and Development Practice, Best Lawyers International, 2016
  • Leading lawyer, IFLR 1000, 2014
  • Recognized for his work in M&A, IFLR Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms, 2013

Lawyer Rankings

Chile > Banking and finance

Baker McKenzie Chile‘s nine-strong multi-disciplinary group is experienced in structuring, negotiating and documenting a broad range of banking, financing and capital markets deals. Its expertise ranges from project finance, corporate loans and refinancing, to acquisition finance, derivatives, securitisations and regulatory advice. The practice’s key figures are Sebastián Vivanco, whose track record includes project finance transactions, including syndicated loan agreements and local security packages; of counsel León Larrain, an expert in telecoms, securities and real estate projects; and corporate finance and securitisation specialist Jaime Munro. Within the firm’s associate ranks, senior Cristóbal Larrain regularly works with the firm’s New York team on corporate and project financings across the Lat Am region; and Jose Ignacio Berner acts for Chilean and international companies on banking and finance matters.

Chile > Corporate and M&A

Acting for both domestic and international clients, Baker McKenzie Chile has over 40 years’ experience in advising on cross-border deals involving Chile – including M&A, joint ventures, and other commercial transactions. During the course of the last year the sizeable practice group has been particularly active in both investment fund structuring and M&A transactions involving substantial industrial and residential real estate components. The teams’ recent track record also includes mandates involving the insurance and finance sectors, as well as ongoing advice to clients from the natural resources, telecoms, energy, technology and consumer products sectors. The practice is co-led by Jaime Munro and Fernando Castro, who ‘do a great job‘; while Diego Ferrada is highly experienced in M&A, including stock and asset transactions, and Sebastian Vivanco‘s broad practice also includes M&A work. At of counsel level, Leon Larrain has over 30 years’ experience in transactional matters. Associates Verónica Barrios, Macarena SalazarCristobal Larrain and Martin Müller are all also active on corporate issues.

Latin America: International firms > Banking and finance

Baker McKenzie LLP’s prevalence across Latin America, with multiple offices, coupled with an established Latin America-focused team in the US, provides it with genuine credibility and a slew of impressive engagements. It has especially strong banking and finance teams in Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru, among other offices. It previously advised Banco Davivienda on the $906m refinancing of the Rumichaca-Pasto 4G toll road in Colombia. Buenos Aires partner Gabriel Gomez Giglio is chair of the Latin America banking and finance team, which includes Juan Carlos de los Heros Echecopar in Lima. Sebastian Vivanco, León Larrain and Jaime Munro are key figures in Santiago, notably for corporate lending and project finance; the firm recently advised the banks on the $146m credit facility to finance the Centella and Tap Mauro power transmission line projects in Chile. Bogota’s Ricardo Trejos Robledo is noted for project finance and acquisition finance. Former Bogota partner Carolina Duque left the firm in January 2023.