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Baker & McKenzie

NUEVA TAJAMAR 481, TORRE NORTE, PISO 21, SANTIAGO, CHILE
Zurich, Washington DC, Warsaw, Vienna, Valencia, Toronto and 73 more

Chile : Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Baker & McKenzie's ten-strong banking practice is described as knowledgeable and capable and was boosted with the addition of four associates during 2011. Led by Jaime Munro, the team has been busy advising international financial institutions, on both a punctual and an on-going basis, with regard to investments and the establishment of business in Chile; particularly on cross-border syndicated loans. The experienced senior partner León Larrain and his younger colleague Sebastián Vivanco both have extensive expertise in projects financing and securities. The pair advised on the structuring and negotiation of hedging strategies and review of financial covenants and restrictions contained in the ISDA master agreement between Viña Concha y Toro and JPMorgan Chase Bank. The team is also adept at providing prospective analysis and legal opinions to leading foreign companies and financial institutions in relation to Chilean financial regulations and international trade instruments. Key clients include Zurich Insurance Company, UBS Investment Bank and Bank of America.

Chile : Competition and antitrust

Within Competition and antitrust, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie is particularly active on the litigation side of competition matters. Rodrigo Díaz de Valdés, who combines his knowledge of antitrust law with ten years' dispute resolution experience, leads the team in addition to serving as arbitrator at the Arbitration Centre and the Chamber of Commerce. The group represented travel agency Abercrombie & Kent in a collusion case before the competition tribunal that set a precedent as to how cartel behaviour is dealt with in Chilean courts. On the merger front, León Larrain teamed up with the firm's US, London and Kiev offices to advise leading Chilean winery Viña Concha y Toro on its acquisition of Fetzer Vineyards, along with a number of other notable brands, from the Brown-Forman Corporation.

Chile : Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Leveraging off the firm's impressive global network and providing a full-service offering that includes tax advice and finance restructuring, León Larrain's eight-lawyer corporate team at Baker & McKenzie has an established market recognition as a result of an impressive deal book. The team is well positioned to handle M&A transactions in the mining sector, and recently called on Antonio Ortúzar's expertise to advise Sierra Gorda SCM on the agreement entered into with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile to purchase some of the latter's mining properties for $37m. It also assisted the Italian infrastructure company Atlantia on its $400m acquisition of a stake in three of Chile's toll road operators, and on the $1.14bn sale of a 49.99% stake in its Chilean unit, Grupo Costanera, to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Another significant mandate came from Viña Concha y Toro, one of the leading wine producers and exporters in Latin America, which instructed the team on its $238m acquisition of the Fetzer Vineyards brand (and four other California-based wine brands) from the Brown-Forman Corporation, thereby gaining a significant operating presence in the US. The team has also picked up work from other high-profile companies such as Wells Fargo, Caterpillar and Weir Corporation.

Chile : Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, tier 4

The ‘strong and capable' team at Baker & McKenzie delivers a service of ‘notable efficiency'. It is led by Rodrigo Díaz de Valdés, who has a great understanding of several practice areas and was recently appointed as an international partner by the firm. He was entrusted by the President of Chile to lead his defence before the Constitutional Court in a benchmark case filed by parliamentary members over the ratification of an international treaty entered with the US, the EU and Japan. Other highlights included obtaining the suspension of a court order for Autostrade per L'Italia before the Constitutional Court; collaborating in Zurich's defence in insurance arbitration proceedings against Colbún relating to damages for business interruption; and acting for the ministry of public works in a claim filed by Aguas de Antofagasta over the alleged unconstitutionality of water sanitation regulations, in application of which the company was heavily fined. Antonio Ortúzar Sr is an expert arbitrator.

Chile : Energy and natural resources: mining

Within Energy and natural resources: mining, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie has a leading practice for M&A transactions, contracts and joint ventures in the mining industry – the firm's global presence being a key asset that allows immediate, local and targeted assistance to foreign companies investing in Chile. The team, which is led by the ‘vastly experienced' Antonio Ortúzar, is also able to handle all stages of multimillion-dollar greenfield and brownfield mining projects, including their acquisition, financing and operation. Highlights included advising Minera Atacama Pacific Gold on its $100m acquisition of the Atacama Gold project to be developed in the Maricunga area. The team assisted Minera Cerro Dominador and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile on their respective agreements with Sierra Gorda SCM on the acquisition of mining concessions in the Sierra Gorda copper-molybdenum project, also in the Atacama Desert and currently at the feasibility-study stage. In the developing silver industry, it advised Endeavour on the negotiation of a purchase option on the La Presidenta silver mine in northern Chile. Concurrently, Castillo Copper entrusted Ortúzar with its $15m acquisition of the mining property Chilon Los Bayos from ten different owners, a complex process that lasted over a year. Diego Ferrada, whose practice is focused on M&A and project financing in the mining and energy industry, was promoted to partnership in July 2011.

Chile : Energy and natural resources: oil and gas/power generation

Within Energy and natural resources: oil and gas/power generation, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie attracts praise for ‘its proficient knowledge of the Chilean legal system and the electricity industry and its players'. Antonio Ortúzar's ‘extremely committed' team advised Origin Energy on the acquisition of a 40% stake in geothermal exploration company Energia Andina, as well as on the bid documents and concession agreement for a large geothermal energy-concession project. It also assisted Empresa Eléctrica Caren with the swiftly completed sale of 66% of its shares to Latin America Power, an investment towards the development of two hydroelectric power plants. The firm bolstered its team's profile in July 2011 with the promotion of Diego Ferrada to the partnership; he is applauded for his legal talent and his technical and commercial skills.

Chile : Labour and employment

Within Labour and employment , Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie's labour practice is flourishing under the direction of Ignacio García, coordinator of the firm's labour and employment practice group. The team advises local and international companies on employment contracts, collective bargaining negotiations, visas and immigration, and internal labour-related policies. It has been particularly busy representing clients in employment litigation proceedings. ‘Efficient and highly knowledgeable' senior associate Nancy Ibaceta wins unanimous praise for her ‘excellent experience in both sophisticated and simple matters'.

Chile : Real estate

Within Real estate, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie's Andrés Wagner and his small team have an excellent track record in negotiation of land purchases, with recent experience advising clients on major projects in both the retail and agricultural sectors. A highlight included advising Agricola y Forestal El Dorado on the $15m sale of two agricultural properties with an attendant water rights agreement. Other key clients include Motorola, international fruit exporter Exportadora Unifrutti Traders and construction company Tribasa Chile.

Chile : TMT

Within TMT , Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

The key figures in Baker & McKenzie's practice are team leader León Larrain and corporate partner Diego Ferrada. It handles regulatory matters for a long list of high-profile clients such as Toshiba, Oracle, Sharp, Nokia, Research in Motion and PayPal. Recent instructions have included advising on data protection regulations, the newly approved law on telephone number portability, and telecom legislation applicable to the launch of new online businesses in the country.

Chile : Tax

Within Tax, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie delivers an ‘exemplary' service, ‘both timely and thorough'. The expanding practice is led by the highly recommended Alberto Maturana, who is able to draw on his considerable experience advising Canadian mining companies investing in Chile to answer his high-profile mining clients' complex requirements. The group recently welcomed the arrival of tax expert Miguel Massone, who was previously at PwC in Santiago. The team advises companies and high-net-worth individuals from a broad spectrum of industries on international and domestic taxation, inbound and outbound tax structuring, tax planning and business structuring. It advised Origin Energy on the structuring and financing of its acquisition of a stake in geothermal exploration company Energía Andina; assisted Quadra Mining FNX on the tax planning and the financial structure of its joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining; and acted for Autostrade per l'Ítalia on its complex acquisition of a toll road concession company. It also successfully acted for Equant Chile in a $5m VAT litigation claim before the Supreme Court.

Further information on Baker & McKenzie

Please choose from this list to view details of what we say about Baker & McKenzie in other jurisdictions.

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Search News and Articles

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Baker & McKenzie

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