The Legal 500

Within Dispute resolution, tier 4

Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz covers all kind of contentious issues, from civil and commercial to administrative cases in addition to constitutional actions. The team's ‘high-quality service' attracts clients as much as the approachability of its practitioners, who are warmly praised for their ‘direct, honest and friendly approach'. It has been acting for the Chilean arm of British American Tobacco, Compañía Chilena de Tabacos, against CORFO in relation to the alleged profits gained from the 2007 Inverlink Brokerage fraud. The group also successfully represented Hidroenersur in the enforcement of a $48m land purchase agreement for the development of a hydroelectric project. Other clients include Manas Petroleum, IPR Chile, satellite TV provider TuVes and Compañía Minera Nova Ventura. Department head José Ignacio Jiménez stands out for his ‘solid procedural knowledge and experience'.

Within Energy and natural resources: mining, Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz is a third tier firm,

Rated for its ability to handle a large variety of instructions for high-profile clients, Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz has extensive experience in assisting companies in the mining industry with joint ventures, acquisitions and financing as well as on operational project matters, including litigation and negotiation before the relevant authorities. The team regularly advises British mining company Anglo American, for which it handled instructions including the acquisitions of Compañía Minera Disputada de Las Condes and Minera Montecristo, as well as the expansion of its Los Bronces project. The team represented Simbalik before the Chilean Nuclear Commission to obtain the authorisation to extract lithium at its project in the Salar de Maricunga, the first lithium licence to be granted since the enactment of the current mining code. It also advised CAP on its joint venture with Mitsubishi for the development, construction and operation of a desalinisation plant in the Atacama region to provide water to two mining ventures owned by Compañía Minera del Pacífico; and acted for International Copper Company on the purchase agreement for the acquisition of a medium-sized copper producer. Arturo Marín heads the team.

Within Energy and natural resources: oil and gas/power generation, Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz is a second tier firm,

Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz's ‘level of service is second to none' – the team is ‘very well rounded in its set of skills' and ‘integrates corporate, financial and regulatory expertise'. Department head Clemente Pérez is noted for his ‘excellent contract drafting and negotiation skills', and his team ‘has immense knowledge of regulations and administrative processes'. The four-partner-strong team covers all kind of projects from traditional power generation to renewable energy, and has distinct niche expertise in the latter. A case in point was its instruction on sophisticated carbon credit transfers (a highly unusual procedure in Chile), and the team is often involved in the country's most important alternative energy projects. Recent highlights include advising NSL Power on a due diligence process for the acquisition and development of the $600m Lebu Sur wind farm project (the largest in South America in terms of capacity); assisting with the project financing for the development of four hydroelectric power stations; and successfully representing HidroAngol in a case concerning its Picoiquén hydroelectric plant.

Within Environment, Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz is a second tier firm,

Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz provides sophisticated environmental advice on transactions, acquisitions, project financing and energy-related litigation. It has experience across the alternative energy sub-sector (hydroelectric, solar, wind, thermoelectric and geothermal) and handles issues throughout the energy project cycle, from initial exploration to financing and sale transactions. The team comes under the umbrella of the broader energy, natural resources and environment group headed by Clemente Pérez, who previously served as director at the National Environmental Agency and also as deputy secretary of public works. Pérez and Cristián Fabres advised Hacienda Talinay on the sale of its 92% stake in wind farm Parque Talinay Oriente, which resulted in the first filing of a request for the partial transfer of environmental permits at the Chilean Environmental Agency. The firm also assisted NSL power with the environmental due diligence process of the largest wind farm project in Latin America, and acted for Nova Venture Mine on the environment impact assessment and permits for its $84m copper-iron project in the Tarapacá region.

Within Real estate, Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz is a second tier firm,

Urban planning and zoning specialist Martín Santa María is in charge of the small yet comprehensive real estate practice at Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz. The team developed its activity in parallel with the growing presence of foreign real estate funds in the country; it is adept at real estate transactions, project developments and acquisitions, urban planning and zoning as well as real estate due diligence processes. Highlights included advising water company Aguas Andinas on zoning plan restrictions in relation to a number of sites in Santiago, and acting for Ripley on building authorisations in connection with a shopping centre.

Within TMT , Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz is a second tier firm,

Telecom specialist Juan Enrique Allard heads the highly specialised practice at Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz, which covers concessions, negotiations, litigation and the representation of clients before the telecommunications authority. The team is representing TuVes against Television Nacional de Chile in an unprecedented case in which the claimant challenges the right of satellite and cable service providers to freely transmit public digital TV channels. It also advised Tekelec on number portability and network neutrality matters. In 2011, managing partner Roberto Guerrero V was appointed to the board of the National Television Council, the body responsible for supervising Chilean TV's regulatory compliance. Other clients include Bloomberg, Yahoo! and Western Union International.

Within Tax, tier 4

Guerrero, Olivos, Novoa y Errazuriz impresses with its technical knowledge and receives plaudits for its ability to ‘protect its clients' interests by providing appropriate and accurate solutions to all matters'. Sebastián Guerrero leads the team, which regularly advises local and international companies on a wide range of corporate tax matters and handles complex tax issues in connection with mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings. The team is also adept at individual and estate tax planning. Guerrero assisted NSL on tax and corporate structures for its $600m purchase of a wind farm in southern Chile; advised Plansee on tax and corporate matters in relation to the $250m sale of shares in molybdenum processor Molymet, and acted for food manufacturer Empresas Carozzi on the spinoff of Industrias Carozzi. Associate Jaime del Valle is singled out for being ‘very focused, efficient and very knowledgeable'.