The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Juan Tagle and Mario Gorziglia lead an eight-strong team at Prieto y Cia that is regularly involved in financings for an array of corporate clients including Repsol YPF, Electroandina and Telefónica Internacional. Tagle has a strong energy and infrastrucutre inflection to his practice while Gorziglia brings tax expertise to the team; they are also able to call on the banking expertise of senior partner Patricio Prieto. Work highlights included advising SMU on the restructuring of a pair of bond issues totalling $360m made by Supermercados del Sur before the two companies merged. In other work, the team assisted the Canadian equity fund Americas Energy with a mezzanine financing facility granted to Andes Mining & Energy for the construction of a power plant in Peru; and advised Santiago water utility and sewage concessionaire, Aguas Andinas, along with placement agents Larrain Vial and BBVA, on a $126m UF bond issuance in the local market. It also advised Aguas de Barcelona (AGBAR), and related holding companies, on the restructuring of a $200m loan agreement with Corpbanca. Other finance sector clients include Banchile Citi and IM Trust.

Within Competition and antitrust, Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Prieto y Cia's recently expanded and reshuffled team is led by the ‘knowledgeable, strategic and approachable' Benjamín Grebe, who is assisted by ‘two very competent' associates and also teams up with seasoned practitioner Claudio Undurraga, as well as head-of-litigation Fernando Samaniego, as required. The ‘creative and experienced' team has seen an increased demand for antitrust counselling by both foreign and national clients, as a result of which it has increased its focus upon pre-emptive advice and antitrust enquiries of late. Its expertise ranges from consultations on horizontal concentrations to distribution agreements and anti-competitive behaviours. Highlights included advising SMU on approval procedures before the competition tribunal regarding its merger with Supermercados del Sur. It is also representing radio-operator Inversiones San José in proceedings before the Supreme Court brought by the competition authority concerning alleged collusion in the concession of radio frequencies.

Within Corporate and M&A, Prieto y Cia is a second tier firm,

Prieto y Cia provides its corporate clients with in-depth understanding and competence industry by industry; it has particularly long-standing experience in retail, real estate, energy, manufacturing, natural resources, mining, and capital markets. Its services include finance and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, the incorporation of new businesses and advice on corporate structures. Juan Tagle led the team's involvement in a number of the country's most high-profile mergers in the fiercely competitive retail sector; in particular, it advised SMU Group on its acquisition of shopping centres Galería Imperio and Avantuen as well as on its merger with supermarket chain Supermercados del Sur and hardware store chain Construmart. Fernando Bravo was instructed on several corporate restructurings in the energy sector; and assisted E.CL and Suez Energy Andino in their restructuring processes (thereby facilitating the spinning off of a thermo-electrical power station and a wind farm, respectively). Bravo teamed up with tax partner Mario Gorziglia to advise the same clients on the $1.04bn stock exchange auction placement of Codelco's 40% interest in Suez Energy Andino, a placement carried out both locally and in the international markets under Rule 144A/Reg. S. The pair also acted for Aguas Andinas (and subsidiary ESSAL) in the $1bn sale by state development agency CORFO of its holdings in the two water utilities. Drawing on the strength of his acclaimed mining practice, Diego Brieba assisted Tetra Tech on its first purchase in Latin America, by which it acquired 100% of Chilean mining service company Metalica Consultores. Also recommended are Benjamín Grebe and Leonidas Prieto.

Within Energy and natural resources: mining, Prieto y Cia is a second tier firm,

'Very good on all counts', Prieto y Cia has a very strong practice, particularly on acquisition transactions in the mining industry. It delivers a ‘timely, on point and thoughtful' service and is ‘experienced in serving international business clients'. The ‘very knowledgeable' department head Diego Brieba is ‘exceptionally well versed in Chilean business law, finely integrated into the country's legal community and willing to help at all times', Fellow partner Juan Tagle's experience of living in Canada helps with ‘bridging the legal and cultural differences between Latin and North America'. The team is representing Goldcorp in proceedings against Barrick Gold over control of the El Morro copper and gold deposit, following Goldcorp's allegedly illegal acquisition of a 70% interest in the project. In other work the team is advising Tetra Rech on its first acquisition in Latin America, and also handled the negotiations with a local mining entrepreneur, and the drafting and execution of a joint-venture operation, on behalf of Australian mining group Alara Resources, with a view to develop a multi-open pit operation in northern Chile. Other clients include Yamana Gold, Brazilian Gold and Centerra Gold.

Within Energy and natural resources: oil and gas/power generation, Prieto y Cia is a first tier firm,

Prieto y Cia is a key player in the energy industry, its strength and reputation stemming from the exceptional practitioners it fields, a total of four partners and 12 associates. Seasoned arbitrator and founding partner Claudio Undurraga has 45 years' experience encompassing power generation and distribution, power purchase and gas supply agreements, energy, gas and natural resources; he is an expert on dispute resolution in the sector. Juan Tagle focuses on financing operations and the full range of energy agreements; Fernando Bravo delivers general corporate advice to local and international energy companies; and Jaime Ríos's practice includes acting for large power generation and distribution companies within the electricity sector. E-CL provides a steady stream of work, and the team advised it on a number of non-conventional projects including the production of biofuel from micro-algae and the development of renewable energy sources such as biomass and wind power. The team also handled the preparation of an international bidding process for the design, procurement and construction of a solar power plant and the preparation of an offer for a power purchase agreement linked to a copper mining project in northern Chile. On the water law side, the team advised Aguas Andinas on its agreement with AES Gener in relation to water rights related to the development of a 531MW hydroelectric project. Other clients include Colbún, GDF Suez and Repsol YPF.

Within Environment, Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Prieto y Cia's newly created environment team has earned profile from the calibre of mandates it has attracted since environmental specialist Alejandro Ruiz was appointed to its direction in April 2011. Ruiz has relevant experience in both the public and private sectors and the team benefits form the inter-departmental synergies available at one of the country's foremost energy firms. The team has advised SCL Energía Activa on the negotiation of an emissions reduction purchase agreement (ERPA) with carbon-broker Tricorona in relation to its biomass-residue-fired cogeneration plant, and assisted Aguas Andinas with the environmental issues of the $1bn sale of Corfo's shares in the company.

Within Insurance, Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Jaime Ríos leads the practice at Prieto y Cia, which advises insurance companies on arbitration proceedings and regulatory issues, as well as on the acquisition of insurance businesses. It assisted RSA Seguros Generales in two arbitral processes and Cía de Seguros de Vida Cámara with the merger of part of its business with the Medical Service of the Chilean Construction Chamber. It was also instructed by Assurant Chile Compañía de Seguros Generales on its approval process before the Chilean regulatory authority.

Within Labour and employment , Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Prieto y Cia is a strong choice for labour-related litigation, an area in which the team has been especially busy in 2011, representing organisations throughout the country. The ‘experienced and professional' team advises a high-profile corporate client-base on advisory, contentious, restructuring and transaction-related matters and is praised for its ‘efficiency and good legal judgement'. Clients include companies such as Sodexho Chile, LAN Airlines and Antofagasta Minerals. Recently appointed partner, practice head Christian von Bergen is recommended.

Within TMT , Prieto y Cia is a third tier firm,

Mario Gorziglia and Alberto González are the key contacts at Prieto y Cia. The team assisted Telcordia Technologies with a tender aimed at the implementation of the number portability system in Chile. It also advised space systems and services provider Astrium on the amendment of a sales contract for a satellite for the Chilean air force; and acted for Universidad Tecnológica de Chile (INACAP), on the execution and amendment of all its technological contracts with different providers and suppliers.

Within Tax, tier 4

The well-rounded and recently enlarged tax practice at Prieto y Cia delivers high-quality service to its international client base on the full range of tax matters. The team's comprehensive tax expertise is sought by clients from a variety of sectors such as retail, real estate, public utilities, insurance and capital markets, with a substantial track record of instructions by oil and gas companies drawing upon the strength of the firm's energy department. The team assists with the structuring of a wide range of merger and acquisitions transactions and other business operations, and is also distinguished for its active litigation practice. Highlights included being regular counsel to GDF Suez and all its Chilean subsidiaries on a range of tax matters. It also recently representing Telefónica Internacional Chile in court. Other clients include Mapfre Seguros, Repsol YPF and Agbar Group. Mario Gorziglia and Leonidas Prieto co-head the team.