Barros Silva Varela & Vigil > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

Barros Silva Varela & Vigil > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

The sizeable corporate practice at Barros Silva Varela & Vigil houses industry expert in telecoms, mining, energy, pharma and real estate and whose expertise encompasses corporate governance, family offices, and cross-border transactions. The group is co-led by name partner Jorge Vigil, who specialises in M&A, restructurings, and complex contract negotiations; and M&A, corporate governance, joint venture and corporate law expert, Rodrigo de Alencar (a 2022 partner recruit from Urenda, Rencoret, Orrego y Dörr). At non-partner level, corporate law director Sebastián Barros Campino advises on M&A and investment funds; while senior associate Josefina Castro's recent experience includes serving as legal counsel to Latin America Power. Former senior associate Felipe Valle F departed the firm in August 2022.

Chile > Environment Tier 3

Barros Silva Varela & Vigil's public law and environmental department fields experts in environmental assessments, compliance with environmental and sectoral regulations, and sanctioning proceedings before Chile’s Superintendency of the Environment and Environmental Protection Agency. The team is co-led by public and regulatory law specialist, Claudia Ferreiro, whose practice takes in projects’ environmental impact assessments, defences before state agencies, concession-granting procedures and environmental litigation; and Felipe Riesco, whose past experience includes serving as both Ministry of the Environment Undersecretary and legal advisor to the Superintendency of the Environment. At senior associate level, José Ignacio Vial focuses on regulatory and environmental issues, while Esteban Carmona advises on regulatory public law and administrative sanctioning processes.

Chile > Real estate Tier 3

Barros Silva Varela & Vigil fields a five-strong group that advises on the entire lifecycle of real estate projects. Its expertise ranges from project planning to financings, co-ownership contract negotiations, unit sales, and corporate and tax structuring. The team also assists with the legal monitoring of potential construction liabilities; and has notable specialisms in housing, real estate projects for rental purposes and matters involving government housing subsidies. ‘Excellent’ real estate department head José Joaquín Silva is experienced in complex real estate work, as well as territorial planning, corporate advice, environmental impact assessments, and negotiations involving communities. Senior associates Marcela Horzella and Soledad Marín also both maintain active real estate practices.

Chile > Labour and employment Tier 4

‘Solid and constantly growing’, Barros Silva Varela & Vigil’s six-member labour and employment department covers equity, gender, sexual harassment and discrimination issues, as well as fundamental rights’ violations, and the implementation of policies and best practices. Team leader Roberto Lewin advises on labour-related restructurings, subcontracting, collective bargaining, employment litigation, immigration and compliance. At senior associate level, Paulina Rivera (‘a great professional’) focuses on labour and employment-related litigation, collective labour law issues and labour auditing, but Nicole Lüer left the firm in January 2023.

Chile > Public law Tier 4

Barros Silva Varela & Vigil’s eight-strong public law department regularly works alongside the firm’s real estate and energy and natural resources groups, particularly in relation to electricity regulations and urban matters. It is also increasingly active in public procurement work. The team is co-led by public and administrative law specialist Felipe Riesco, a former Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Environment; and Claudia Ferreiro, whose practice covers public sanctioning law, as well as administrative and electricity law. At senior associate level, José Ignacio Vial focuses on regulatory and environmental issues, including administrative and judicial proceedings; and Esteban Carmona acts in Constitutional Court cases and contentious administrative matters.

Chile > Competition and antitrust

Energy and natural resources > Mining

Chile > Projects and infrastructure