DLA Piper Chile > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

DLA Piper Chile > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Venture capital Tier 1

DLA Piper Chile fields a go-to VC group for entrepreneurs, companies and investors, in relation to financing rounds, corporate ventures, exits, employee stock ownership plans, bridge financings, and business internationalisation processes. ‘Very committed to clients‘, the group stands out for its technology sector expertise, while the Santiago office further benefits from the firm’s global platform of over 90 offices worldwide. The 10-strong practice is headed up by ‘outstanding lawyer‘ Matías Zegers, a widely-respected VC and entrepreneurship specialist, whose clients range from start-ups and early and later-stage, growth-capital and mid-market businesses, to global companies. The department also features Jorge Timmermann, who (following his 2021 promotion to partner) was appointed as emerging growth and VC regional co-leader for LatAm in 2023. Timmermann regularly advises VC firms and entrepreneurs on investment funds and start-up vehicles, as well as applications for state-driven funding opportunities. Key associate support is provided by Pilar Ay, who is experienced in financing rounds and complex financing instruments; and José Ignacio Marín, a June-2022 hire from Artigas & Cía.

Chile > Compliance Tier 2

DLA Piper Chile's five-member compliance practice is consistently mandated on regulatory compliance assessments, the creation and implementation of risk matrix compliance control mechanisms, criminal liability prevention models, and the design of compliance programmes in accordance with Law 20,393. It also prepares clients for compliance certification processes and advises on corporate compliance-related internal investigations. Clients additionally benefit from the Santiago office’s access to the firm’s global platform of over 90 offices, as well as the compliance team’s sector expertise in energy, forestry, mining, retail and publishing among other areas. The ‘very committed' practice group is co-led by corporate and banking and finance expert, Mauricio Halpern, who can leverage his previous experience as an in-house counsel for compliance work; and corporate and capital markets' partner Diego Noguera, a specialist in identifying potential conflicts of interest between public agencies and private entities. In addition to dispute resolution, experienced associate Andrea de la Vega advises on regulatory compliance issues.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity and hydrocarbons

DLA Piper Chile‘s Santiago office houses experts in oil and gas, renewable and hydrogen projects, including associated regulatory issues. The seven-lawyer team advises at all stages of energy generation projects, including related works, such as transmission lines, substations, and gas pipelines; and (with Chile included) it is able to facilitate access to over 450 lawyers in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Puerto Rico. The Chilean energy and natural resources practice group is co-led by energy, natural gas and liquified natural gas project expert, Felipe Bahamondez; and  Diego Peña (a partner since 2022), whose track record encompasses natural gas, hydro, wind, biomass and solar energy plant projects. Former counsel Paulina Farias left the firm in August 2023.

Chile > Banking and finance Tier 3

DLA Piper Chile's team is widely respected for its energy-sector expertise, particularly regarding photovoltaic solar projects. Clients notably benefit from the Santiago office’s ability to leverage the firm’s global network, which facilitates interaction with other jurisdictions during financings. It additionally caters to non-traditional financial needs, such as fintech matters, investment and personal finance, P2P lending, and cryptocurrencies. The team is led by Mauricio Halpern, who routinely advises banks, multilateral financial institutions and syndicated club banks, while Matías Zegers is an investment funds expert. At associate level, Eduardo Araya and Natalia Cox are both active in finance work.

Chile > Capital markets Tier 3

DLA Piper Chile's experienced capital markets' practice routinely advises on placements, securities issuances, IPOs and capital increases. The team also houses specialists in stock options, bonds, credit line registrations, and American depositary receipts. Additionally, clients benefit notably from the Santiago office’s access to the wide-ranging resources of the firm’s enviable global platform. The principal figures are longstanding capital markets and securities specialist Diego Noguera and Matías Zegers, who contributes solid investment funds' experience to the group. The next line of advisers includes former capital markets adviser to the Minister of Finance, Jorge Timmermann (at partner level since early 2021).

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

The ‘extremely agile, collaborative and proactive' corporate and M&A practice at DLA Piper Chile consistently acts on substantial M&A transactions, including due diligence processes and post-closing actions. The 23-strong team is also experienced in corporate governance and venture capital matters; while clients additionally appreciate the group’s technology, and energy-and-natural-resources' sector expertise. The corporate practice is led by M&A, corporate governance and venture capital specialist, Matías Zegers; while fellow partner Marco Salgado's track record includes several public and private M&A transactions; and Diego Noguera's expertise encompasses M&A, compliance, corporate governance and family wealth-related work. In 2023, Jorge Timmermann, who advises on both M&A and shareholder agreements, was appointed as the firm’s emerging growth and venture capital regional co-leader for LatAm.

Chile > Data privacy Tier 3

DLA Piper Chile's growing practice advises on the application and implementation of both Chilean data protection law and the European Union's GDPR legislation. The five-member team also assists with the development of standard data-protection guidelines for multinational corporates and is particularly active on behalf of technology companies. The broad practice of the ‘very respected' Matías Zegers covers data protection advice, while Jorge Timmermann's technology-related workload includes data privacy issues. In a boost to the group, data protection and information security expert Carla Illanes joined as counsel in November 2022 from the digital division of Chile's Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia.

Chile > Labour and employment Tier 3

DLA Piper Chile‘s ‘quality and professionalism are perfect’. The Santiago office’s five-member group is particularly well known for advising on gig-economy employment matters, employer-side collective bargaining, and compensation and benefits; and the group’s sector expertise ranges from manufacturing, healthcare and banking, to leisure, cosmetics, energy, construction and real estate. With ‘extensive experience in labour matters’, the broad experience of practice head Luis Parada covers stock option plans, collective bargaining, anti-union practices, harassment and discrimination. Parada also assists with company restructurings, labour due diligence, high-level terminations, restrictive covenants, executives’ expatriation agreements and migration issues. Within the office’s associate pool, seniors Diego González and Ignacio Abogabir are both names to note. Former senior Iñaki Irisarri  left the firm in July 2023.

Chile > Projects and infrastructure Tier 3

The 10-strong projects practice at DLA Piper Chile advises both domestic and multinational companies on the development, acquisition, sale and financing of substantial energy and infrastructure projects (particularly wind and solar). The team is also able to leverage the expertise of the firm’s colleagues in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru for regional projects. The core group of principal advisers consists of Felipe Bahamondez, an expert in energy, natural gas and LNG projects; Rodrigo Álvarez, whose track record includes over 100 commercial, housing and industrial project developments in Chile; and recently-elevated partner and energy and infrastructure specialist, Diego Peña. Former counsel Paulina Farias left the firm in August 2023.

Chile > Public law Tier 3

The five-strong public law practice at full-service firm DLA Piper Chile is increasingly active in administrative procedures before Chile’s authorities. The team, which consists of figures with former public-sector experience, handles matters involving a range of sectors, from technology, public infrastructure, construction and real estate, to energy, education, media, and food and beverage. Heading up the Santiago office’s regulated markets and antitrust practice group, Felipe Bahamondez has broad public law and regulatory experience; and the practice of Paulina Farías  (promoted to counsel in March 2023) covers the regulatory aspects of energy, telecoms, and public health and infrastructure, as well as public bidding processes, and administrative actions and procedures. Since the conclusion of research, Farias has left the firm – effective as of August 2023.

Chile > Real estate Tier 3

Chile > Tax Tier 3

DLA Piper Chile’s ‘very powerful team’ is particularly noted for growth areas such as e-commerce and fintech, as well as its advice to digital and technological companies. The six-member practice additionally assists with the tax and restructuring aspects arising from the expansion of start-ups. The broad practice also covers the tax structuring of M&A, venture capital and private equity transactions, as well as tax compliance, and administrative and judicial tax proceedings. The group is co-led by Rodrigo Álvarez, who maintains a broad tax practice; and Amory Heine, who is ‘creative and assertive in her advice’. Senior associate Francisco Argüello advises both national and foreign clients on their domestic and cross-border tax matters.

Chile > Competition and antitrust Tier 4

DLA Piper Chile's ‘always up-to-date' three-member competition department is increasingly active in merger-control work, where the team routinely leverages the expertise of its corporate and M&A colleagues. Other areas of strength include compliance programmes and internal investigations. The practice is further noted for its client portfolio of technological companies, platforms and digital markets. The principal figures are Felipe Bahamondez, who leads the Santiago office’s regulated markets and antitrust practice group (and is experienced in FNE investigations and merger-control procedures); and counsel Sofia O’Ryan, an expert in merger control, unilateral conduct and horizontal agreements.

Chile > Dispute resolution: arbitration

Latin America: International firms > Projects and energy

DLA Piper LLP (US) has a large team of Latin America specialists, spread across its US and Latin America offices. It has extensive connections to developers and project sponsors, and is increasingly building its presence in renewables and energy transition matters (including wind, solar, hydro and battery storage). The practice is also noted for PPP transactions, thanks to its headline role in advising LUMA Energy as the winning bidder in the PPP transaction for the management and operation of the transmission and distribution assets of the state-owned electricity utility in Puerto Rico. The firm is further noted for its M&A expertise in energy and infrastructure, including portfolio acquisitions of renewables assets. Marcello Hallake has joined the New York office from Jones Day, bringing significant energy sector transactional expertise. New York’s Margarita Oliva Sainz de Aja is Latin America head of banking and finance and has an excellent record in project financings in the region. San Juan partner Miriam Figueroa is a key figure in PPPs and infrastructure projects. Santiago partner Diego Peña is also an integral team member, as is Raul Farias in San Diego/New York. Since publication, the practice has been furhter strengthened with the hire of Sao Paulo-based Bruno Soares from Allen & Overy LLP - effective as of February 2024.