The large, specialised banking and finance team at Barros & Errázuriz has evolved from being primarily borrower-focused to representing predominantly lenders, as it does today, while maintaining an active borrower-facing practice. It particularly stands out for its energy and infrastructure project-finance expertise, and benefits notably from the firm’s ability to leverage the expertise of its real estate, energy, environmental and regulatory practices. The firm is also part of the Affinitas network, which facilitates the regular exchange of information on regional banking, finance and capital markets developments involving Colombia, Mexico and Peru. The department is co-led by project and corporate finance specialist Francisco De la Barra, and corporate and structured financing expert Enrique Barros. Also integral to the department are Bernardo Simian, whose broad practice covers financing and capital markets, and longstanding banking and finance lawyer Nicolás Balmaceda. The next line of key advisers features structured and corporate financing partner María Olga Rivera (who was raised to the partnership in March 2022), and Vicente Cordero, whose career includes several years working in New York. At senior associate level, both Valentina Villalobos and Nicole Ubal advise on project and corporate financing matters.

The 19-strong practice at full-service legal powerhouse Carey houses experts in advising creditors, investors, and borrowers on the gamut of banking and financial transactions. Its representative expertise covers bilateral and syndicated loans (whether secured or unsecured), as well as liability management work. Other areas of strength are public and private offerings and placements of capital and debt, securitisations, project financing, structured product deals and derivatives operations. The group is co-led by six experienced partners, namely: Diego Peralta, whose recent highlights include leading advice to Qatar Airways (and its affiliates) on the debtor-in-possession financing for LATAM Airlines during the latter’s reorganisation; lending, project finance, structured product and derivatives specialist Felipe Moro; Fernando Noriega, who focuses on banking law, loan deals and project financing; Salvador Valdés, a go-to lawyer for several investment banks and asset managers; Francisco Ugarte, who assists both corporations and financial institutions with regulatory and finance work; and Alejandra Daroch, who has broad banking and finance experience.

The large banking and financing  department at full-service firm Claro & Cia. is a go-to practice for creditors, debtors, financiers and agents in relation to the development and implementation of both domestic and international banking and financial deals. The team’s expertise ranges from syndicated loans and LBOs, to structured products, derivatives and financial guarantees; it also demonstrates an enviable energy and infrastructure project-financing practice. Reflecting these capabilities, a stellar-year saw the practice lead advice to LATAM Airlines on its $3.7bn DIP loan agreement, including regional coordination of the matter across eight jurisdictions. Among the group’s several esteemed partners are prominent banking and finance specialist Rodrigo Ochagavía; Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, who assists with banking and finance matters (in addition to complex litigation); Jorge Martín, a specialist in project finance and bank and non-bank financing; and José Luis Ambrosy, whose broad practice covers corporate finance, international financing and capital markets deals. Also integral to the group are project finance lawyer José María Eyzaguirre F and M&A leader José María Eyzaguirre B. Former partner Ariel Mihovilovic  left the firm in February 2023 to become a candidate for Chile’s Constitutional Council.

Routinely advising both domestic and international clients from the financial, energy, infrastructure, entertainment and retail sectors, Morales & Besa's 12-strong practice is best known for its lender-side credentials, while also being sought out by major borrower clients. ‘Among the top-five Chilean law firms for cross-border financings', the practice acts on a wide range of banking and finance deals in relation to restructurings, syndicated loans, derivatives, and structured and project finance. It also assists with transactions involving distressed debt, acquisitions and LBOs. On the non-transactional side, the team is also experienced in assisting companies with licensing, regulatory and compliance matters. The practice is jointly led by José Miguel Carvajal, who has enviable experience in domestic and foreign loans, project finance, bond offerings, and foreign investment and foreign exchange matters; and infrastructure and energy project finance specialist Myriam Barahona, ‘undoubtedly the soul of this practice'. Former senior associate Rocio Vergara left to establish her own practice in September 2022.

Baker McKenzie Chile's nine-strong multi-disciplinary group is experienced in structuring, negotiating and documenting a broad range of banking, financing and capital markets deals. Its expertise ranges from project finance, corporate loans and refinancing, to acquisition finance, derivatives, securitisations and regulatory advice. The practice’s key figures are Sebastián Vivanco, whose track record includes project finance transactions, including syndicated loan agreements and local security packages; of counsel León Larrain, an expert in telecoms, securities and real estate projects; and corporate finance and securitisation specialist Jaime Munro. Within the firm’s associate ranks, senior Cristóbal Larrain regularly works with the firm’s New York team on corporate and project financings across the Lat Am region; and Jose Ignacio Berner acts for Chilean and international companies on banking and finance matters.

Emerging from the dissolution of Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana in early 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados' ‘first-rate‘ banking and finance team advises both borrowers and lenders, including banking and financial institutions, insurance companies and investment funds, on major financings at local and cross-border levels. The department’s expertise covers project finance, corporate and structured finance, and bilateral and syndicated loans, along with the refinancing and restructuring of existing financings, and it is particularly experienced in relation to  the mining, infrastructure, insurance and energy industries. The group is co-led by name partner and longstanding banking and finance specialist Octavio Bofill; ‘excellent professional‘ Rodrigo Saffirio, whose specialisms include project finance, corporate loans and syndicated loan agreements; and banking, finance and capital markets expert Ana María Yuri. In recent boosts to the practice, transactional specialist Feliciano Tomarelli was elevated to the partnership in January 2023; and Victoria Salazar, whose practice covers capital markets, projects and aviation law, was made director in June 2022. The team is completed by senior associates Gonzalo Barceló and Antonia Ballacey, who are both experienced in corporate financing and project finance work.

The eleven-strong banking and finance practice at full-service firm Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos is routinely mandated on complex cross-border and structured finance deals. The department also houses specialists in project finance involving the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors; acquisition finance and domestic corporate financings; and significant restructurings of international and domestic corporations. It additionally fields experts in secured financings for agriculture producers and fish farming operations, as well as derivatives and trade finance. Regulatory work is another key practice for the firm, while fintech is a notable growth area. The team is jointly led by senior partner and finance, banking and capital markets expert Francisco Illanes; Rodrigo Sepúlveda, who routinely advises banks on the financing of electricity distribution and generation projects; and Juan Antonio Parodi, an expert in financing, refinancing, syndicated loans, and infrastructure project finance. Within the associate pool, Sergio Balharry‘s broad practice includes bond issuances, while Teresita Fernández's workload covers guarantees and credit documents.

Garrigues Chile's 12-member banking and finance department routinely advises major Chilean and international banks as well as significant international and domestic corporate clients. Recent activity for the team focused on the acquisition of financial assets, project finance, restructurings, and corporate lending. The group is led by financing, capital markets and projects specialist Pedro García Morales, while the workload of fellow partner Jaime de Larraechea covers, project financing, structured finance, corporate lending, debt restructuring and regulatory issues. The second line of key advisers features debt restructuring and project finance expert Antonio Morales; and senior associate Ignacio Vargas, who is experienced in asset, acquisition and project finance, along with the restructuring of debt deals. At senior associate level the office saw the departures of Federico Espinosa and María Francisca Correa (for Cuatrecasas and energy company AES Andes, respectively) during the course of 2022.

The 17-member banking and finance department at Guerrero Olivos is regularly mandated for cross-border project and acquisition financings, as well as debt restructuring deals. Such work frequently involves structured products and syndicated lending facilities. The team particularly excels in heavily-documented New York law-governed deals that comprise underlying collateral or credit enhancements. In recent highlights, the team was especially active in cross-border refinancings involving renewable energy portfolios. The ‘sophisticated‘ practice is co-led by syndicated loan, debt restructuring and project finance specialist Miguel Coddou; Jorge Delpiano, who advises on structured and acquisition financing deals; and international financing expert Juan Enrique Allard. Elevated to the partnership in February 2022 and January 2023, respectively, César Gálvez is a banking, finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A lawyer; and Benjamín Novoa assists with energy and mining sector-related syndicated loans and project finance. Within the firm’s associate pool, Sofía Middleton specialises in syndicated loans, debt-restructuring and project finance deals, while Florencia Cortés is active in project and acquisition finance work.

Larrain y Asociados Abogados ' banking and finance practice routinely advises banks, insurance companies, agents and companies on large-value loans at both domestic and international levels. The six-member team’s credentials cover acquisition and structured financing, along with the financing of energy, petrochemical, mining, and public and private infrastructure projects. Recent work particularly focused on project finance deals, corporate and bilateral loan agreements, and the modification and restructuring of previously-negotiated credit facilities. The department features project finance specialists Patricio Montes and Diego Garay (a partner since early 2022), while energy and natural resources expert Jorge Granic advises on the financing of industrial projects. The next line of key advisers features Cristóbal Morandé and Joaquín Larrain, who are both active in project finance work; and experienced associates Teresita Vinagre and Michelle Inzunza.

With ‘extensive experience in financial matters‘, full-service legal practice Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría fields a seven-member banking and finance practice that acts for both foreign and domestic banks and financial institutions (as well as borrowers and sponsors) on major transactions. Core areas for the group range from energy, mining and infrastructure project finance, to syndicated financing, aircraft finance (including aircraft lease and financing operations), and offshore bonds and shares issuances. Following the early 2023 departure of practice co-head Marcelo Armas , the group is jointly led by the ‘always well-informed and accessible‘ Marcela Silva, an expert in the financing of mining, infrastructure and energy projects; and recently-elevated director Daniel Parodi, who regularly assists with asset, project and corporate finance. The duo are also flanked by banking, finance and infrastructure projects expert Andrés Sanfuentes, along with senior associates Pedro Pablo Valenzuela (‘very independent and thorough‘) and Ignacio Chomalí, both of whom handle domestic and cross-border banking and finance deals, along with project finance work. Since publication, Parodi has been raised to the partnership - effective as of December 2023.

The six-strong group at CMS Carey & Allende advises creditors, investors and borrowers on bilateral and syndicated loan agreements, along with project financings involving energy and infrastructure. It also assists with financings for the acquisition of companies and assets, as well as debt restructuring, international expansion financings and capital markets deals. Practice head Fernando De Cárcer is a securities and corporate governance specialist, while the practice of senior associate Enrique Vergara incorporates syndicated loans, project financing, debt restructuring, credit transfers, and corporate bonds. Dual-qualified in both New York and Chile, Jorge Allende Destuet is working as a visiting partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP since August 2022.

The sizeable banking and finance practice at Cuatrecasas‘ Santiago office routinely acts for debtors as well as issuers, guarantors, commercial and development banks, and debt and private equity funds. The team, which ‘handles local and international banking issues very well‘, assists with an array of financings – particularly project finance, banking regulatory issues, and restructurings and refinancings. The group is co-led by Macarena Ravinet, an expert in project financing, financial transactions and capital markets, and banking and finance expert Roberto Guerrero V. Fellow finance partner Alfonso Ugarte divides his time between the firm’s New York and Santiago offices; while principal associate Federico Espinosa, who focuses on banking and finance matters, is a March 2022 hire from Garrigues Chile.

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.

Known as Honorato | Delaveau until its 2023 rebrand, HD Legal‘s practice regularly handles significant M&A-related financings, as well as restructuring, bankruptcy and liquidation work. The fintech and finance department is led by project finance specialist Matías Langevin; Sebastián Delpiano is a structured and asset finance expert; and key support at name-partner level is provided by José Luis Honorato and Gonzalo Delaveau. Among the associates, Antonia Vial advises on real estate project financing, while senior Ignacio Araya Paredes, who assists with fintech work, is a September 2022 recruit from Banco Central de Chile. Former partner Felipe Divin left in August 2022 to establish his own firm.

Predominantly acting on the borrower side, MBC Abogados' 13-member group stands out for its handling of real estate sector-related project financings. The practice’s scope covers credit facility agreements, refinancings and bond issuances. The department, which is jointly led by real restate finance specialists Benjamín Salas and Carolina Menichetti, has expanded its client portfolio to include companies from the retail, healthcare, investment funds, hospitality, and food and beverage sectors. Within the senior associate pool, Sybil O’Reilly is an additional real estate financing lawyer of note, while Guillermo Bobenrieth's finance practice includes venture capital financing.

Well-known for its borrower-side credentials, Prieto Abogados' banking and finance team is also mandated by major lenders for significant financing transactions. The department is notably active in deals involving the energy and mining sectors, including project financing, corporate loans and acquisition financings. The group is co-led by project finance and tax specialist Mario Gorziglia (‘strong negotiation skills'); and Isabel Monge, who was promoted to counsel in 2022, has extensive financing experience and is ‘always concerned with details'. Also key to the group are finance lawyer Isabel Wolleter E, a partner since 2022; and ‘very clear' senior associate Aníbal Larrain, who advises on syndicated loans, project financings, revolving facility agreements and international debt placements.

A member firm of both Multilaw and World Law Group, Urenda, Rencoret, Orrego y Dörr's nine-member banking and finance team has strong project finance credentials, particularly in relation to mining and energy projects. The team is also noted for its experience in debt transactions, derivatives, structured finance, and regulatory work. The practice is jointly led by infrastructure project finance expert Felipe Rencoret Portales, and Nicholas Mocarquer, who is notably active in the mining sector. Fellow partner Sergio Orrego also has longstanding banking and finance experience, while former senior associate Rafael Rencoret was raised to the partnership in January 2023.

Spinning out of Baraona Fischer & Cía in early 2021, Fischer y Cía's 11-strong banking and finance department advises on the financing of business and asset acquisition operations, such as mergers, divisions and reorganisations. The ‘very good' team is particularly active in relation to corporate financings, debt restructurings and financial guarantees. Banking, project finance, securities and insurance specialist Gerardo Cruzat heads the firm’s transactions practice, while the broad practice of managing partner Cristóbal Herrera covers financing, derivatives and capital markets.

The five-member group at Fontaine & Cía is particularly active in real estate project financings, syndicated loans, and the restructuring of liabilities. It also advises on alternative means of raising capital. The finance and capital markets team is led by Juan Eduardo Troncoso, whose practice covers real estate and project finance work, while associate Sebastián Garrido also has an active finance practice.

Jara Del Favero Abogados' team is active in corporate finance and structuring transactions, both at domestic and international levels. The department’s key figures are Felipe Ovalle, whose practice covers corporate finance, structuring work, and infrastructure and concessions; Sven Herlin, who assists with the raising of financing for real estate projects and technology companies; Alvaro Caviedes, a specialist in bond offerings; and Christian Schiessler, who was raised to the partnership in July 2022 and focuses on both banking and finance and capital markets work.