Bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring in Chile

The 15-strong team (including four partners) at market-leading, full-service law firm Carey is dedicated almost exclusively to insolvency matters, consistently participating in Chile's major insolvency proceedings. Representative expertise for the practice ('one of the best - if not the best - in the Chilean legal industry') includes liquidations, reorganisation agreements, restructuring and negotiations, as well as representing creditor and debtor clients in proceedings. 'Respected bankruptcy lawyer' Ricardo Reveco leads an impressive team of insolvency litigators, and on the transactional side Salvador Valdés' practice includes corporate restructuring; Francisco Ugarte is co-head of the firm’s corporate/M&A, capital markets/banking and finance groups; and Cristián Figueroa is an expert in financial-distress scenarios. A strong line of associates includes senior Alejandra Daroch, whose broad practice includes distressed M&A and debt restructuring; and intermediates Roberto Villaseca, a specialist in insolvency and complex bankruptcy litigation proceedings; and Andrés Lafuente and Francisco Torm, who both act in complex bankruptcy litigation proceedings.

Enjoying a notable market reputation for bankruptcy and restructuring matters, Barros & Errázuriz's three-member team assists an array of clients with judicial and non-judicial reorganisations, as well as contentious proceedings involving bankruptcy law.  It has particular strength in assisting clients looking to acquire the assets of companies subject to liquidation or reorganisation procedures. The team is led by Javier San Martín ('vast knowledge of reorganisation and bankruptcy issues'), whose broad dispute resolution expertise covers bankruptcy; San Martín's recent experience includes advising Banco Internacional (as agent bank), on Corpgroup affiliate Inversiones Sams' insolvency issues. Providing significant support are José Luis Corvalán (elevated to the partnership in April 2021) and senior associate Cristián Pérez, who both have extensive experience in insolvency procedures (reorganisations and liquidations).

The sizeable, 22-strong, bankruptcy and insolvency practice at Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana brings together the firm's corporate and litigation teams during liquidation and insolvency phases, and on complex commercial restructurings, refinancing, and out of court agreements. Recently particularly active in relation to infrastructure, mining and energy industry clients, the team can also call upon the firm's tax and labour practices where necessary. Co-leading the practice are: Octavio Bofill, whose experience includes advising Chilean creditors of Latam Airlines in US Chapter 11 proceedings; and fellow co-founding partner Alejandro Álvarez, who advises clients from a range of industries on their insolvency proceedings. A strong second line of partners comprises Karen Werner (civil and commercial litigation); and Rodrigo Saffirio, whose experience includes advising the creditors of companies from the mining and energy sectors in particular.

One of the most prestigious full-service law firms in Chile, Claro & Cia. houses a 10-member bankruptcy and restructuring practice that is particularly focused on complex restructuring solutions, both at local and cross-border levels. Clients also benefit from the firm's high-level experience in litigation and commercial law. An expert in civil and commercial litigation and arbitration, Nicolás Luco leads the group, which also showcases experienced M&A head José María Eyzaguirre B, who (working in conjunction with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton) represented LATAM Airlines in its voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code; along with Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, who specialises in complex, multi-front litigation and arbitration; Felipe Larraín (M&A, business organisations and corporate finance); and litigation and arbitration expert Santiago Bravo.

Morales & Besa‘s eight-member insolvency, restructuring and reorganisation team is able to leverage off the firm’s widely respected banking and finance, capital markets and projects practices and has been particularly active in relation to situations faced by companies operating in Chile further to the Covid-19 pandemic, of late. The restructuring side of the practice is led by partners José Miguel Carvajal and Myriam Barahona, who also co-lead the banking and finance group. As to insolvency and bankruptcy work, Barahona is joined as co-head by partner Gonzalo Cordero, whose two decades of dispute resolution experience includes insolvency and bankruptcy procedures. The partners also receive strong support at senior associate level from Orlando Palominos , who is a go-to person for insolvency issues; and Juan Ignacio Eymin, whose litigation experience includes bankruptcy. Since publication, Palominos has moved to Lembeye Abogados - effective as of Janaury 2022.

Celebrating 30 years in the market in 2021, Nelson Contador & Compañía Abogados has a longstanding reputation and excellent market recognition for its advice to both individuals and companies in relation to financial and corporate crises. The practice particularly excels for its expertise in reorganisation settlements, financial restructuring, liquidation proceedings and pre-bankruptcy agreements; it also assists with complex regulatory issues. Founding partner Nelson Contador is highly rated for his experience in bankruptcy and restructuring matters.

With a longstanding tradition of advising on insolvency matters, Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría consistently assists with transactions involving bankruptcy issues, such as risk analysis, liquidation and reorganisation proceedings, cross-border insolvency, and defending creditors. The insolvency practice fields a mixed team, comprising partners and associates who are dedicated to financing, litigation and M&A. For over 30 years, Andrés Sanfuentes has advised significant national and foreign companies on major M&A, insolvency, financing and capital markets transactions. Jorge Vial, in turn, recently participated in two major cross-border insolvency procedures, as well as two substantial reorganisations. Their fellow co-heads are Ignacio Larraín (litigation, arbitration, competition law and insolvency), and well-known figure, managing partner Marcelo Armas (banking, finance and capital markets). Senior associate Guillermo Vial -a member of the banking, finance and capital markets teams, and infrastructure and projects groups- is also active in the practice.

At full-service law firm Prieto Abogados, the ten-member group regularly handles significant insolvency judicial procedures, including liquidations and reorganisations. The practice also advises on negotiations with default companies, debt renegotiations, syndicated loans and bond issuances. An ‘excellent lawyer with a lot of knowledge‘, insolvency and bankruptcy leader Benjamín Grebe has key experience in bankruptcies and insolvencies, liquidations and company reorganisations, with additional partner-level support provided by Alberto González V. At associate level, senior Isabel Monge handles complex finance restructurings and corporate reorganisations; and intermediates Santiago Errázuriz, Daniella Ibaceta and Juan Pablo Riesco were all also active in reorganisation and liquidation mandates during the course of 2020. The team was further strengthened in November 2020, with the hire of associate Andrea Von Chrismar from Quintanilla & Busel Niedmann, she was subsequently appointed counsel in September 2021. Since publication, Monge and Riesco have also been promoted to counsel, effective November 2021.

Enjoying excellent relationships with major local banks and financial institutions, Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos' seven-strong insolvency department draws upon the expertise of in-house bankruptcy proceedings specialists, along with financial restructuring, tax and labour law practitioners, litigators, and white-collar crime experts. The co-practice heads are Raimundo Moreno, whose experience includes several reorganisation and liquidation proceedings (including pre-judicial negotiations in financial distress situations); and Fernando Urrutia who 'gets directly involved' and whose complex litigation practice includes reorganisations and bankruptcy. At associate level, José Pedro Villablanca and José Miguel Flores are key practice members from the litigation and arbitration department, while Sergio Balharry is active on the banking, finance, capital markets and corporate/M&A side.

The seven-member department at Guerrero Olivos acts on the full array of bankruptcy/insolvency and reorganisation plans, assisting corporate debtors and secured and unsecured creditors with contentious and non-contentious bankruptcy-related matters. Examples of work areas include negotiations, payment plan structuring, and all phases of restructuring procedures such as representation before creditor boards, discussion audiences and evidential phases. With approximately 15 years' experience in insolvency proceedings and restructurings, Sergio Yávar heads the team, which also includes experienced partner Juan Enrique Allard; disputes partner Benjamín Ferrada and two associates, who joined the dispute resolution and insolvency and restructuring teams in April 2020, from the former Della Maggiora Eyzaguirre Ferrada, where Ferrada was name partner. However, former senior Tomás Kubick moved to Cuatrecasas as partner in December 2020.