The Legal 500 > Latin America > Chile > Public law

Carey is praised for its 'dedication to clients and attention to detail'. The wide-ranging public law practice covers administrative and constitutional litigation, constitutional rights, public procurement, regulatory compliance, and the regulation of state-owned companies. Recent mandates saw the team assist Red Salud UC Christus with filing objections (and hearings before the General Comptrollership of the Republic) against administrative acts issued by the Superintendence of Health. It also advised ProAmbient,on contract negotiations with the Municipality of Maipú that involved the design and construction of water tanks. Lorena Pavic and Ignacio Gillmore head the team. Associates Constanza Hube and Camilo Lledó are also experienced advisers. Other clients include HP, Track Group, Formula E, Packard Foundation and Melón.

Fermandois & Cía has longstanding experience in administrative and constitutional litigation before the Supreme and Constitutional Courts of Chile; the practice also undertakes advisory work and fields experts in regulatory matters. Clients includes significant players from sectors including banking and finance, mining, real estate and construction, among others. Former Chilean Ambassador to the US, Arturo Fermandois, and Domingo Poblete are the key advisers.

FerradaNehme is highly rated in the market for its constitutional and administrative law expertise; the practice's scope includes advisory work, contentious matters, regulatory issues and public policy analysis. Notable clients include CORFO, Andes Iron, Principal Financial Group Chile, Colbun and VTR Comunicaciones; the team recently assisted the latter on judicial and administrative procedures which questioned the legality of the Chilean Telecommunications Agency’s decision to freeze the commercial use of spectrum concessions on the 3.5 GHz band. The firm's public law and government practice is co-led by Luis Cordero and Josefina Court; experienced practice directors Pilar Soffia and the recently promoted José Tomás Correa are also key contacts.

The practice at Barros & Errázuriz is focused on constitutional and administrative law and economic regulatory matters, including government liability issues, public procurement, administrative contracts, contentious matters and expropriation issues. The team also assists with sanctions involving the gas, telecoms, electricity, water and wastewater, healthcare and education sectors; Esval, DirecTV, Colbún, Metrogas and Torres Unidas Chile are clients. Recent mandates saw the team defend chemical products manufacturer, Oxiquim, against environmental contamination claims before the civil courts and administrative agencies. Fouding partner José Tomás Errázuriz heads the department, David Cademartori is highly regarded, and Viviana Díaz  is an experienced associate.

Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana's public law practice encompasses administrative, environmental and competition law issues, both advisory and contentious. Clients include Socicam, EMR Capital and Bureau Veritas Chile are clients; the team recently advised Brazilian transportation hub operator Socicam, and its Chilean subsidiary, on over 20 claims against a local municipality for issuing fines that violate bidding conditions. Guillermo de la Jara and associates Cristián Franetovic and Jorge Barrera are the names to note.

Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría regularly assists with complex administrative law disputes before the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal and Public Procurement Tribunal; of late it has been particularly active advising on both urban affairs for real estate companies and public procurement matters. Clients include Grenergy, Scania Finance, Inmobiliaria Pereira and Sun Dreams are clients; the team assisted the latters regarding administrative sanction procedures. José Luis Lara and senior counsel Guillermo Zavala are the key names.

Allende Bascuñán & Cía's 'strengths are its availability, honesty with clients and knowledge'. The 'highly proficient' Mauricio Viñuela heads the administrative and regulation law department, which recently assisted Phillips Sistemas Médicos with a complaint lodged with the Public Procurement Court concerning a purchase tender for imageology equipment.

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos advises on the public law aspects of gas distribution, energy generation, transmission and distribution, water regulations, and telecoms. The practice group also has expertise in constitutional law cases and recently advised clients on diverse matters including securities regulations and mandates from the food and beverage and education sectors. Head of regulatory matters, Gonzalo Jiménez leads the six strong practice group, which was substantially strengthened by the arrival of Carolina Helfmann (constitutional, environmental and regulatory law), formerly a senior associate at Prieto Abogados, as counsel.

DLA Piper (Chile)'s practice covers bidding procedures, concessions, public law litigation and representation before the administrative authorities. The team acted for an online Chilean professional education institute in a constitutional injunction filed against the National Accreditation Commission for the arbitrary application of new education-sector legislation. Felipe Bahamondez, counsel Ricardo López and senior associate Paulina Farías are the main advisers.

Fleischmann & León Abogados is widely respected for its advice on public contracts and related administrative-law claims; the team is particularly focused on public works and concession-related matters. Recent matters include advising Empresa Constructora Bravo Izquierdo on a public works contract. Hernán Fleischmann Chadwick and associate Cristián Repetti Aravena are the key contacts.

In addition to advisory and contentious matters, the practice at Guerrero Olivos undertakes law-infringement prevention, the implementation of compliance programmes, and enforcement proceedings before the authorities and courts of law. Recent work includes assisting BCI Bank with public procurement matters. Eduardo Cordero and José Gabriel Undurraga are experienced practitioners.

Prieto Abogados is 'committed to its clients and achieves their public law objectives; the practice also has an excellent working style'. The team is primarily focused on energy matters. Recnet work in other market segments include representing Portuaria Lirquen regarding maritime concession issues before the Constitutional Court. The key advisers are managing partner Alberto González Errázuriz, litigation and arbitration head >Fernando Samaniego, and associates Agustín Martorell (recently hired from Claro & Cia. as environmental team head), and litigator Juan Pablo Riesco; Martorell 'has solid technical knowledge and great negotiating skills'.  Former senior associate Carolina Helfmann left for Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos.