The Legal 500 > Latin America > Chile > Real estate

Barros & Errázuriz's 'expert team' has a strong name in the market for real estate deals, including acquisitions and real estate development financing. Areas of particular focus are residential, commercial and industrial real estate, along with multi-family developments, hotels, retail premises and casinos. The practice also fields experts in infrastructure, construction, urban planning, and both real estate related contentious and tax matters. Active clients include  Scotiabank, Ameris Capital, Rentas Falabella, Inmobiliaria Fortaleza and Credicorp. Recent mandates include advising BTG Pactual Real Estate Rents II Investment Fund on the purchase of 19 real estate assets and assisting Scotiabank with the sale of a bank branch. Oscar Ruiz-Tagle is 'an excellent lawyer who gives quality advice with perfect timing'; José Ignacio Ovalle, Patricio Solórzano and senior associates  Eduardo Tirado and Alejandra Aránguiz are also key to the practice.

Carey's 'executive team gives great support and is very knowledgeable'. It   is experienced in the development, financing, construction and sale of a range of real estate projects, including residential, commercial, industrial, and hospitality facilities, as well as mining and energy-related matters. Other areas of strength include casinos, agro-housing, conservation parks, shopping centres, office buildings and educational centres. The team is also recommended for the purchase, sale, lease and securitisation of portfolios, real estate asset management and construction law. Key clients include Sencorp, Inmobiliaria Nueva Cordova, Cinepolis, H&M and Mapfre; the team advised the latter on the sale of its existing corporate building, including the negotiation of lease agreements with the new owners. Oscar Aitken, Juan Pablo Stitchkin and counsel Eduardo Martin are highly rated; Tomás Varela and Javiera Avilés are the associates to note.

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos 'has a well-coordinated and talented team that is very experienced in complex matters'. It advises on the purchase and sale of large shopping malls, office buildings and utilities' real estate assets. The practice is also highly regarded for its assistance with real estate greenfield projects, such as industrial plants and data centres, and advises on construction issues. Clients include Turner Broadcasting System, Accor Hotels, KPMG Auditores Consultores and RaboFinance Chile, Recent matters saw the team advise Ripley  with the sale of real estate in Santiago and Concepción, which included the cancellation of existing liens on the properties. It also advised WeWork Chile, as lessee, on its lease agreement with Inversiones Centro Sur. Juan Pablo Matus is the principal contact.

Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría is widely respected for its expertise in real estate project developments, including office buildings, shopping centres, hotels and condominiums. Recent mandates include assisting INDESA with the acquisition of property for the development of a real estate project, including title studies and constitution of the company Inmobiliaria Los Huañiles; other matters include regular ongoing advice to Deka Inmobiliaria Chile One on the management and lease of units it owns in the Titanium La Portada building. José Tagle and Rafael Jiménez are experienced practitioners and María Eugenia Badilla Lepe and Cristóbal Uriarte are key associates.

CMS Carey & Allende is particularly focused on infrastructure development, urban planning and related regulatory matters, along with contractual, tax and financial issues. Notable clients include Nevasa, Solar Reserve Chile, Rezepka Inmobiliaria and Unilever; the team advised asset manager Nevasa on project development financings. Pabla Gaínza heads the real estate & construction and public law & regulatory practices; Karin Muñoz is an experienced senior associate.

Fleischmann & León Abogados acts for real estate and construction companies, as well as investment funds, on the development of housing, offices and commercial real estate. Recnet mandates saw the team assist IFB Inversiones with the acquisition and finance of over 25 shopping centres and offices. Other clients include Inmobiliaria Viviendas 2000, Gestión y Asesorías Inmobiliarias Real Assets, Befco Inmobiliaria and SBA Torres Chile. Juan Ignacio León Lira and Juan Pablo Urenda are highly rated;  senior associate Vicente Fuenzalida Rivas, who previously worked at Inmobiliaria Pocuro and Salfa, joined the practice in 2018.

Guerrero Olivos' 'impressive practice' covers real estate transactions, projects and regulatory matters, including zoning, urban planning and permitting issues. Clients include GLL Real Estate Partners, CBS Real Estate Developers and Inmobiliaria Box; the team assisted the latter with the acquisition of sites for various residential buildings projects. Martín Santa María is highly rated; while Tomás Rosemary is an associate of note. Former associate Macarena Montt left to move in house at Patagonland Inmobiliaria in July 2019.

Prieto Abogados is well respected for its advice on the acquisition, development and construction of large real estate projects. Clients include Inversiones La Construcción, Desarrollos Urbanos and Inmobiliaria Deisa; current mandates include regularly advising real estate investment fund Fondo de Inversion Privado GSI I on property acquisitions. Infrastructure and real estate litigator Fernando Samaniego, Cristóbal Villarino and associate Juan Andrés Ilharreborde are the names to note.

Urenda, Rencoret, Orrego y Dörr regularly acts for high-profile clients such as  Inmobiliaria Valle Grande, Nueva Costanera Participaciones (NCP), Inversiones Lastarria and BHP. Recent matters include assisting NCP with the development of a real estate project made up of six buildings; the team's advice included the land purchase, negotiation of the construction agreement and apartment sales. Gonzalo Errázuriz and Felipe Rencoret are highly regarded.

Baker McKenzie Chile frequently advises on sell-side real estate transactions, real estate project financing and construction agreements, as well as land usage issues and building permits. Senior counsel Andrés Wagner leads the real estate practice group in Santiago; a property development specialist, he is also experienced in the hospitality and tourism segment.

Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana advises financial institutions and international investment funds on the development and financing of major real estate projects and investments in Chile. Tech Pack, EuroAmerica, Nueva Costanera Gestión Inmobiliaria and Constructora Pacal are clients; the team assisted industrial company Tech Pack with the sale of several real estate assets. Alejandro Álvarez, Octavio Bofill and Ana María Yuri are the key contacts.

Garrigues Chile is experienced in advising on real estate investments, acquisitions, sales and financing; the team also has a robust regulatory practice that assists with urban regulations. Recent mandates include acting for Ameris (and a public real estate fund it manages) in the acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in shopping-centre operator, Arauco Centros Comerciales Regionales. José Miguel Rioseco heads the department, of which Luis Eduardo Correa and senior associate María Cecilia Morandé are also key members.

Grasty Quintana Majlis & Cia.'s typical work includes advising on conveyancing, construction agreements, real estate joint ownership regulations and finance contracts. Key clients include Inversiones Punta Blanca and Inversiones e Inmobiliaria el Rosal; other clients include Froimovich, which the team recently advised on long-term office lease contracts. Hugo Prieto heads the practice and José Francisco Osman is a noteworthy associate.

Honorato Delaveau advises real estate and construction companies,  investment funds, investment banks, family offices and private clients on the development of residential, commercial and industrial projects, as well as office buildings. Juan Ignacio Peña leads the real estate and engineering department, Sebastián Delpiano is an asset-backed finance expert, and Roberto Olivos   (previously at Banco Santander Chile) joined the firm as a senior associate. Clients include Bullrock Investments, GLL, Invinsa and Grupo Urbana.

Larrain y Asociados Abogados is well-known for its focus on the construction, infrastructure and agriculture sectors. The 'efficient and responsive' practice also provides ongoing advice to Inmobiliaria PY, one of the largest real estate developers in Chile, on the acquisition, development, construction and commercialisation of properties. José Pedro Baraona is highly regarded and former Chilean National Property Ministry Undersecretary Juan Carlos Bulnes brings public sector know-how.

MB Abogados is 'excellent for real estate legal advice'. The team advises real estate companies on M&A, joint ventures, financing and corporate governance; it also assists public and private investment funds and property owners with real estate projects. The team recently assisted Fondo de Inversión LV-Patio Renta Inmobiliaria I with the indirect acquisition of two shopping centres. Carolina Menichetti and Ignacio Bolelli are 'extremely good lawyers'; other notable advisers are senior associates Benjamín Salas, Diego Yavar and Sybil O’Reilly.

For some clients, Morales & Besa's real estate and construction lawyers are 'the best in class in every aspect of their work and a dedicated, well-prepared group of individuals'. They frequently work alongside the firm's regulatory, banking and finance, tax, and energy practices, with representative work including purchases, sales, leases, financing, developments, construction, zoning regulations and title review. Recent work included advising VivoCorp, CorpGroup's real estate subsidiary, on a potential association with life insurance company Confuturo to develop a shopping mall. Carlos Silva, Macarena Laso and associate James Channing are the individuals to note.

DLA Piper (Chile)'s real estate practice ranges from tax planning, title searches and urban planning to the construction and commercialisation of projects, as well as acquisition and sales. Recent mandates saw the team  assist the Larrain Villablanca family with the acquisition of agricultural real estate in southern Chile. Rodrigo Alvarez heads the real estate and construction group; María Teresa Fernández was promoted to counsel.

Marinovic & Asociados is 'always up to date with any changes in law or procedures, and its analytical abilities are strong; the firm's lawyers are also hardworking and very honest'. The practice covers acquisitions, sales, property financing, real estate litigation, urban planning and development, among other specializations; it recently assisted Boetsch Group with development-related property acquisitions. Juan Carlos Méndez Montero 'always answers clients' calls and messages no matter the time of day'.