Lembeye Abogados > Santiago de Chile, Chile > Firm Profile

Lembeye Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Dispute resolution: white-collar crime Tier 3

Founded in 2017 and demonstrating steady growth, Lembeye Abogados recruited Daniel Praetorius -the former co-head of Bofill Escobar Silva Abogados' white-collar team- to lead its dispute resolution and criminal law department in 2020. 'Capable of handling the most complex scenarios', Praetorius has experience acting in various major and high-profile white-collar cases, and since his arrival  at the firm his caseload has include being retained by individuals and companies in a plethora of criminal cases, including iTelecom’s defence against a major criminal anti-corruption investigation. Praetorius’ practice also includes assisting with the development and implementation of compliance programmes, in addition to conducting internal corporate investigations. Lukas Hudson, who also teaches procedural law at the Universidad Andrés Bello, provides key associate support.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 3

Lembeye Abogados‘ mining practice has significant experience in natural resource projects, from greenfield explorations to fully functioning and exporting operations. Recent highlights include acquisitions in the sector and the expansion of major mining projects and concessions. The department is also known for its advice to companies providing services to the mining industry, such as robotics, lithium processing innovators, processing equipment providers and specialty vehicle products. The natural resources and mining practice is led by dual-qualified (Canada/Chile) Rony Zimerman (a partner at Bofill Mir & Álvarez Jana until April 2020), who routinely advises Canadian mining companies (among others) on their Chilean operations. Associate Lukas Hudson assists with mining-related litigation.

Chile > TMT Tier 3

Lembeye Abogados TMT credentials were bolstered significantly in July 2021 when it hired former Bofill Mir Álvarez Jana partner (and public law, regulated markets and free competition expert) Guillermo de la Jara to head its team. De la Jara, a former head of the Telecommunications Undersecretariat’s legal department, has extensive experience in advising operators from the telecoms and broadcasting sectors, including providers of telephony, mobile telephony, internet and telecoms technology services, and television channel broadcasters.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Growing firm Lembeye Abogados, originally founded in 2017, fields an ‘excellent corporate team‘ that combines the firm’s transactional, project development and financing practices. The recent experience of founding partner and practice head Jorge Lembeye includes advising on the structuring and the placement of funds, while additional senior expertise is provided by natural-resources specialist, dual-qualified (Chile/Canada) Rony Zimerman; Nicolás Espina‘s broad practice, in turn, encompasses M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions, and general corporate law. At associate level, senior Francisco Palma has a broad corporate practice; Camila O'Shea  is an active team member; and the April-2022 arrival of María Jesús Palacios  from Barros Silva Varela & Vigil has further strengthened the junior ranks.

Chile > Public law Tier 4

Lembeye Abogados recruited Guillermo de la Jara in July 2021 (from the former Bofill, Mir, Álvarez & Jana) to head up the firm’s TMT, public law, regulated markets and competition law practice. De la Jara routinely advises on administrative law, as well as contentious administrative disputes before the higher courts of justice, special courts and decision-making bodies, such as the Constitutional Court. He also has extensive experience in assisting public and private sector clients with regulated matters concerning state powers, public contracts, administrative sanctions, and interactions with public agencies.

Chile > Venture capital Tier 4

The four-member venture capital team at Lembeye Abogados advises both founders and investment funds on strategic investments, liquidity-related M&A deals and the public offering of securities. The team assists throughout start-ups’ life cycles, including advising on the structuring and formation of operating companies; corporate, tax and labour issues; and stock option plans, investment rounds and internationalisation issues. The practice is co-led by Nicolas Espina, who routinely advises fund managers on the establishment of both public and private funds, and Jorge Lembeye (‘a lawyer you can trust'), whose broad practice includes the structuring and placement of highly complex funds.

Chile > Dispute resolution: arbitration

Chile > Dispute resolution: litigation

Chile > Bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring