Bofill Mir Abogados > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

Bofill Mir Abogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 1

Spinning out of Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana in March 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados‘ mining lawyers have longstanding experience in advising on the acquisition and operation of small, medium, and large-scale mining projects in Chile (as well as cross-border matters); and the department is particularly active in the copper, gold, iron ore and lithium segments. A significant part of the firm’s recent practice has involved advising on the country’s recent Constitutional proposals, which included matters directly impacting the mining industry. Founding partner Pablo Mir is a renowned mining and natural resources law specialist who routinely advises on mining operations, financings, M&A, and engineering and construction projects; his recent accolades include being elected co-chair of the Mining Law Committee of the International Bar Association Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure. Notable team development during early 2023 include the promotion to partner of Alina Bendersky, who has extensive experience in permitting and special mining contracts; and the return of corporate, finance and project expert Francisco Ducci (as partner), after two years at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP‘s New York office. At senior associate level, Alonso Calderón is experienced in mining-related foreign investment projects.

Chile > Banking and finance Tier 2

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.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Emerging from Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana’s (BMAJ) 2022 dissolution, Bofill Mir Abogados fields a 12-strong corporate transactional team that consistently assists with the planning and execution of complex M&A deals, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships. ‘Effective in the strategies proposed and executed‘, the group is particularly experienced in advising buyers, sellers and targets from the mining, agribusiness, energy, real estate and maritime sectors; and it is also increasingly active in relation to family offices and companies’ corporate restructurings. The department is co-led by renowned founding partner Octavio Bofill, who ‘has extensive business knowledge‘; cross-border deal specialist Ana María Yuri; and Rodrigo Saffirio, a frequent M&A adviser to national and international clients. Other active practitioners include corporate and M&A expert Feliciano Tomarelli (raised to the partnership in March 2023); and senior associate Antonia Ballacey, who focuses on corporate and transactional matters. The practice was further strengthened in June 2023 with the arrival of regulated markets’ specialist Andrea Abascal from Jara Del Favero Abogados.

Chile > Life sciences Tier 2

The June 2023 arrival of Andrea Abascal and her team -and indeed, much of their client list- has established Bofill Mir Abogados as a significant player in the life sciences’ sector. A ‘very accurate professional with great communication skills‘ Abascal (who also heads up the firm’s public law and regulated markets practices) advises on the regulatory aspects of food, medical devices, pharmaceutical laboratories, cosmetics, biotechnology, and agricultural and livestock services. More broadly, the practice handles product registration and marketing authorisations, food product advertising and labelling, personal data protection and clinical studies, along with consumer rights’ protection, life sciences-related M&A, the design of pharmaceutical campaigns and compliance issues (among other matters). A strong second tier of advisors includes public law director Cristián Franetovic; and senior associates Pablo Nogueira (regulatory and administrative law; litigation), Jorge Tisné N (corporate and commercial law, data privacy and regulated markets) and Anamaría Verdugo (regulated markets and life sciences). On the IP-side of the practice the team can also call on Manuel Bernet P (also a June 2023 arrival from Jara Del Favero Abogados) whose experience includes advising pharma and technology companies on matters ranging from joint ventures and licensing to unfair competition.

Chile > Bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring Tier 3

The largest of the firms emerging from the dissolution of Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana (BMAJ) in early 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados' insolvency and restructuring practice assists with all stages of insolvency procedures, including advising on the restructuring of debt, cessation of operations, and liquidations. ‘Fully committed to clients', the group’s strong background in cross-border matters facilitates its ability to assist with high-stakes Chapter 11 procedures. The team is jointly led by ‘outstanding' founding partner Octavio Bofill, who has significant experience in commercial restructurings, refinancings, and out-of-court agreements; and corporate law experts Rodrigo Saffirio and Ana María Yuri. Bofill’s recent track record includes advising the ad hoc bondholders on Vivocorp’s insolvency.

Chile > Capital markets Tier 3

Emerging from the dissolution of Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana during 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados houses a 12-strong department that is experienced in both equity and debt capital markets matters (both at domestic and international levels). Its specialisms comprise IPOs and secondary offerings, bond and share issuances, Rule 144A/Reg.S financings, and securitisation work. The team is co-led by founding partner Octavio Bofill, whose recent workload includes advising bondholder groups on their rights during company reorganisations (including Chapter 11 processes), and assisting with the purchase and issuance of bonds; bond issue expert Rodrigo Saffirio; and Ana María Yuri, whose broad transactional practice includes capital markets’ matters. Senior associate Gonzalo Barceló is experienced in debt issuances and securitisations. Since publication, the practice has been strengthened further with the return of Andrea Alarcón as associate practice director - effective as of October 2023.

Chile > Labour and employment Tier 3

Arising from Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana’s dissolution during 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados’ five-member labour and employment practice covers domestic and cross-border transactional advice, as well as hirings, terminations and collective bargaining. The ‘always available’ team also assists with compliance work, while the department’s litigators act in claims involving anti-union practices, violations of fundamental rights, unjust dismissals and labour benefits. The team is co-led by Pablo Gutiérrez, who has over 20 years’ experience in labour, employment and social security matters; and recently-elevated partner Luis Alberto Cruchaga O, who advises on hirings, dismissals, immigration and corporate labour matters. At senior associate level, Rafael Sandoval’s broad practice includes labour litigation.

Chile > Real estate Tier 3

The real estate department at Bofill Mir Abogados is a core part of the firm’s corporate offering and assists at all stages of real estate work, including the real estate aspects of agricultural and energy projects. Its advice ranges from the negotiation and execution of financing agreements, to construction matters and day-to-day advice on operational requirements. Other key areas include obtaining permits for project developments, and the execution of leasing agreements. The principal figures are Ana María Yuri, whose broad practice covers real estate, construction and projects; founding partner and real estate project finance specialist Octavio Bofill (the pair, highlighted 'for their extensive legal knowledge and ability to lead highly complex negotiation processes’; and Rodrigo Saffirio, whose experience includes property sales, property finance, and real estate-related asset agreements.

Chile > Tax Tier 3

Emerging from Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana’s March 2022 dissolution, Bofill Mir Abogados’ ‘very decisive’ six-member tax department has significant international taxation experience. The group also regularly advises on restructurings, M&A-related tax structuring, tax disputes, and national and international planning, and is particularly noted for its tax advice to mining sector clients. Guillermo Fonseca focus on transactional matters from a tax perspective; and the practice of recently-elevated partner Jorge Valenzuela incorporates investment structuring advice for international entities. 2022 also saw senior tax associate Josefina Da-Bove re-join the firm from an in-house position in August, following the departure of former fellow senior Paris Norambuena in April. Since publication, Fonseca and Valenzuela have left to establish their own firm - effective as of February 2024.

Chile > Environment Tier 4

Unwinding from Bofill, Mir & Álvarez Jana in March 2022, Bofill Mir Abogados‘ five-lawyer environmental law practice has extensive mining, infrastructure and energy industry expertise. Its assistance covers both environmental compliance and enforcement work, ranging from permits, presentations to the Environmental Assessment Service and Environmental Superintendence, and environmental law-related due diligence for project financings and acquisitions. The team is led by founding partner and renowned mining and natural resources specialist, Pablo Mir; and the practice of recently-promoted director Cristián Franetovic encompasses environmental issues, natural resources, regulatory matters and public law.

Chile > Projects and infrastructure Tier 4

Chile > Public law Tier 4

Bofill Mir Abogados' public law department consists of experts in constitutional and administrative proceedings and evidences a caseload that extends to judicial reviews, as well as litigation before the local courts, Courts of Appeals, Supreme Court and Constitutional Court. The group is led by Cristián Franetovic, whose practice includes administrative law and litigation, regulatory matters, and environmental law. Senior associate Pablo Nogueira, whose career includes working at the Superintendence of Pensions and General Secretariat of the Presidency, provides key support, while name partner Octavio Bofill brings additional senior involvement in the sector. Former practice leader Jorge Barrera and senior associate Daniela Severin both recently departed the firm.

Chile > Competition and antitrust