FerradaNehme > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

FerradaNehme > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

FerradaNehme's sizeable 21-strong competition law team is consistently mandated for high-profile cartel and unilateral practices cases, as well as complex merger reviews. The firm also houses a highly-rated competition compliance department. The ‘extraordinarily competent, intelligent and dedicated team' is co-led by name partner and ‘simply brilliant' competition and regulatory law expert Nicole Nehme, whose extensive litigation practice covers proceedings before the TDLC, lower and higher courts, and the Supreme Court; Benjamín Mordoj, who focuses on the interaction between competition law and regulation issues; widely-respected litigation specialist Diego Hernández; and former FNE lawyer Mabel Ahumada (a partner since 2021). A second tier of key associate practice directors is composed of Catalina Íñiguez, Beatriz Hidalgo, Josefina Campos and Raffaela Corte, all of whom maintain broad competition practices. Currently heading the firm’s telecoms-related TDLC and FNE actions and investigations, of counsel Sebastián Dufeu is also noted. Former partner Tomás Pérez left the firm in December 2022.

Chile > Consumer and advertising law Tier 1

FerradaNehme's broad consumer and advertising practice routinely litigates individual lawsuits, as well as high-stakes class actions. With ‘an amazing ability to find creative solutions', the team also represents clients before SERNAC, in response to communications, mediations and voluntary collective procedures. Clients further look to the group to design and update consumer-related prevention and compliance models. Also of note, the firm fields a robust advertising practice. Team leader Stella Muñoz, who ‘stands out for her deep knowledge', is a highly-rated consumer law specialist who has substantial experience in consumer litigation (particularly complex class actions), as well as regulatory issues. Providing further partner-level support is complex litigation expert Nicolás Ubilla. In the associate ranks, the consumer law experience of recently-promoted senior Aníbal Korn includes class action proceedings; while Mario Garfias, whose experience includes representing clients before SERNAC, is a May 2022 recruit from Gana y Galvez Abogados. Former associate Arturo Arriagada left the firm in February 2022.

Chile > Environment Tier 1

The environment and natural resources department at FerradaNehme is particularly focused on the development and permitting aspects of complex projects; and the eight-strong team routinely works alongside its clients’ government and community relations teams to develop preventive strategies to avoid environmental conflicts. It also assists with the development of compliance programmes for clients’ environmental obligations; and the group is increasingly active in sanctioning procedures, particularly before the Superintendency of the Environment. Also of note, the practice has developed strong credentials in relation to the newly-enacted recycling and extended producer liability legislation (EPR Law). Heading up the firm’s environment and natural resources department, Patricio Leyton specialises in the development of mining and energy projects, particularly permitting and the Environmental Impact Assessment System; Valeria Ruz is experienced in permits and project development, her expertise including community relations, administrative matters and litigation; and Carola Salamanca‘s current practice includes development issues, land-use planning, and EPR Law advice. The firm’s second line of key advisers features director Claudio Tapia, a former public sector Prosecutor of sanctioning administrative procedures at the Superintendence of the Environment; and senior associate María-Pilar Dominguez, who regularly acts in high-profile environmental law disputes.

Chile > Compliance Tier 2

FerradaNehme's broad practice houses specialists in competition, consumer, regulatory, public, environmental and privacy law compliance, with the five-strong department routinely developing robust compliance programmes for companies. During 2022, the practice was notable active advising on amendments made to Law 20.393 (which established criminal liability for legal entities) that designated four new crimes; such changes required reviews of clients’ prevention processes and the creation of controls to mitigate new risks to which clients could be exposed. The department is led by criminal litigator Rafael Collado, who regularly advises companies on the implementation of compliance models. He is supported at senior associate level by Lucía Álvarez, who assists international companies’ local subsidiaries with adapting their compliance systems to Chilean contexts. Álvarez also conducts  compliance training sessions on compliance issues; advises on internal investigations; and -thanks to her expertise in gender and sexual diversity issues- also facilitates the firm's ability to advise on the prevention of workplace and sexual harassment.

Chile > Public law Tier 2

With ‘great technical knowledge of regulatory, administrative and constitutional law', FerradaNehme's public law and government practice encompasses expertise in administrative law, economic regulation and litigation; while recent mandates include both environmental and urban planning issues. Following the January 2023 departure of former partner and practice co-head Luis Cordero  to become Minister of Justice and Human Rights, the department is co-led by public and environmental law expert Josefina Court, whose career includes serving in the Legislative Office of the Presidency of Chile; and José Tomás Correa, who advises public agencies and private companies on administrative matters, administrative sanctioning procedures, and the regulated markets. Promoted to director level in May 2022, Fernanda Skewes focuses on regulatory work, administrative procedures, concessions, and administrative sanctioning and contentious proceedings before the Comptroller General of the Republic and the Superior Courts of Justice.

Chile > TMT Tier 2

FerradaNehme’s six-member department was recently particularly active in the regulatory aspects of Covid-19-related TMT matters. The practice’s wide-ranging expertise covers telephony markets, e-commerce, Pay TV, and internet and free-to-air television, as well as information security, privacy and personal data protection, and cross-border transactions involving technological services. Additional key areas range from technological transformation processes, compliance, antitrust procedures and mergers, to IT law, IP, and tariff-setting processes. The team also assists with TMT-related administrative procedures and litigation. The group is co-led by competition and regulatory law specialist Nicole Nehme; and Stella Muñoz, an expert in consumer protection law, privacy and personal data protection. Providing integral support are of counsel Sebastián Dufeu, who is experienced in telecoms and media law, and regulatory work; and director Sebastián Morales, a telecoms and media regulation specialist. In May 2022, associate Mario Garfias, whose experience includes acting before Chile’s Telecommunications’ Agency (SUBTEL), rejoined from Gana y Galvez Abogados, while former director Nicolás Morales and senior associate Catalina Frigerio both recently departed the firm.

Chile > Dispute resolution: white-collar crime Tier 3

The five-member practice at FerradaNehme is regularly mandated to represent both companies and individuals in financial crime matters, including judicial representation in criminal cases. The team’s experience covers pyramid scams, civil servant-related crimes, and crimes concerning unfair administration and corruption on the part of individuals. It also assists companies with preventive strategies. Criminal litigator Rafael Collado is head of the practice - he also directs the firm’s compliance group and is a recently-appointed member of Alberto Hurtado University’s criminal law department. The experience of senior associate and crime-related compliance expert, Lucía Álvarez, includes an internship at the Criminal Legal Defender’s Office.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

FerradaNehme's ‘capable, agile and flexible' corporate law and M&A practice routinely leverages the firm’s specialisms in tax, securities and banking law during transactions to act forthe firm’s client portfolio derived primarily from the regulated sectors - including finance, renewable energy, environmental services, mining and steel sectors, as well as public transportation, IT and the beverage industry. The team is co-led by founding partner and business law expert, Rodrigo Ferrada in conjunction with recently promoted partner and ‘soul of the team', Juan Andrés Bretón, who advises on private and corporate law. At non-partner level, Andrés Pérez is an experienced corporate law director; while former senior Roberto Carrillo – who assists with M&A deals and general corporate law- was promoted to director May 2023. A July-2022 associate recruit from Garrigues Chile, Luciano Pardo is also a name to note.

Chile > Data privacy Tier 4

Chile > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4

Delivering ‘exceptional client service', FerradaNehme's complex litigation practice focuses on litigating disputes involving consumer, environmental and telecoms law, along with civil matters, unfair competition and construction-related disputes. Co-leading the seven-strong team, Nicole Nehme is a longstanding competition and regulatory law specialist; Nicolás Ubilla, who is ‘a very complete, detail-oriented adviser', has substantial civil, commercial, and economic litigation expertise; and Marcela Rodríguez's career includes working as a clerk (investigating lawyer) for the Ministers of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. At director level, Pablo Cornejo also assists with civil and commercial litigation.