Mr León Larraín > Baker McKenzie Chile > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Baker McKenzie Chile
AVENIDA ANDRÉS BELLO 2457, PISO 19
PROVIDENCIA
SANTIAGO, CÓDIGO POSTAL 7510689
Chile
León Larraín photo

Position

Of Counsel

Career

Biography

Leon Larrain is a transactional lawyer with extensive experience in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Finance and Project Finance. Mr. Larrain practices also in telecommunications, securities and real estate projects. He is ranked as a “Recommended Individual” in Corporate/M&A and also in Banking & Finance by PLC Which Lawyer 2012. He has also been recognized by Chambers and Partners for his work in Banking & Finance and M&A. Mr. Larrain has served in several committees of Baker McKenzie. He provides pro bono work for several institutions. He is bar admitted in Chile since 1980.

Practice Focus:

Mr. Larrain has an extensive experience on Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity transactions, Corporate Finance and major infrastructure projects. He also provides corporate and securities advice to multinational and Chilean companies. Among some of the transactions he has worked on the acquisition of Dresdner Bank Chile by Grupo Security, acted for Autostrade per l’Italia in the acquisition of 4 toll road companies, advised GE Capital in a private equity transaction; has advised Kimco Realty Corp. in Chile in their private equity and real estate investments; has advised ED&F Man in the acquisition of Campos Chilenos and Industria Azucarera Nacional (two publicly listed companies); has advised Alliance Boots in the acquisition of Farmacias Ahumada (publicly listed company), etc. He has worked also advising some of the most important local and multinational companies.

Representative Legal Matters:

  • Advised E D & F Man, a British merchant of agricultural commodities, with the tender offer to acquire up to 100% of the shares issued by Sociedad de Inversiones Campos Chilenos S.A. and Empresas Iansa S.A. (IANSA).
  • Advised Grupo Security on acquisition of Compañía de Seguros de Vida Cruz del Sur S.A. (insurance company); Cruz del Sur Administradora General de Fondos S.A.; Cruz del Sur Capital S.A.; Cruz del Sur Corredora de Bolsa S.A. (stock broker); Hipotecaria Cruz del Sur Principal S.A.; y Sociedad de Asesorías e Inversiones Cruz del Sur Ltda. from the Angelini Group for USD300 million, allowing the company to double its insurance business, as well as its life annuities stock and investment portfolio.
  • Advised Atlantia in the sale of a significant stake in Chile’s Costanera Group. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) purchased a 49.99 percent stake in the group from Atlantia S.p.A. in a transaction valued at USD1.15 billion.
  • Advised Brasil Foods in the acquisition of the remaining 40% of the Chilean subsidiary of Sadia.
  • Acted for Atlantia / Autostrade in the acquisition of the following companies from Grupo Itínere USD340,000,000 approx.: a) 100% Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Nororiente S.A.; b) 100% Sociedad Concesionaria Los Lagos S.A.: c) 100% Gestión Vial S.A.; d) 50% Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Vespucio Sur S.A.; e) 50% Sociedad Concesionaria de Los Lagos S.A.; f) 50% Sociedad de Operación y Logística de Infraestructura S.A. The transaction included a tender offer in Spain from Citi Infrastructure Partners L.P. for the acquisition of over 50% of the stocks of Spanish Itinere Infraestructuras S.A., as well as the sale and transfer to Autostrade per L’Italia S.p.A. of a series of Itinere assets.
  •  Acted for Grupo Security S.A. in a Public Tender Offer, to acquire the control of Dresdner Bank Lateinamerica Chile, a listed company in the Stock Exchange of Santiago.
  • Acted for GE Capital in the acquisition of participation interest in the Integramédica Group in Chile (Private Equity transaction).
  • Acted for Alcatel Canada Inc. in the sale of its participation interests in the Coasin Group in various Central and South American countries, as well as in the acquisition of a participation interest in Tecnocom S.A. in Uruguay.
  • Acted for Grupo Security S.A. on the acquisition Acquisition of a Pension Fund company and two insurance companies from AGF France.
  • Acted for Grupo Security S.A. on the acquisition Acquisition of an insurance company from AIG.

Related Expertise:

Languages

Spanish - English

Memberships

  • Chilean Bar Association – Conciliator at Center for Settlement of International Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington,D.C.

Education

  • Harvard University (I.T.P.) (1990)
  • Adolfo Ibañez Business School (Certificate) (1988)
  • University of Chilé (Tax) (1986)
  • University of Chilé (LL.B.) (1978)

Personal

Professional Honors: 

  • Recognized as a top tier lawyer, Chambers & Partners Latin America Guide, 2016
  • Best Lawyer in Corporate and M&A Law and Project Finance and Development Practice, Best Lawyers International, 2016
  • Leading lawyer, IFLR 1000, 2014
  • Recognized for his work in M&A, IFLR Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms, 2013

Lawyer Rankings

Chile > Banking and finance

The six-member banking and finance team at Baker McKenzie Chile is consistently sought out by commercial, merchant and investment banks, as well as corporate users of credit. With ‘absolute availability, quick responses, and in-depth knowledge of local legislation’, the practice has notable expertise in structuring major financial transactions, while clients additionally benefit from the group’s ability to leverage the wider office’s experience in regulatory and tax matters, as well as the firm’s enviable global network. The practice group’s ‘very available lawyers’ are also regularly involved in New York law-governed project and corporate financings. Recent mandates include acting for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, as administrative agent and lender, on the full amendment and restatement of a $238m loan to Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional. Specialised in banking regulatory work, derivatives and project financing, Sebastián Vivanco heads up the practice in conjunction with of counsel León Larrain and experienced partner Jaime Munro, both of whom handles banking and finance matters as part of broader practices. July 2023 saw the team further boosted at partner level with the promotion of banking and finance specialist Cristóbal Larrain, who is known for working with the firm’s New York team on corporate and project financings; at associate level, Jose Ignacio Berner handles acquisition finance, banking and finance, and loans and credit facilities, along with private M&A.

Chile > Corporate and M&A

With ‘a clear understanding of both business and multinational companies’ requirements’, Baker McKenzie Chile‘s 10-strong team acts for local and international clients on regional and multinational cross-border deals concerning Chile; its sector expertise ranges from real estate, insurance and finance, to natural resources, telecoms, energy, technology and consumer products. The group’s coverage encompasses M&A and joint ventures, and its assistance including post-acquisition integration services, due diligence, antitrust clearance, and debt and equity financing. The practice additionally advises on corporate reorganisations, dissolutions and liquidations, privatisations, commercial contracts and corporate governance. The department is co-led by Jaime Munro, whose broad expertise includes private and public M&A, along with venture capital and private equity deals; corporate and company law practitioner Fernando Castro; M&A expert Diego Ferrada; and Sebastián Vivanco, who advises on M&A alongside his banking and finance practice. Also key to the team, Cristobal Larrain (promoted to partner in July 2023) assists with tender offers, auction processes, joint ventures, private equity investments and corporate restructuring; and of counsel Leon Larrain has longstanding transactional experience. At associate level, senior Martin Müller assists with corporate law mandates, particularly corporate compliance and governance; but Verónica Barrios and Macarena Salazar both left the firm during the course of 2023.