Albagli Zaliasnik > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

Albagli Zaliasnik > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Compliance Tier 2

Albagli Zaliasnik stole a march on its competitors in April 2022 with the launch of a regional digital platform –"ComplianceLatam"– that brings together the know-how and capabilities of firms in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and Uruguay, as well as Chile, to promote good corporate practice, including organisational culture and regulation as related to compliance. The platform encompasses anti-corruption models, antitrust, data protection and privacy, consumer protection, corporate and labour compliance, regulatory compliance, tax compliance, corporate governance, corporate culture and human rights, as well as focusing on compliance in the digital industry and venture capital sector. Locally, the firm’s six-strong compliance practice (otherwise known as AZ Compliance) specialises in anti-corruption investigations and crime prevention models. Fusing the firm’s corporate law experience with its criminal litigation expertise, it also offers diagnostic audits, risk assessments, internal investigations and due diligence, as well as assisting with the consumer law, data protection and antitrust-related compliance programmes. Moreover, the practice also has a partnership with compliance-based whistleblowing platform, Ceptinel. The driving force behind the development of the ComplianceLatam project, managing partner Rodrigo Albagli routinely assists with corporate compliance models and legal risk management. May 2022 saw former compliance-team director Daniela Hirsch  move in-house at Grünenthal; the firm has since hired former Carey senior associate, Francisca Franzani as practice director – she focuses on compliance, anti-corruption and corporate-criminal risk, and has extensive experience in internal investigations and the drafting and implementation of compliance and crime-prevention policies.

Chile > Dispute resolution: white-collar crime Tier 2

Fielding ‘a complete range of specialists to deal with different aspects of legal problems‘, Albagli Zaliasnik‘s seven-strong white-collar litigation group handles major investigations before the Investigative Police, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Guarantee Courts, Oral Courts, and the Appeal, Constitutional and Supreme Courts. Recent highlights include representing Sartor Finance Group in a large financial scandal that involves the purchase of derivatives. The firm’s litigation department is led by name partner Gabriel Zaliasnik, a former president of the Commission for the Reform of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Ministry of Justice; and experienced criminal law practitioner, Jaime Winter  – recently promoted from senior associate to department director, he is also a distinguished criminal law professor at Universidad de Chile. Since publication, Winter has left to establish his own firm - effective as of March 2023.

Chile > Intellectual property Tier 2

Providing ‘a very good service that is characterised by availability and efficiency‘, Albagli Zaliasnik‘s seven-member IP practice is best known for its expertise in anti-counterfeiting, complex IP litigation, patent and trade mark prosecution, and advertising law. It also fields specialists in IP-related consumer law, and competition and antitrust matters. IP group director and ‘excellent lawyer‘ Eugenio Gormáz (a partner since 2020) routinely manages large trade mark portfolios in Chile and abroad, while litigation group leader Ariela Agosin is also active in IP matters. At associate level, senior Juan Pablo Zamora and Antonia Nudman both focus on IP-related litigation and contracts work. IT, privacy and media practice director Oscar Molina  and former associate Andrea Céspedes departed the firm in mid-2021 for BHP and Bitlaw, respectively. Since publication, Zamora has departed to found his own firm - effective as of November 2022.

Chile > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

The regulated markets and public and competition law group at Albagli Zaliasnik handles preventive advice, antitrust compliance programmes, merger control issues and investigations before the FNE, along with matters before Chile’s competition and Supreme Courts. The 'innovative' practice is jointly led by name partner and litigation-group director Gabriel Zaliasnik, whose caseload includes antitrust cases; and civil litigation and arbitration leader Ariela Agosin, who, additionally maintains an active IP practice. Energy, oil and gas and natural resources expert, Antonio Rubilar, was promoted to director in May 2021, while senior associate Matías Edwards    is a September 2020 returnee from the FNE.

Chile > Consumer and advertising law Tier 3

Albagli Zaliasnik‘s clients benefit particularly from the firm being a founding member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance, which affords access to a network of law firms in over 65 countries. Locally, the six-member consumer and advertising law team is led by trade mark and patent expert Eugenio Gormáz , with competition, dispute resolution and IP specialist Ariela Agosin   also regularly involved in advertising law and consumer law cases. At associate level, senior Dafne Guerra  ‘s practice includes both litigation and consumer law-related corporate advice; the practices of fellow senior Juan Pablo Zamora , and associate Gonzalo Bravo , also take in consumer law. Former IT, privacy and media director, Oscar Molina , moved in house at BHP in August 2021.

Chile > Life sciences Tier 3

The six-member life science and patent practice at Albagli Zaliasnik is particularly well regarded for its expertise in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and beverage, agro-industrial and pesticide sectors; the team’s scope of work ranges from administrative and sanitary registrations, to litigation, patent-related filings and prosecution issues. Senior partner Ariela Agosin, who heads the firm’s competition law and regulation group, also maintains a strong IP practice; and IP director Eugenio Gormáz focuses on trade marks, copyright and patents. At senior associate level, Dafne Guerra handles pharmaceutical-related public law matters. Former partner Daniel Lopez  recently left to become an international consultant at Pan American Health Organization in Washington DC.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

The 12-strong corporate department at  Albagli Zaliasnik is experienced in both major restructurings, and local, regional and global acquisitions; the practice group also houses capability in the private equity and venture capital markets, routinely working with private investment funds, government agencies, incubators and start-ups. The team also acts on deal-related financing and taxation issues, as well associated labour, environmental, real estate, antitrust, compliance and IP matters. Founding partner Rodrigo Albagli's practice includes M&A and corporate and regulatory compliance; Álvaro Rosenblut is an expert in business matters, M&A, partnerships, real estate law, and civil and commercial contracts. At associate level, the 'exceptional' Eduardo Anguita was promoted to director of the corporate, M&A and compliance practice in early 2021, and key senior Stephanie Cruz advises on international corporate and commercial law.

Chile > Data privacy Tier 4

Albagli Zaliasnik‘s six-member IT, media and data privacy department, led by IP, tech and data group partner Eugenio Gormaz, regularly acts for high-profile clients such as Mitsui, Accenture and LG Electronics on data protection matters; and the firm currently acts as a partner firm of the Chilean Chapter of IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals). The broad practice of recently promoted senior associate Juan Pablo Zamora covers data privacy compliance; but in mid-2021, both former IT, privacy and media director, Oscar Molina , and associate Andrea Céspedes, exited the firm, with Molina going in-house at BHP.

Chile > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4

The civil litigation and arbitration practice at Albagli Zaliasnik fields experts in both commercial and investment disputes, particularly in relation to infrastructure, construction, oil and gas, mining and concessions; the team’s expertise includes preventive stages, pre-trial negotiations and strategy definition aspects. The practice is led by senior partner Ariela Agosin, whose broad practice covers both litigation and arbitration. At senior associate level, Francisco Fuentes is a civil and financial litigation and arbitration specialist, while Carolina Escandón acts in civil, commercial, financial and natural resources disputes. Former director Félix Antolín left the firm to co-found Pereira Antolín in December 2021.

Chile > Labour and employment Tier 4

Albagli Zaliasnik fields specialists in compensation, hiring and termination processes, subcontracting, due diligence and corporate policies. It is also experienced in collective bargaining involving the pharmaceuticals, life sciences, banking, technology, and oil and gas sectors; while the team is additionally sought out for its litigation credentials. The group is led by labour law compliance and labour litigation specialist, Jorge Arredondo (a partner since mid-2020). Key support is provided by associate Felipe Neira, who primarily focuses on the individual and collective aspects of labour matters. Former director of the compliance practice Daniela Hirsch  moved in house at Grünenthal in May 2022.

Chile > Venture capital Tier 4

Albagli Zaliasnik's venture capital department has significant experience in acting for angel investors, investment companies, private investment funds and incubators. The group is additionally sought out for its expertise in relation to early, mid- and late-stage start-up companies, particularly in Europe, the US, South America and Israel. The principal advisers are firm managing partner partner Rodrigo Albagli, whose vast practice covers VC and private equity work; and corporate director Eduardo Anguita, who advises clients throughout the investment life cycle, from initial capitalisations in companies to sale stages. At associate level, Alvaro Glisser also advises on VC-related transactions.

Chile > Tax