Mr José Tomás Errázuriz > Barros & Errázuriz > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

With significant experience in a range of energy matters in Chile, Barros & Errázuriz‘s large’ 13-member practice covers energy contracts, regulatory issues, energy M&A, joint ventures, project finance, and associated disputes and arbitration. Recent highlights include advising various power generators and banks on complex power purchase agreements, tenders, and large-scale transmission and green hydrogen project developments. The key practitioners are dispute resolution leader José Tomás Errázuriz, whose track record covers both major energy projects and energy litigation; Fernando Garrido, an expert in energy and natural resources-related project developments, financings, litigation, M&A and general corporate matters; and Cristóbal Pellegrini (a partner since January 2022), who advises on energy projects, finance, M&A and litigation. Former senior associates Pedro Pablo Ballivian and Verónica Vergara left the firm for drinking water company Esval and utility company Colbún in August and November 2022, respectively.

‘On an equal footing with top-tier law firms in New York‘ according to one client, Barros & Errázuriz‘s sizeable team regularly advises on private acquisitions, sales, cross-border takeovers of listed companies, corporate restructuring programmes, and acquisitions of controlling and minority interests. The practice is co-led by corporate department head and renowned M&A expert, Pablo Guerrero and Bernardo Simian, whose practice takes in both M&A and foreign investment. Other key partners include tax leader Fernando Barros; managing partner and capital markets specialist Cristián Barros; and corporate law, foreign investment, M&A and joint venture practitioners Emilio Vásquez and Carlos Ducci. Sergio Eguiguren, Vicente Cordero and Luis Alberto Letelier are also all experienced M&A advisors, while dispute resolution leader José Tomás Errázuriz additionally advises on corporate law. Experienced in the acquisition and sale of companies, Lucas Marinovic was promoted to partner in March 2022, and counsel Daniela Peña assists with corporate law, M&A and restructuring work.

With ‘an unmatched level of knowledge of public law practice’, Barros & Errázuriz’s public, administrative law and economic regulation department is particularly focused on constitutional and administrative law, as well as economic regulation. Its representative experience ranges from tariff-setting administrative procedures and contentious administrative proceedings, to administrative sanctioning procedures concerning the natural gas, telecoms, electricity, healthcare, education, and water and wastewater sectors. Other areas of strength include administrative contracts, government liability, public procurement, and maritime concessions. The widely-respected group is co-led by arbitration specialist José Tomás Errázuriz and David Cademartori, whose ‘level of knowledge is difficult to find’. Cademartori’s experience encompasses administrative proceedings before government entities, and civil and administrative litigation before Chile’s ordinary courts of justice. The associates to note are public law-focused senior Martin Gutiérrez, along with Marissa Baldazzi, Valeria Donoso, Cristóbal Millar, and Cristián Dorador (‘an excellent lawyer with a bright future’). The firm also boosted its constitutional offering recently, with the September-2022 hire of former Constitutional Court president, Juan José Romero.

‘Dedicated to cases‘, the 19-strong disputes group at full-service law firm Barros & Errázuriz acts in a range of civil and commercial litigation, including domestic and international arbitration, mediation proceedings, and matters before Chile’s regulatory agencies. The practice’s representative expertise covers contentious proceedings involving civil and commercial law, tax, bankruptcy, real estate, construction, and antitrust issues; and it is particularly experienced in regulated sectors, such as energy and telecoms. The team is jointly headed by Luis Eduardo Toro, whose disputes workload covers telecoms, energy, contractual liability and damages; and name partner and dispute resolution expert José Tomás Errázuriz. Also integral to the practice, Javier San Martín focuses on disputes, consumer protection, reorganisations, and individual and company liquidation; public law head David Cademartori acts in civil and administrative litigation; and José Luis Corvalán is an experienced civil and commercial litigation practitioner. From the senior associate pool, seniors Isidora Fernández, Milton Gutcovsky and Nicole Nannig are all active litigators.

Full-service Chilean law firm Barros & Errázuriz fields a 19-strong dispute resolution practice that acts in a range of civil and commercial litigation-related domestic and international arbitrations; and in addition to housing several arbitration counsels, the practice includes experienced arbitrators. The ‘highly-qualified‘ department regularly represents clients in major construction project-related arbitrations and is increasingly involved in commercial disputes involving shareholder and share purchase agreements. Recent matters include high-stakes proceedings before CAM Santiago, ICC, and the Chamber of Commerce of México. The practice is jointly led by commercial arbitration expert and ‘exceptional lawyer‘, Luis Eduardo Toro; and founding partner and José Tomás Errázuriz, who is ‘capable of anticipating opponent’s moves with his unique skills‘. Other experienced arbitration partners include Javier San Martín, David Cademartori and José Luis Corvalán; while at senior associate level, Isidora Fernández, and the recently-promoted Nicole Nannig and Milton Gutcovsky all act in arbitration proceedings. Former associate Cristián Pérez left for an in-house role at Grupo Pasmar during 2022.