Mr Florencio Bernales > Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

‘Highly committed to clients’ needs‘, Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos‘ sizeable, 18-strong  practice regularly litigates against the State and its related agencies. The group’s wide-ranging practice covers environmental, regulatory, energy and mining disputes, as well as conflicts over securities, tax, construction, insurance, torts, competition and consumer protection. Its specialisms further extend to defence-side class actions. The principal practitioners are: complex disputes expert Florencio Bernales (‘a benchmark figure for litigation‘); Fernando Urrutia, a specialist in construction-related cases and insolvency proceedings; Raimundo Moreno, whose experience incorporates contractual and tort claims; and white-collar crime expert Jorge Boldt. Promoted to director level during 2023, José Ignacio Azar leads the firm’s consumer law and class action practices, while at senior associate level, Trinidad Torres acts in securities’ investigations and cross-border disputes, while Lorena Avendaño maintains an active civil litigation and criminal defence practice.

The 18-member arbitration practice at Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos has a strong track record for major arbitrations involving international infrastructure disputes, shareholder conflicts, and mining companies’ energy-supply contracts. The arbitration group, which includes two CAM Santiago arbitrators, is jointly led by national and international litigation and arbitration specialists Florencio Bernales and Fernando Urrutia; Raimundo Moreno, whose track record includes CAM Santiago proceedings, as well as investment arbitrations under the ICSID rules; and Jorge Boldt, who maintains an arbitral practice in addition to his litigation, compliance and criminal liability caseload. Growth in the group includes the January 2023 promotion of José Ignacio Azar to director; while at senior associate level, Trinidad Torres and Lorena Avendaño regularly second Bernales and Boldt (respectively) in arbitration proceedings. Former senior associate José Pedro Villablanca joined Frías & Lagos Abogados as a partner in March 2023.

‘A law firm with extensive experience and knowledge in the insurance space‘, full-service firm Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos focuses on the construction and retail sectors, particularly in relation to fire, earthquake, robbery and civil liability insurance. The five-strong team’s recent highlights further comprise cases involving credit insurance and cybercrime. The group also advises insurance companies and insurance brokers on the development of new businesses, as well as insurance-related M&A deals. Litigation head Florencio Bernales routinely acts in high-stakes insurance disputes. At associate level, Trinidad Torres is an insurance litigator, and Daniel Washington advises on insurance policies.