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

With ‘impeccable legal judgement’, the 18-strong team at full-service firm Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos has longstanding experience in high-stakes arbitrations concerning international infrastructure disputes, energy supply contracts involving mining companies and shareholder conflicts. The team, which has ‘complete and in-depth knowledge of arbitration matters’, is also mandated to act in insurance-related cases, as well as construction and engineering-related arbitrations. Recent highlights include acting for Alkhairat Shipping Co in a recognition proceeding before the Supreme Court, the matter concerning a London-rendered arbitral award. The practice is led by ‘excellent litigator’ Florencio Bernales, a specialist in national and international litigation and arbitration. The team further showcases Fernando Urrutia (‘deserves special mention for his talent’), who acts in construction cases and insolvency-related proceedings; Raimundo Moreno, whose experience includes CAM Santiago and ICC proceedings; civil and criminal litigation practitioner Jorge Boldt; and consumer law and class action head José Ignacio Azar, a director whose practice encompasses domestic and international arbitration. From the firm’s senior associate ranks, Trinidad Torres is a recently-appointed CAM Santiago Young Arbitrator; Lorena Avendaño regularly acts for national and multinational companies in significant litigation and arbitration cases; and recently-promoted litigation and arbitration practitioner Francisca Larraín also acts as a CAM Santiago actuary.

The ’very energetic team’ at full-service law firm Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos has ‘great experience in litigation’. The 18-strong litigation and arbitration department, which represents both domestic and international clients in high-stakes litigation that is frequently conducted against the Chilean State, is experienced in disputes over environmental, regulatory, energy, mining, securities, tax, construction, and insurance issues. The group is also regularly mandated to act in suits concerning damages, torts, competition law, and consumer protection. The firm additionally maintains robust white-collar and data protection practices. Among the firm’s notable disputes practitioners, national and international litigation and arbitration specialist Florencio Bernales acts in disputes involving construction, insurance, shareholder agreements and takeover operations, as well as damages, mining, environment, electricity and antitrust-related actions; Fernando Urrutia primarily handles construction cases and related insolvency proceedings; Raimundo Moreno‘s recent experience includes environmental cases; and Jorge Boldt is a civil and criminal litigation expert. The practice further comprises director José Ignacio Azar, who leads the firm’s consumer law and class action offering. In the firm’s senior associate ranks, Trinidad Torres‘ experience includes securities-related litigation; Lorena Avendaño assists with civil litigation and criminal defence work; and María Francisca Larraín (promoted in December 2023) is an experienced litigation, arbitration and ADR practitioner.

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos‘ insurance team routinely acts for large industrial and commercial clients in their policy claims against insurance companies. It also assists during loss adjustment procedures, including claims against the adjustment report and litigation with insurance companies. The group additionally assists with reviewing insurance policies and insurance programmes; it is particularly active in construction and retail-related insurance issues involving fire, earthquake, robbery and civil liability. Litigation group head Florencio Bernales and director José Ignacio Azar both act in complex insurance disputes. In the associate team, senior Trinidad Torres assists with insurance policy-related lawsuits and Daniel Washington is an expert in insurance policies.