Mr Francisco J Illanes > Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos fields a 10-strong team that assists investment banks, financial advisers, investors and issuers with private and public debt and equity securities offerings in both Chile and abroad, including IPOs, 144As, Reg S work and private placements. The practice co-heads are the widely respected partners Francisco J Illanes (M&A, banking and finance, capital markets and telecoms); Rodrigo Sepúlveda (issuance of debt and capital instruments, syndicated loans and other financial transactions); and Juan Antonio Parodi (securities issuances). Key associate support comes from, senior Sergio Balharry; however, former senior associates Marco Antonio Aravena and Florencia Grez moved to Mercado Libre and MBC Abogados, in January and June 2021, respectively.

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos‘ ten-member banking and finance practice focuses on structuring cross-border loans, inclusive of tax analysis. Other areas of strength are project finance involving the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors; acquisition and corporate financings; corporations’ restructurings; secured financing for agriculture producers and fish farming operations; and derivatives and trade finance. The team also maintains a robust regulatory practice. The departmental co-heads are Francisco Illanes, whose broad practice includes restructuring and creditor agreements; Rodrigo Sepúlveda (project finance and syndicated loans); and Juan Antonio Parodi, who assists with finance structuring, establishing guarantees, negotiating loan documents and project finance. Among the associate ranks, senior Sergio Balharry and intermediate Cristóbal Morales are noted. However, senior Florencia Grez moved to MBC Abogados in June 2021.

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos‘ hefty 48-strong department is consistently sought out for its expertise in joint venture, private equity and venture capital deals; the acquisition of private and public companies (at both domestic and cross-border levels); complex corporate mergers and spin-offs; and corporate restructuring transactions (with and without change of control). The full-service practice showcases several experienced partners, including Francisco J Illanes (M&A, restructuring and shareholder agreements); corporate law and contracts specialist Sergio Díez; Cristián Herrera (corporate law, foreign investment and securities regulations); and Andrea Saffie (partner as of 2020); both she and Gerardo Varela are ‘notable for their knowledge of M&A and corporate matters‘. Also integral to the team are corporate, commercial, real estate and M&A expert Juan Pablo Matus; mining specialist Carlos Pérez-Cotapos; recently promoted corporate and real estate partner Tomás Vidal; José Luis Letelier, who has over 30 years’ business and corporate law, M&A and foreign investment experience; co-head of the natural resources and mining group Gonzalo Grez; and highly experienced senior counsel Sebastián Obach. Further key support is provided by senior associates María Francisca Salas, whose broad practice includes advice on fishing and aquaculture, energy and health issues, and M&A adviser Sergio Balharry. Former partner Pedro Lluch left for EY Law in June 2020.

Known for its strong technology background, Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos‘ 14-member group consistently assists major IT, telecoms, media and internet companies with their investments, joint ventures, transactional IP and litigation; it also has a robust regulatory practice in relation to IT and media projects, and is well known for its expertise in data processing, and large infrastructure projects involving technology components and corporate issues. Rodrigo Lavados (who also works on IP matters) leads the technology, privacy and media group alongside Francisco Illanes, who also heads the financial, banking and capital markets department. Additionally integral to the group are litigation and arbitration specialist Raimundo Moreno and banking and finance expert Juan Antonio Parodi. The department houses several associates, including Felipe Fernández, Gabriel Pensa and Cristóbal Morales. Since publication, Fnerández has left the firm for Ernst & Young (Santiago), effective December 2021.