Claro & Cia. > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

Claro & Cia. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Chile > Banking and finance Tier 1

The sizeable 29-member team at 'first-class law firm' Claro & Cia. has a pre-eminent name in the market for its expertise in designing and structuring complex financial products and innovative banking transactions, including multilateral and cross-border financing, project finance, loans and structured solutions. The team is led by Rodrigo Ochagavía, who has extensive banking and finance experience in regulated sectors such as energy, mining, pension funds, banking institutions and insurance companies; and José María Eyzaguirre B, who also heads the firm's M&A practice. Also integral to the practice are Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, who is consistently sought out by banking and financial institutions (and their boards of directors); Jorge Martín (infrastructure and transportation project finance); José Luis Ambrosy ('stands out for his knowledge and experience'); and energy and project finance specialist Ariel Mihovilovic. An additional line of advisers includes recently elevated partner José María Eyzaguirre F and experienced lawyer Gerardo Otero. Former counsel Jaime Salas moved to Boza & Muirhead Abogados in March 2021.

Chile > Capital markets Tier 1

'Providing legal advice of the highest standard,' Claro & Cia.'s 15-strong team is widely respected for its experience in designing and structuring sophisticated securities transactions that comprise multilateral financing and cross-border capital flows. Representative work includes IPOs, equity and investment-grade and high-yield debt offerings, project bonds, securities exchange listings, exchange offers, hybrid securities, and cash and debt tender-offers. Rodrigo Ochagavía is particularly noted for his capital markets work involving energy, mining and insurance companies, pension funds and banking institutions; while José Luis Ambrosy focuses on capital markets, finance and corporate matters. The second line of experienced partners features Felipe Larraín (public transactions involving tender offers, securities laws and corporate governance issues); and Juan José León (banking and capital markets regulations, including regulatory actions). At counsel level, Cristián Lagos' practice includes securities law and capital markets offerings; however, former counsel Jaime Salas left the firm in March 2021.

Chile > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

Full-service legal powerhouse Claro & Cia. houses an 18-strong, market-leading team that, in addition to providing general advice on business structuring and regulatory compliance, consistently acts in high-profile cases involving horizontal and vertical integration, collusion and price discrimination (among other matters). The practice also plays an active role in some of Chile’s most prominent merger-control filings and settlement agreements, with clients benefiting from the firm’s close interaction with the antitrust authorities. Heading up the department are Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, whose areas of sector expertise include financial services, fintech, TMT, insurance and retail; and José Miguel Huerta, whose experience includes high-level government proceedings and investigations involving mergers and cartels. A second line of experienced advisers includes litigation, arbitration and antitrust specialist Santiago Bravo (made up to partner as of January 2020); and at associate level, Álvaro Vives (cartels, abuse of dominance, merger control and regulatory issues), Juan Pablo Celis  (government enforcement proceedings and investigations), and Tomás Kreft (antitrust, regulatory matters and litigation). Since publication, Vives has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2022.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

'With great legal expertise and the ability to make mega-deals happen', Claro & Cia.'s 30-strong department is a market leader for M&A, from due diligence, structuring and negotiation to the drafting and completion of highly complex acquisition agreements. Typical work includes share and asset deals, cross-border mergers, takeovers, and exchange offers of dual-listed companies; the team is also highly rated for M&A work involving publicly-listed clients and target companies, while being constantly sought out for its related expertise in tender offers, securities laws and corporate governance. Practice head José María Eyzaguirre B is a cross-border M&A transactions specialist; Rodrigo Ochagavía has extensive M&A experience in regulated sectors such as energy, pension funds and insurance; and Matías de Marchena is an energy deal expert. Other widely respected practitioners are Felipe Larraín (cross-border transactions involving foreign investors); Ariel Mihovilovic (acquisition and sale of energy sector assets); Juan José León, who focuses on funds and asset managers; and cross-border transactions expert José María Eyzaguirre F. At associate level, Gerardo Otero focuses on M&A, restructuring, project finance and corporate matters, while former counsel Jaime Salas moved to Boza & Muirhead in March 2021.

Chile > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 1

Fielding a 30-strong practice, the 'extremely competent and reliable' full-service firm, Claro & Cia., specialises in high-stakes domestic and international arbitration; the team regularly acts as counsel or arbitrators in international arbitral proceedings under the rules of CAM Santiago, ICC, International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), among others. The practice also houses several members who are on CAM Santiago’s roster of arbitrators. The department has five practice co-heads: senior partner José María Eyzaguirre G, who has extensive arbitration experience; commercial arbitration specialists Cristóbal Eyzaguirre and José Miguel Huerta; Nicolás Luco (energy arbitration); and Felipe Ossa (current chairman in Chile of the ICC Arbitration Committee and the Spanish Arbitration Club). Young partner Santiago Bravo (who made partner in January 2020), and senior associate Felipe De Marinis both regularly participate in domestic and international tribunals; fellow senior Vicente Portales' experience also includes domestic and international proceedings, particularly in relation to financial and construction disputes.

Chile > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 1

The pre-eminent, 30-strong dispute resolution practice at full-service law firm Claro & Cia. has a market-leading reputation for complex commercial court litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and transnational litigation requiring multi-jurisdictional coordination; the firm also has a significant white-collar crime practice. Senior partner José María Eyzaguirre G has over 30 years' experience in litigation and arbitration matters; Cristóbal Eyzaguirre's broad practice includes commercial arbitration and litigation; while Nicolás Luco is experienced in energy disputes. Also key to the practice are experienced partners Felipe Ossa and José Miguel Huerta, while Santiago Bravo was elevated to the partnership in January 2020. The strong associate pool includes seniors Javier Rodríguez (who regularly acts for domestic and foreign clients before the Chilean courts) and Vicente Portales (litigation and arbitration in relation to energy, construction, infrastructure and transport); antitrust and litigation specialist Álvaro Vives; Juan Pablo Celis (litigation, antitrust law, arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings); and Tomás Kreft, who is experienced in litigation, arbitration and antitrust matters.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity and hydrocarbon

Housing a sizeable 25-strong department, Claro & Cia. is widely respected for its advice on energy generation, transmission and distribution matters, including the development, construction, operation and financing of hydroelectric, solar, wind and thermoelectric power plants; the team is also consistently sought out for the project financing and construction of oil and gas pipelines. Additionally, the practice handles PPAs; corporate, regulatory and litigation issues; and fields water law specialists who advise across the mining, electricity, agricultural and finance sectors (in relation to projects requiring substantial water consumption). With extensive energy-related finance experience Rodrigo Ochagavía leads the practice, which additionally showcases José Luis Ambrosy (corporate finance, brownfield and greenfield projects and capital markets); cross-border finance and transactional specialist Luisa Núñez; and energy and project finance expert Ariel Mihovilovic. Focused on M&A, restructuring, project finance and corporate matters, Gerardo Otero is the associate to note.

Chile > Projects and infrastructure Tier 1

Fielding one of Chile’s most experienced project finance and development practices, Claro & Cia.'s 25-strong department has a market-leading reputation for its advice on the development, construction, operation, acquisition, disposition, ownership and financing of energy and infrastructure projects. Representative work includes assisting with the construction development and financing of power plants; transmission lines and sub-stations; greenfield and brownfield projects; negotiating and drafting engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation and maintenance (O&M) agreements; transmission and interconnection contracts; and supply and power purchase agreements. Clients additionally benefit from the firm's strong credentials in litigation and infrastructure-related public concessions. Rodrigo Ochagavía has extensive project finance experience; Jorge Martín focuses on structuring, developing and financing international infrastructure and transportation projects, as well as the acquisition and sale of energy and infrastructure assets; José Luis Ambrosy's broad practice includes brownfield and greenfield projects; Luisa Núñez has extensive cross-border transactions experience; and Ariel Mihovilovic is an energy and project finance expert. The strong second line of advisers includes experienced partner José María Eyzaguirre F and associate Gerardo Otero.

Chile > Bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring Tier 2

One of the most prestigious full-service law firms in Chile, Claro & Cia. houses a 10-member bankruptcy and restructuring practice that is particularly focused on complex restructuring solutions, both at local and cross-border levels. Clients also benefit from the firm's high-level experience in litigation and commercial law. An expert in civil and commercial litigation and arbitration, Nicolás Luco leads the group, which also showcases experienced M&A head José María Eyzaguirre B, who (working in conjunction with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton) represented LATAM Airlines in its voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code; along with Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, who specialises in complex, multi-front litigation and arbitration; Felipe Larraín (M&A, business organisations and corporate finance); and litigation and arbitration expert Santiago Bravo.

Chile > Intellectual property Tier 2

‘Very clear and efficient when compared to other teams’, Claro & Cia.’s six-strong group covers the full range of IP advice, from patent and trade mark registration, prosecution and litigation, to the IP aspects of M&A and corporate transactions; it also assists with niche areas such as data protection, labelling regulations and IP-related deals. The ‘very effective’ Felipe Claro (over 25 years’ experience advising national and multinational clients on complex and novel IP matters) heads the department, which also showcases specialist privacy and IP counsel Paulina Bardón, and senior associate Claus Krebs, who is highly active in trade mark and complex patent matters. Associates Mahish Sadarangani (trade marks, copyright and internet issues), patent practice manager Trinidad Rojas and Bryan Kernitsky (entire range of IP matters) are also experienced team members. Since publication, Bardón has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2022.

Chile > Tax Tier 2

Housing a 12-strong department (as well as three tax accountants), Claro & Cia.‘s tax practice is able to leverage off the firm’s widely recognised capabilities in M&A, capital markets, banking and project finance; and it is well known for its tax advice to multinationals and large local clients on complex domestic and cross-border transactions. The team is also consistently sought out for its design and implementation of tax-efficient schemes, along with its expertise in litigation before the Tax Courts. Heading the firm’s tax department, Jorge Carraha (‘one of the best lawyers I have met in Chile‘) advises corporate and family office clients on tax-related transactions, group restructurings and litigation; providing key support is senior associate Nicolás Maturana, who assists with local and cross-border transactions and tax controversies. Since publication, Maturana has been raised to the partnership, effective January 2022.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 3

The natural resources department at prestigious full-service law firm, Claro & Cia. regularly advises on the development of mining projects, including assisting developers with financing, partnership and regulatory needs. The practice recently assisted Anglo American Sur (the third largest copper producer in Chile) with structuring, negotiating and drafting an ambitious reciprocal easement agreement between mining competitors. Heading the firm’s natural resources group, Nicolás Eyzaguirre specialises in natural resources and environmental law, energy, M&A and litigation; and key support is provided by aenior associate Joaquín Rodríguez, whose practice has a transactional focus. Since publication, Rodríguez has been raised to the partnersip, effective January 2022.

Chile > Environment Tier 3

Full-service law firm Claro & Cia. fields an eight-strong team that advises on complex energy and mining projects (among others) from the environmental perspective, including the application of environmental legal requirements, and liaising with environmental auditing firms during environmental assessment studies; the practice also regularly acts in cases involving the environmental courts and Environmental Superintendence. Heading the firm’s natural resources group, Nicolás Eyzaguirre has a broad practice encompassing mining, energy and natural resources and environmental law, along with litigation, M&A and regulatory matters. Key support comes from experienced senior Joaquín Rodríguez who works across energy and natural resources, environment and M&A matters, particularly in a transactional context. The team was significantly strengthened with the July 2021 incorporation of an additional senior, Tomás Darricades, formerly at Moreno Sáez & Avilés. Since publication, Rodríguez has been promoted to the partnership, effective January 2022.