Mr Rodrigo Ochagavía > Claro & Cia. > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Claro & Cia.‘s sizeable, almost 30-strong, banking and financing practice has an enviable track record in terms of structuring complex financial products and banking deals. The team’s representative expertise ranges from multilateral and cross-border financings, to project finance, structured solutions and lending. Key figures in the department include Rodrigo Ochagavía, whose specialisms include corporate and project finance, banking, capital markets and energy; senior partner and head of the firm’s M&A practice José María Eyzaguirre B, whose expertise also takes in banking, finance and capital markets; and Cristóbal Eyzaguirre, who -while best known for his  highly-rated litigation practice- also advises on banking, finance, capital markets and reorganisations. Other names to note are banking and finance and project finance expert Jorge Martín; José Luis Ambrosy (corporate finance, capital markets and international finance transactions); energy and project financing specialist Ariel Mihovilovic; and José María Eyzaguirre F, who is active in project finance. In 2021, former counsel Jaime Salas moved to Boza & Muirhead Abogados, while former associate Gerardo Otero left to co-found financial-data platform, Aevum.

The 36-strong M&A group at renowned blue-chip player and market stalwart Claro & Cia. routinely assists with due diligence and structuring issues, negotiations, and the drafting and completion of complex acquisition agreements, including share and asset deals, cross-border mergers, takeovers and exchange offers; it is particularly well known for its M&A work involving publicly-listed clients. The practice is led by renowned M&A partner José María Eyzaguirre B, who focuses on complex cross-border transactions, with a specific focus on tender offers, public transactions and corporate governance issues; Rodrigo Ochagavía, an M&A expert in deals involving regulated sectors such as energy, pension funds and insurance; energy M&A specialist Matías de Marchena; and Felipe Larraín, who is active in cross-border transactions involving foreign investors. Also integral to the practice are: Ariel Mihovilovic, who primarily advises on the acquisition and sale of energy sector assets; funds specialist Juan José León; and cross-border transactions expert José María Eyzaguirre F. Counsel Patricio Smart is also noted.

The sizeable 27-strong project finance and project development practice at market mainstay Claro & Cia. has a strong track record in the financing, development, construction, operation, acquisition, ownership and sale of energy and infrastructure projects. Representative specialisms include power plants, transmission lines and substations, and greenfield and brownfield projects undertaken on a non-recourse project finance basis. The team is also highly involved in the accords required for the development of projects, including engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and operation and maintenance (O&M), agreements, along with transmission, interconnection, supply and power purchase contracts. The team’s recent experience also covers project bond financings and infrastructure-related public concessions. The practice is led by projects and infrastructure specialist Rodrigo Ochagavía; Jorge Martín, who advises on international infrastructure and transportation projects; and José Luis Ambrosy, who regularly acts on renewable energy and gas terminals. Also highly regarded are cross-border finance transactions expert Luisa Núñez; Ariel Mihovilovic, an energy and project finance specialist; and cross-border expert José María Eyzaguirre F. Former associate Gerardo Otero left the firm in August 2021.

Leveraging its market-leading project finance and project development expertise, Claro & Cia. houses a go-to practice for the development, construction, operation, acquisition, disposition, ownership and financing of energy and infrastructure projects. Representative specialisms range from power plants (hydro, wind and solar), to transmission lines and sub-stations, gas plants and liquified gas terminals. The team also has extensive experience in regulatory matters, and routinely works alongside the firm’s arbitration and litigation groups on energy-related disputes. Heading up the 27-strong department, Rodrigo Ochagavía regularly advises on the negotiation and structuring of offtake agreements and energy financing: José Luis Ambrosy‘s broad experience includes renewable energy and gas terminals; Ariel Mihovilovic is an energy and project finance specialist; and Luisa Núñez and José María Eyzaguirre F are both cross-border transactions experts. Former associate Gerardo Otero left the firm in August 2021.

The 14-member practice at full-service firm Claro & Cia. has a market-leading reputation for designing and structuring complex securities transactions that involve multilateral financings and cross-border capital flows. Representative work includes local and international securities deals, regulatory compliance and corporate governance issues in relation to IPOs, debt offerings, project bonds, securities exchange-listings, exchange offers, hybrid securities, and cash and debt tender offers. The group is co-led by Rodrigo Ochagavía  , who has extensive capital markets experience – particularly in the energy, mining, pension funds, banking and insurance sectors; and capital markets, corporate finance and general corporate specialist José Luis Ambrosy  , who has ‘vast knowledge‘. Additional integral members of the department include cross-border transactions experts Felipe Larraín   and Luisa Núñez    (‘a very solid lawyer, technically’), along with Juan José León , who focuses on banking and capital markets regulations. Cristián Lagos   is the counsel to note, his broad corporate practice including securities law matters and capital markets offerings; while Nicolás Aspillaga   (capital increases) and María Jesús Argandoña   (local bond issuances) are both active associates.