Guerrero Olivos > Santiago, Chile > Firm Profile

Guerrero Olivos > The Legal 500 Rankings

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 1

The eight-strong mining department at full-service firm Guerrero Olivos acts for both domestic and international mining clients, as well as non-mining clients (such as private investment funds) with significant mining sector interests; and the firm houses specialists in the gamut of metallic and non-metallic mineral mining, including copper, lithium, gold, saltpetre, iodine, potassium, and lime/stone. The practice’s wide-ranging credentials span environmental and local community issues, regulatory work and mining disputes, as well as high-value project acquisitions, project financing, joint ventures, M&A, and royalty and streaming agreements. Mining practice head Pedro Lyon is a renowned mining-related project development and finance expert, who has broad experience in environmental, regulatory and community matters; Marco Zavala acts on both the transactional and regulatory aspects of mining work; and the expertise of current President of the Mining Committee of the Australian-Chilean Chamber of Commerce, Benjamín Pérez, covers mining related-regulatory and environmental issues, mineral exploration, project development, mining agreements, due diligence, sale structures, and mining M&A. A June 2022 hire from Vergara Galindo Correa Abogados, senior associate and mining project development specialist Sebastian Mozó has ‘great experience in the mining sector'.

Chile > Real estate Tier 1

The seven-member real estate practice at full-service firm Guerrero Olivos fields a go-to team for developers, construction companies, investment funds and asset managers. The group comprises experts in real estate transactions and finance, as well as real estate asset management, project development, real estate litigation, and regulatory and permitting issues. The team additionally acts for major corporations from the retail, mining, and food and beverage sectors on real estate acquisitions, sales and leases. Firm managing partner and department head Martín Santa María focuses on both the transactional and regulatory aspects of real estate work; and José Gabriel Undurraga is an expert in real estate-related public law, regulatory and permitting issues, in addition to real estate-related disputes. From the senior associate ranks, Macarena Montt is experienced in real estate developments and due diligence processes; while Tomás Rosemary’s practice includes site transactions, project acquisitions, title reports, real estate financing, and leasing contracts.

Chile > Banking and finance Tier 2

The 17-member banking and finance department at Guerrero Olivos is regularly mandated for cross-border project and acquisition financings, as well as debt restructuring deals. Such work frequently involves structured products and syndicated lending facilities. The team particularly excels in heavily-documented New York law-governed deals that comprise underlying collateral or credit enhancements. In recent highlights, the team was especially active in cross-border refinancings involving renewable energy portfolios. The ‘sophisticated‘ practice is co-led by syndicated loan, debt restructuring and project finance specialist Miguel Coddou; Jorge Delpiano, who advises on structured and acquisition financing deals; and international financing expert Juan Enrique Allard. Elevated to the partnership in February 2022 and January 2023, respectively, César Gálvez is a banking, finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A lawyer; and Benjamín Novoa assists with energy and mining sector-related syndicated loans and project finance. Within the firm’s associate pool, Sofía Middleton specialises in syndicated loans, debt-restructuring and project finance deals, while Florencia Cortés is active in project and acquisition finance work.

Chile > Capital markets Tier 2

The fourteen-strong capital markets practice at Guerrero Olivos ranges from debt and equity issuances, to structuring investments funds and fund managers (as well as their transactions). It also assists mutual and public investment fund managers with the registration and placement of private and public funds in the Chilean market. Among the group’s several active advisers, Jorge Delpiano assists banks and financial institutions with ongoing capital markets issues; Pedro Pellegrini is a capital markets' transactional expert; Miguel Coddou advises on domestic debt offerings, international securities issuances and senior guaranteed notes, along with capital markets regulatory work; and Pedro Lyon is a specialist in assisting foreign investors with trading in local securities. César Gálvez, who was raised to the partnership in early 2022; senior associate Sebastián Marambio and associate Diego Rodríguez also all advise on capital markets matters.

Chile > Compliance Tier 2

The four-member compliance team at full-service firm Guerrero Olivos has been notable active, recently, in relation to the structuring and implementation of compliance and crime prevention manuals, along with corporate protocols. Its client base covers several industries, ranging from energy, services, automotive and financing, to food and beverage. In terms of anti-corruption, corporate criminal liability and anti-money laundering work, the group is also able to leverage the expertise of the firm’s specialisms in corporate governance, competition, environment, tax, labour, finance and regulatory matters. The practice is led by experienced corporate governance specialist Pedro Pellegrini, who advises on antitrust-related internal compliance guidelines, and routinely hosts compliance training sessions for company board members. Associate to note Alejandra Leiton has a practice that  fuses expertise in corporate law, competition and compliance matters.

Chile > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Fielding ‘connoisseurs of corporate procedures', Guerrero Olivos's 18-strong practice advises on both domestic and multi-jurisdictional M&A, corporate restructuring, and joint ventures; and its full-service assistance ranges from due-diligence processes through to post-closing agreements. The department also has particular strength in highly-regulated sectors, such as TMT, energy, mining, financial services, and food and drink. The nucleus of the practice comprises four key partners: Jorge Delpiano, who advises on M&A, corporate restructurings and corporate governance; mining related M&A and private equity specialist Pedro Lyon; the experienced Juan Enrique Allard, whose ‘treatment of clients is exceptional'; and local and international M&A expert Pedro Pellegrini. Also key to the team, recently-elevated partner César Gálvez has an ‘exemplary work drive', while Benjamín Novoa - raised to the partnership in January 2023 - focuses on financial services sector-related corporate work. Senior associate Sebastián Marambio specialises in corporate law, M&A and consumer matters.

Chile > Data privacy Tier 2

Recent highlights for Guerrero Olivos' sizeable data privacy group include advising Chinese technology-sector player Newegg on the review of its privacy policy. The experienced team is also drawing in new clients such as the UK’s Featurespace, along with Chilean tech start-ups Vinko and Dogkas. Beyond the TMT sector, the data privacy department advises financial services multinational Western Union on data privacy regulations. Other notable areas include assisting with cross-border data regulation compliance and the regulations applicable to data centres. Co-heading the group are Juan Enrique Allard, whose TMT practice takes in data privacy work; Miguel Coddou, a key adviser in the firm’s data protection, banking, finance, new technologies and corporate teams; and Eduardo Cordero, who heads the public law and regulated markets group. At associate level, senior Diego Morandé and Alejandra Leiton both maintain active data privacy practices.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity and hydrocarbons Tier 2

With ‘solid knowledge of the energy business‘, the 18-member energy and natural resources practice at full-service firm Guerrero Olivos acts for owners, developers and operators of renewable energy projects (such as wind and solar), as well as thermal power plants and regasification terminals. Comprising energy, electricity, environment and water law specialists, the department’s workload encompasses energy generation, transmission and distribution project developments; and the group has particular expertise in the negotiation of power purchase agreements. It is also routinely mandated on regulatory issues, such as energy and transmission planning, rulemaking processes, public bids, and disputes; it is also increasingly sought out for green hydrogen projects. The practice is jointly led by Clemente Pérez, who has longstanding experience in transactional and regulatory energy matters; Sebastián Abogabir, a regulatory expert who is ‘great for his analysis‘; and recently-raised partner Felipe Frühling, who advises on energy project developments. At associate level, senior Francisca Pellegrini primarily acts for energy developers, but Andrea Olea  departed for the National Energy Commission in April 2022.

Chile > Environment Tier 2

With ‘a lot of experience in environmental and administrative issues', Guerrero Olivos' environmental and water law practice covers environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, and the environmental and law aspects of energy, mining, and construction project development. It also advises on the environmental due diligence for M&A deals. A quartet of partners co-lead the practice: Clemente Pérez, who assists with regulatory work, environmental litigation, M&A-related environmental issues, and the environmental side to high-stakes real estate and energy projects; Sebastián Abogabir, a specialist in environmental assessments for non-conventional energy projects; water law expert Benjamín Pérez; and Martín Santa María, who advises on the environmental assessment of project development and urban planning. At associate level, senior Francisca Pellegrini's practice includes compliance and permitting issues, while Antonia Ibarra regularly assists with energy project-related environmental and regulatory disputes.

Chile > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

‘Great for its commitment to clients’, Guerrero Olivos’ 16-member department routinely advises on the financing and development of significant energy and infrastructure projects, as well as the acquisition and sales of projects. On the energy side, the team is highly experienced in solar, wind, power plant, green hydrogen and LNG regasification terminal projects. The firm’s expertise further extends to projects involving desalination and water supply facilities, transport infrastructure (roads and -more recently- cable cars), and social infrastructure such as hospitals. The practice’s key advisers are energy and infrastructure project expert Clemente Pérez; Sebastián Abogabir, who acts for energy companies and international lenders on the financing, development and permitting of non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) projects; Miguel Coddou, who assists with lender-side project financings; and recently-raised partner Felipe Frühling, whose energy sector credentials encompass solar power and green hydrogen projects. Promoted to partner in January 2023, Benjamín Novoa is a project finance expert, while senior associate  Francisca Pellegrini specialises in the development of energy projects.

Chile > Public law Tier 2

Guerrero Olivos’ sizeable 11-lawyer public law practice consistently acts for private, publicly-listed and state-owned companies from highly-regulated sectors, such as mining, oil and gas, power, public utilities, financial services, healthcare, insurance, and telecoms. The team’s representative expertise covers defence-side public law litigation, judicial reviews, and representation before regulatory bodies. It also advises on public bids and public procurement matters, along with assisting with administrative procedures to obtain permits. Jointly heading the group, renowned constitutional and administrative lawyer Eduardo Cordero is sought out particularly to file reports before the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and Comptroller General of the Republic; and José Gabriel Undurraga is a specialist in both administrative litigation and public procurement work. Administrative law professor Rosa Fernanda Gómez is a 2022 senior counsel hire who advises on administrative law penalties, along with urban, environmental, and municipal law matters; while senior associate Roberto Burgos focuses exclusively on regulatory and public law.

Chile > TMT Tier 2

Guerrero Olivos’s nine-strong TMT team is able to leverage the firm’s strong administrative law, IP and corporate law credentials when advising either major corporations or start-ups on their business operations in Chile. The group’s specialisms cover both contentious and non-contentious work before the TMT industry regulators, including compliance assistance; its experience includes concessions for mobile and satellite services, M&A deals and carve-outs involving key infrastructure, and software licensing agreements and data privacy policies. Co-heading the department are: Juan Enrique Allard, who has longstanding experience in advising TMT companies on telecoms, data privacy, IT, cybersecurity, and technology platforms; and José Gabriel Undurraga and Eduardo Cordero, who both bring public law expertise to their telecoms sector mandates. Within the associate ranks, senior Diego Morandé (who also heads-up the IP practice) advises TMT clients on data privacy and protection matters, while Alejandra Leiton’s has strong experience in TMT regulatory issues.

Chile > Venture capital Tier 2

Full-service law firm Guerrero Olivos houses a six-member practice that is involved at all stages of venture capital, from the formation of start-ups and structuring VC funds to initial financing rounds and follow-on investments. The ‘very innovative team’ also assists with exits, M&A, IPOs, stock plans, and internationalisation plans; and its large client portfolio comprises domestic and foreign VC investors, entrepreneurs and start-ups, as well as accelerators and incubators. The group is also able to leverage the firm’s corporate and tax restructuring specialists, in addition to its cooperation alliance with Chile Global Ventures, an accelerator that is part of a community of over 75 institutions globally. The VC group is headed by Pedro Lyon, whose track record includes national and international M&A deals for VC and corporate VC investors. The practice further features disputes partner Benjamín Ferrada, who also assists with VC structuring and acquiring start-ups; and senior associate Francisca Martínez, a  specialist in M&A and VC transactions.

Chile > Water law Tier 2

The seven-strong water law department at full-service law firm Guerrero Olivos represents domestic and international clients from the mining, agribusiness, industrial and hydroelectric sectors. The team is experienced in obtaining and transferring water rights, and negotiating complex water supply, and purchase-and-sale agreements for projects. The practice also covers both the optimisation of water rights (including intake and restitution transfer applications) and modification of water supply sources, along with hydraulic works-related authorisations. It additionally acts in sanctioning processes and water law-related litigation. Benjamín Pérez is experienced in the water law aspects of project developments, the constitution and acquisition of water rights, and representation before the Water Bureau; and Sebastián Abogabir’s water rights' expertise covers regulatory and permitting matters. At associate level, senior Francisca Pellegrini assists with the water side to energy projects; Antonia Ibarra is an active member of the firm’s environmental and water rights practices; and Sebastián Mozó (mining projects-related water law issues) is a June 2022 hire from Vergara Galindo Correa Abogados.

Chile > Bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring Tier 3

The six-member practice at full-service law firm Guerrero Olivos consistently assists corporate debtors and secured and unsecured creditors with contentious and non-contentious bankruptcy-related matters, including negotiations and payment plan structuring. The team also represents clients before boards and during all stages of restructuring procedures (creditor board, discussion audience and evidential phases). The group is co-led by Sergio Yávar an expert in restructurings and insolvency proceedings; and Benjamín Ferrada, who focuses on bankruptcy proceeding-related disputes and representing creditors during reorganisation proceedings. At associate level, Pablo Rioseco is experienced in reorganisation and insolvency work, but Juan Luis Vial left the firm in September 2022.

Chile > Consumer and advertising law Tier 3

Guerrero Olivos' consumer law team assists with the design of compliance, commercialisation and product-warranty strategies, complaint response protocols, and advertising and promotion breaks. Other notable areas include consumer rights-related litigation, product labelling, collective mediation procedures before SERNAC, and e-commerce and advertising. The lead consumer law department partner, Benjamín Ferrada specialises in consumer protection law compliance and consumer rights disputes. At senior associate level, Sebastián Marambio advises on mass consumption of goods and services matters, while Juan José García assists with consumer law work. The slightly more junior Rosario Díaz is an active litigator.

Chile > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 3

Guerrero Olivos’ eight-strong disputes practice routinely appears before Chile’s civil and constitutional courts, particularly in relation to construction and real estate litigation, as well as disputes concerning mining, energy, agribusiness, retail, life sciences, and food and beverages. The dispute resolution group is led by Sergio Yávar, an expert in civil claims, commercial disputes and insolvency proceedings; while the broad practice of ‘very good strategist‘ Benjamín Ferrada includes civil and commercial disputes, constitutional matters, tax-related claims and regulatory litigation. Associate-level support is provided by civil and commercial litigation practitioner, Andrés Cuevas; the arbitration focused Agustín Bulnes (a July 2023 hire from Yrarrázaval, Ruiz-Tagle, Ovalle, Salas & Vial); and junior team-member Rosario Díaz, whose caseload includes consumer law-related individual and collective litigation.

Chile > Labour and employment Tier 3

The ‘highly trusted’ seven-member labour, employment and migration practice at Guerrero Olivos covers pre-emptive labour advice, disputes, and M&A and reorganisation-related labour issues. On the contentious front, the group assists with unfair dismissals, anti-union practices, fundamental rights and work-related accidents; and it also undertakes collective bargaining processes. In migratory and expatriate matters, the team is highly active in relation to the mining and energy industries. Heading the department, the ‘accurate and highly knowledgeable’ Rocío García de la Pastora’s workload incorporates labour litigation, collective bargaining, and corporate labour issues; and within the associate ranks, Tomás Garnham is ‘empathetic, efficient and always available’, while Sergio Fuica is an expert in fundamental rights and labour disputes.

Chile > Tax Tier 3

Guerrero Olivos’ tax practice (which comprises tax accountants and auditors, in addition to lawyers) covers-border transactions, international taxation, double taxation, and the tax structuring for corporate and project finance deals, with recent mandates seeing the team particularly active on behalf of venture capital and energy companies. The group also houses tax litigation experts, who regularly act before the Chile’s IRS. Practice head Alejandro Chechilnitzky specialises in the tax aspects of local and cross-border transactions; and senior associate Alfonso Niklitschek’s practice covers domestic and international taxation, succession planning and corporate reorganisations.

Chile > Competition and antitrust Tier 4

The eight-member practice at full-service firm Guerrero Olivos houses specialists in antitrust litigation, M&A-related competition matters and investigatory proceedings. It is also on hand for compliance work. Heading the team, Pedro Pellegrini advises multinational corporations -such as AES Andes- on internal antitrust compliance guidelines and corporate protocols. Pellegrini is supported by associate Juan José García, whose experience includes Antitrust Defence Tribunal and Supreme Court litigation, in relation to illicit collusive practices, gun-jumping, and merger-control enforcement issues.

Chile > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 4

‘Fantastic to work with‘, Guerrero Olivos‘ dispute resolution practice is routinely engaged for significant domestic and international arbitration cases. The team acts in disputes arising from highly regulated sectors, such as mining, infrastructure and energy; and it further has a strong track-record in real estate, agribusiness, and food and drink-related matters, along with corporate disputes concerning shareholder agreements, and M&A and joint venture-related disputes. The seven-member group is jointly led by Sergio Yávar (who ‘knows the law and applicable precedents very well‘), and Benjamín Ferrada, whose broad disputes practices cover complex arbitration work. At associate level, Constanza Urzúa regularly acts in major arbitration cases and the team was further strengthened with the hire of arbitration-focused Agustín Bulnes from Yrarrázaval, Ruiz-Tagle, Ovalle, Salas & Vial in July 2023.

Chile > Intellectual property Tier 4

Guerrero Olivos' IP practice covers trade mark and patent prosecution, including cross-border portfolio management issues. The ‘very willing' four-member group also comprises experts in copyright, IP contracts, customs measures, and denomination of origin and geographical indication procedures. The team is also increasingly representing clients in IP litigation, including civil infringement cases and criminal proceedings that involve anti-counterfeiting. The practice is led at associate level by senior Diego Morandé, a trade mark and innovation protection expert, while Alejandra Leiton supports Morandé on several of the firm’s IP mandates.