Mr Vicente Tapia > Prieto Abogados > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Regularly mandated to advise on headline liquidations and reorganisations, Prieto Abogados‘ 10-strong team comprises experts in defaulting companies, as well as debt, syndicated loan and bond conversion-related negotiations. The group, which ‘stands out for its knowledge and expertise in restructuring’, is also highly active in relation to cross-border insolvencies. In recent highlights, the department advised Engie on the liquidation of electricity generation company María Elena Solar. Co-leading the insolvency and restructuring team, Benjamín Grebe predominantly acts for creditors in judicial insolvency procedures (including bankruptcies and reorganisations), along with restructurings and debt negotiations; and Alberto González V (who also co-heads the firm’s litigation department) is experienced in insolvency proceedings involving direct actions against debtors. In the associate team, senior Vicente Tapia routinely advises on liquidations and reorganisations, while the more junior Javier Albornoz rounds out the practice.

Providing a ‘fantastic, high-level quality’, Prieto Abogados‘ six-strong antitrust and competition law practice routinely assists with both contentious and non-contentious matters before the TDLC. The group also has a significant market reputation for its representation of clients before the FNE in leniency applications, and cartel and abuse of dominant position investigations. The team is also sought out to advise on major merger control and minority participation assessments and notifications, along with pre-emptive advice involving contracts, antitrust protocols, interlocking, and compliance programmes. In recent highlights, the group represented Banco Internacional in three different contentious procedures for alleged anticompetitive conduct. The department’s principal figures are competition law specialist Benjamín Grebe, whose workload encompasses litigation before the TDLC and Chilean Supreme Court, as well as FNE investigations and the development of antitrust compliance programmes for companies and trade associations; and experienced director Andrea Von Chrismar, a specialist in the economic regulation aspects of competition law, compliance issues, FNE investigations, and TDLC and Supreme Court conflicts. At associate level, Vicente Tapia and Javier Albornoz are ‘outstanding in terms of their knowledge of free competition matters’, while Constanza Moreno Aedo is an August 2023 recruit to the firm’s free competition and insolvency practices from Jara Del Favero Abogados. Since publication, the firm has announced the raising of Ms. Von Chrismar to the partnership; with effect from January 2025, the promotion will also see her take over leadership of the practice.