Mr Fernando Samaniego > Prieto Abogados > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Prieto Abogados‘ team is well known for its expertise in insurance regulatory matters, in relation to the formation of new -or the acquisition of existing- insurance companies; it is also experienced in distribution agreements for insurance products, such as bancassurance agreements, mortgage related policies, cell-phone protection policies and extended-warranty policies. Patricio Prieto L‘s practice includes major insurance matters; while experienced partners Benjamin Grebe and Fernando Samaniego frequently act in insurance litigation involving construction, business interruption, insolvency and credit. The practice also fields three senior associates, including María Cristina Ríos Lianeza, who advises on insurance and reinsurance.

The four-member team at Prieto Abogados advises on the full gamut of real estate sector work surrounding the acquisition, development and construction of large real estate projects, including assistance with tax planning, finance, corporate law, land use, environmental matters and construction issues; the team also handles due diligence work and contract negotiations. With longstanding experience in leading the real estate practice, Fernando Samaniego‘s focus includes arbitration and litigation work, particularly in relation to infrastructure and real estate disputes. Providing key support are Alejandra Bañados (promoted to counsel in 2021), whose practice includes acquisition projects, long-term lease agreements and due diligence; and senior associate Camila Urzúa, who is active in real estate transactions and bidding procedures. Former partner Cristóbal Villarino and associate Juan Andrés Ilharreborde left the firm in early 2020.

Litigation is the second largest practice at full-service, mid-sized firm Prieto Abogados. The ‘great‘ seven-strong team regularly represents longstanding clients before the ordinary courts in disputes involving energy, construction, real estate and retail; and it has expanded its practice to cover new sectors, such as insurance, transportation, healthcare, telecoms and banking. The practice also has notably robust public law litigation expertise. The experienced leaders of the litigation department are Fernando Samaniego, who specialises in real estate, construction and antitrust litigation; utilities, energy, infrastructure and antitrust disputes expert Claudio Undurraga; and Alberto González V, who is highly regarded for real estate, construction and energy disputes. Counsel Juan Pablo Riesco and senior associate Cristóbal Jiménez are also key team members.

The eight-member department at Prieto Abogados has longstanding experience in advising on public law matters and utilities; clients particularly benefit from the team comprising litigation experts, academics and transactional lawyers, who together assist with dispute resolution, sanctioning proceedings, regulatory issues during transactions, and relations with the authorities. The diverse practice of litigation and arbitration head Fernando Samaniego includes proceedings before the administrative and regulatory authorities; at associate level, environmental team head Agustín Martorell (‘great dedication to each client and case‘) has approximately ten years’ experience in administrative, environmental and regulatory matters, while counsel Juan Pablo Riesco‘s litigation experience includes administrative and regulatory authority-related proceedings. Since publication, Martorell has been raised to the partnership with effect from January 2022.

The second largest practice at the mid-sized, full-service Prieto Abogados, the seven-member arbitration team regularly represents clients before arbitrators in disputes involving energy, construction, real estate and retail. The practice is co-led by Fernando Samaniego, who specialises in real estate, construction and antitrust litigation (and is regularly appointed as arbitrator in construction disputes); and arbitration specialist Alberto González V. Also integral to the practice is founding partner Claudio Undurraga, an active member of the firm’s energy and arbitration practices; beneath partner level, the broad disputes’ practices of counsel Juan Pablo Riesco and senior associate Cristóbal Jiménez sees them frequently involved in arbitral matters.