Francisco Ugarte > Carey > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

The 19-strong practice at full-service legal powerhouse Carey houses experts in advising creditors, investors, and borrowers on the gamut of banking and financial transactions. Its representative expertise covers bilateral and syndicated loans (whether secured or unsecured), as well as liability management work. Other areas of strength are public and private offerings and placements of capital and debt, securitisations, project financing, structured product deals and derivatives operations. The group is co-led by six experienced partners, namely: Diego Peralta, whose recent highlights include leading advice to Qatar Airways (and its affiliates) on the debtor-in-possession financing for LATAM Airlines during the latter’s reorganisation; lending, project finance, structured product and derivatives specialist Felipe Moro; Fernando Noriega, who focuses on banking law, loan deals and project financing; Salvador Valdés, a go-to lawyer for several investment banks and asset managers; Francisco Ugarte, who assists both corporations and financial institutions with regulatory and finance work; and Alejandra Daroch, who has broad banking and finance experience.

The ‘very dedicated‘ sixteen-strong insolvency and restructuring team at market stalwart Carey houses both experienced insolvency litigators and corporate lawyers, who are specialists in M&A and financial distress operations. The group’s track record includes playing lead roles during complex restructurings and financings, as well as related asset acquisitions; and its client base spans a range of industries such as insurance, mining, banking, airlines and tourism. The practice is co-led by several experienced partners, namely: Ricardo Reveco, who heads a team of insolvency litigators and ‘stands out in the national market‘; Salvador Valdés, a go-to adviser for corporate clients during high-stakes bankruptcies; Francisco Ugarte, who acts for both debtors and creditors in insolvencies; financial distress deal specialist Cristián Figueroa; and Alejandra Daroch, an expert in advising international and domestic clients on distressed M&A and debt restructuring. In a boost for the team, former associate Roberto Villaseca, whose disputes practice encompasses bankruptcy and insolvency issues, was raised to the partnership in December 2022. Key associate Francisco Torm is also on hand for restructuring and insolvency proceedings.

A legal powerhouse, Carey fields a 41-strong capital markets practice that is consistently mandated by issuers and bond and stockholders on corporate and securitised bonds, trade effects, and public and private securities. Standing out for its ‘commitment to clients‘, the team is also expert in high-profile securities offerings, including cross-border IPOs, capital increases, debt issuances and securitisations. The practice group consists of a raft of active partners, including Diego Peralta, an expert in the creation of financial products; local bond issuance specialist Salvador Valdés; Francisco Ugarte, who structures debt and equity deals in the local and international capital markets; Felipe Moro, whose practice covers US private placements and 144A/Reg.S transactions; and investment funds expert Cristián Eyzaguirre. Also integral to the group are: Jorge Ugarte, whose practice includes liability management deals; securities specialist Cristián Figueroa, who ‘stands out for his knowledge and expertise‘; Chile and New York-qualified Patricia Silberman; Fernando Noriega, who advises on local and international securities offerings; and bonds and securities practitioner Alejandra Daroch.

Market leviathan Carey fields ‘lawyers with deep knowledge, specialisation and experience in M&A issues‘. The huge, 64-strong team is consistently involved in the structuring of headline M&A deals, including takeovers through public offerings, minority share purchases, acquisitions of companies and asset-packages, private equity deals, and asset purchases during insolvency processes and in the context of reorganisations. The firm’s numerous active practitioners included senior partner Jorge Carey, whose broad practice encompasses M&A, and corporate and business law; managing partner Jaime Carey T who routinely assists with landmark international transactions; Pablo Iacobelli – ‘the best M&A lawyer in Chile‘; and Salvador Valdés, who frequently acts for investment and private equity funds on the acquisition of strategic companies. Francisco Ugarte, Marcos Ríos and Cristián Figueroa, along with Cristián Eyzaguirre, Jorge Ugarte, Alejandra Daroch and Jaime Carey A are also highly-regarded M&A specialists; Guillermo Acuña advises on the corporate side of aviation matters; Patricia Silberman is ‘creative and commercial‘; and Francisco Guzmán assists with M&A, venture capital and private equity deals. Josefina Marshall is the senior associate to note. Former partner Claudio Lizana  departed to establish his own practice in December 2022.