Rafael Vergara > Carey > Santiago, Chile > Lawyer Profile

Full-service legal giant Carey fields ‘highly skilled people with high ethical standards’, who consistently act on major mining projects in Chile, including development, financing and M&A transactions. The 11-strong mining department acts for both domestic and international mining (metallic and non-metallic minerals) companies on their exploration, exploitation and processing matters. The group also has longstanding experience in assisting the Chilean Government with preparing amendments to mining law-related regulations. The team’s expertise further extends to mining, water, and land use surface rights, environmental and community issues, and mining litigation. Recent highlights include acting for Marimaca Copper Corp on the implementation of a copper project in the Region of Antofagasta. The practice is co-led by mining law expert Rafael Vergara (‘one of the greats in this field’), whose mining law practice covers concessions, environmental regulations, litigation, M&A, project finance and restructuring; and highly-regarded water rights specialist Alberto Cardemil, an adviser on natural resources transactions and litigation, along with agribusiness, corporate issues, and commercial law. In the firm’s associate ranks, senior Maximiliano Urrutia‘s experience includes assisting Pan American Silver with the $4.8bn acquisition of Yamana Gold. Former counsel Francisco Corona and senior associate Esteban Fresno departed the firm in December 2023 and February 2024, respectively.

Full-service legal giant Carey is home to specialists in environmental impact assessments, as well as environmental sanctioning proceedings involving the mining, energy, infrastructure, water utilities, aquaculture and agriculture sectors. The 13-strong environmental, indigenous and regulatory practice is also routinely mandated to act (alongside the firm’s dispute resolution group) in high-stakes administrative disputes and environmental litigation. In recent highlights, the team successfully defended renewable energy producer Sonnedix against a lawsuit that challenged the environmental approval of its Meseta de Los Andes solar plant. The group is co-led by Rafael Vergara, whose wide-ranging expertise encompasses ESG (environmental, social and governance) matters, natural resources, mining, water rights and energy, along with surface lands, project finance, and corporate and commercial law; Manuel José Barros, who has significant experience in territorial planning, regulatory matters, and environmental and indigenous law; and Julio Recordon, whose environmental law practice covers project development, assessments, planning and regulatory issues. Recordon, who is ‘an excellent professional’, is particularly noted for complex environment-related administrative disputes and litigation. The practice further comprises Alberto Cardemil, a specialist in water law, agribusiness, and natural resources transactions, and litigation; and Aldo Molinari, who focuses on civil and commercial disputes, in addition to administrative and environmental regulatory litigation.

For certain clients, Carey‘s sizeable infrastructure and project development team is ‘undoubtedly the market leader in this practice area’. The group has extensive experience in the development, financing and execution of projects involving energy infrastructure (thermoelectric, hydroelectric, hydrocarbons, wind, photovoltaic and biomass). It also fields specialists in mining, roadways, hospitals, telecoms networks, and ports and airports, as well as concessions, and housing and hospitality services. Recent highlights include advising Aguas Pacifico on the contractual strategy and preparation of tender documents for a desalination plant. The practice group houses various experienced partners, namely: Rafael Vergara, an adviser on mining transactions in Chile; Oscar Aitken, who co-heads the firm’s construction and engineering group alongside ‘leading partner for infrastructure projects’, Juan Pablo Stitchkin; and Juan Francisco Mackenna and José Miguel Bustamante, who both advise on a range of energy and infrastructure projects. The practice further includes water rights specialist Alberto Cardemil; project finance practitioners Felipe Moro and Fernando Noriega; and José Tomás Hurley, who focuses on the development of projects involving energy and related infrastructure. The senior associate to note, Juan Pablo Vukasovic, advises on power plants, infrastructure, engineering and construction projects, and mining and fish farming complexes, as well as road, hospital and port infrastructure.