Team size: 15

What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?

One of the most significant projects we have undertaken has been the reorganisation of the company’s legal management structure and the establishment of priorities and cross-functional objectives. These were defined several years ago, and we have since been able to develop, execute, and achieve them successfully.

From a casework perspective, the most notable matters have been environmental in nature. These processes, which typically span eight to ten years, are inherently complex due to the involvement of multiple institutions, including the Environmental Courts, the Environmental Superintendency, and various sectoral public agencies. At present, we are in the final stages of environmental assessments for Environmental Impact Studies related to the cities of Panguipulli and Puerto Varas—each involving an investment of approximately USD 25 million.

In addition to these long-term projects, the legal team routinely manages regulatory and judicial contingencies arising from our company’s status as a regulated entity. We regularly engage with various public institutions and authorities on a broad range of matters, requiring high levels of coordination and diligence.

It is also worth noting one of the most complex and high-profile cases in the Chilean water sector: the 2019 large-scale service interruption. This event triggered a company-wide crisis and led to numerous civil and criminal proceedings—including infractions, constitutional protection actions (amparos), and administrative investigations from multiple oversight bodies. Our legal team played a central role in managing this crisis, navigating an exceptionally challenging legal and regulatory landscape. Today, we can confidently say that we are a solid, well-aligned team, committed to protecting the company’s interests.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Periods of instability or crisis demand both a prepared legal team and a clear process for identifying and analysing legal risks. Anticipating future consequences and ensuring legal readiness are essential elements in maintaining organisational resilience.

In such scenarios, our approach centres on rapid response capabilities, sound legal positioning, and diligent follow-up throughout the crisis. Transparent, timely, and effective communication—both internally and externally—is also crucial.

After a crisis, it is important to revisit and update existing policies, protocols, business continuity plans, and risk management frameworks. Training plays a key role as well. Ensuring that teams are adequately prepared through continuous education is one of the most effective ways to bolster resilience and improve response capacity in the face of future challenges.

What factors influence your team’s decision to use external legal services versus handling matters in-house, and what criteria are used to evaluate their performance?

The main factors influencing our decision to engage external legal services include the need for specialised expertise, experience in similar cases, and, importantly, a demonstrated understanding of business advisory beyond pure legal analysis.

We look for external advisors who can engage in meaningful dialogue around legal, political, financial, and regulatory implications—enabling us to arrive at comprehensive risk assessments and make better-informed decisions.

Performance evaluation is based on the quality and relevance of advice, responsiveness, commercial understanding, and the ability to provide strategic, not merely technical, legal support.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?

Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly a key trend that in-house lawyers and corporate legal departments must actively consider. Its implications are broad, not only in terms of developing internal policies on AI use and delivering training to employees and executives, but also in terms of embracing and participating in this technological evolution.

AI is a tool accessible to everyone and, as such, its adoption is transversal across industries. Staying ahead in understanding and leveraging AI will be essential to legal operations, risk management, and efficiency.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about? Why is this?

I am particularly passionate about the learning and growth that can emerge from corporate crises, and the role legal teams play in guiding organisations through these pivotal moments. Legal leadership and support—both internally and externally—are essential during times of crisis.

While these experiences are difficult and complex, they offer valuable insights when approached with the right mindset. Analysing every aspect of a crisis and engaging with different teams to extract learnings enables us to improve risk prevention, legal advisory, and strategic decision-making—not only in the moment but also for the future. This process of transformation, learning, and resilience is something I find both challenging and deeply meaningful.