Providing in-depth regulatory expertise to clients across industry sectors such as mining, energy, aquaculture, and natural resources, the 'well-prepared, agile, and collaborative' eelaw is a boutique firm exclusively dedicated to environmental law. The firm provides full life-cycle project support, from environmental assessments and permitting to defence in sanctioning and judicial proceedings. In addition, the practice has a unique specialisation in mine-closure regulations. Recent notable matters include successfully securing a favourable ruling from the Contraloría General de la República requiring the DGA to amend overreaching resolutions, reinforcing the limits of the agency’s authority. Separately, the team has provided comprehensive environmental compliance counsel to mining company Minera Las Cenizas, including inspection support, permitting strategy and sanction defense, whilst also defending the client in a high-stakes environmental claim. 'Always willing to dive into a new problem or case', practice head and veteran environmental lawyer Paulina Riquelme brings over 20 years' experience and is a leading figure in both domestic regulation and multilateral environmental agreements. Senior associate Amelia Sagredo leads the team’s project coordination, focusing on compliance, permitting and sanction-prevention for (primarily) mining and energy clients. Associate Daniela Jara, who has former experience at the environmental superintendence, brings extensive knoowledge of administrative sanctioning and compliance oversight.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Immediate response, connected to our context, our nature as a company, and our problems. Paulina Riquelme is always willing to dive into a new problem or case, understand it quickly, and view the issue from multiple perspectives, seeking the best, most efficient solutions that protect the company.
‘It is a firm with deep experience in environmental and mining issues; the quality of their opinions have resulted in our using them as a reference and validation of other experts' opinions.
‘My direct work with Paulina Riquelme has been instrumental in solving and preventing problems related to environmental regulation. Paulina offers personalised and committed service, which makes her a benchmark for us.
‘Eelaw is a solid firm with extensive experience and a strong commitment to cross-sector work, always seeking to ensure high standards of environmental protection. They are a well-prepared, agile, collaborative team that is highly responsive to deadlines and assigned tasks.
‘Paulina is an excellent lawyer who builds and strengthens the teams she joins.
‘For me, it is the firm with the deepest knowledge of environmental law. Very willing to delve into every detail of the case, while also understanding its most strategic elements.'
Key clients
- Mainstream Renewable Power
- Sociedad Nacional de Minería
- Haldeman Mining Company (HMC) / Minera HMC
- Grupo Minero Las Cenizas
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Compañía Minera del Pacífico
- Cerro Negro Mining Company
- KDM
- Minera Tres Valles
- Confederación de Producción y Comercio (CPC)
- CEMIN Holding Minero
- Gold Fields
Work highlights
Handled the filing a request with the Office of “Contraloría General de la República” on behalf of a mining company, so as to review the resolutions of “Dirección General de Aguas” (DGA) regarding the compny's water resources, obtaining a favourable opinion that requires the DGA to limit its actions to the scope of its competence and modify the challenged determinations.
Paulina Riquelme is participating (as a member of the Chilean Delegation) in the meetings of the Intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment; she has actively participated in these negotiations since INC.1.
Currently assisting Chile-based innovation and technology company, CEIBO, with the creation and implementation of a permitting strategy to facilitate the execution of its pilot projects.
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Practice head
Paulina Riquelme