Palma

Managing Partners: Juan Eduardo Palma C. / Paz Palma C.
Senior Partner: Juan Eduardo Palma J
Number of partners: 6
Number of other lawyers: 12
Languages: Spanish, English, German

Firm Overview:
Palma has a long heritage and a tradition dating back to 1819 when distinguished jurist José Gabriel Palma Villanueva began his career. Mr Palma participated actively in matters of public interest as a judge, president of the Supreme Court, and as a deputy in Congress. Today, successive generations of lawyers have maintained his legacy uninterrupted.

With this heritage, the team of Palma, led by its partners, is evolving and adapting to new realities. At the beginning of the 21st Century, the firm is known not only for important business and international transactions but also for professional landmarks and solving sophisticated legal challenges.

The firm is proud to have an excellent professional team, all of whom have studied at the most prestigious Chilean universities, and most with postgraduate studies from important universities in the United States of America, Europe and Chile, including professional work in well known law firms and industries in the United States and Europe.

This experience and knowledge is also employed in academic work, teaching at Chilean universities where a significant number of the firm’s lawyers contribute to the education of new generations of attorneys. Palma today provides its services through a well trained professional team; ranked as a leading, full-service firm, offering rapid responses and complete availability.

Main Areas of Practice: 

Banking & Finance:
The firm maintains a strong financial practice, often representing banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions in complex transactions. These include matters as far reaching as syndicated loans, project and structured finance, debt issuance, real estate financing, and debt restructuring. Moreover, the lawyers at Palma have experience representing both the lender and debtor’s side of such transactions.

Bankruptcy/Restructuring:
The firm has great experience all that involves bankruptcy and restructuring, since the negotiation of restructuring debts to the final process of liquidation of the company, having experienced lawyers on the matters that have been on charge of the area at the most important banks of Chile.

Compliance:
The firm advises companies in the construction of solid compliance programs, as well as providing the service of external audits for the correct implementation for those programs and the corresponding training for their members.

Construction:
The firm advises major construction companies that transact with both private and public organisations. Lawyers also advise public concessions, infrastructure projects and real estate companies requiring construction-related services.

Corporate & M&A:
The firm’s clients include many of the most sophisticated players in the Chilean market. It has previously provided counsel on several large mergers, with the most recent in the retail, telecommunications, mining industries and utilities.

Family Assets:
The firm’s office has extensive experience advising households on how to manage their assets.

Investment & Mutual Funds:
The firm has great experience in the creation and representation of investment and mutual funds, both public and private, advising its clients in all matters relating to the day to day issues.

Labour:
The firm has vast experience in labour matters. It provides clients with comprehensive advice on a variety of subjects, including: the collective bargaining process as it relates to labour unions, trade unions, or group negotiations, and conflict resolution before the Chilean labour authority. Moreover, it offers complete services on legal matters relating to administrative authorities as well as the development, drafting and amendment of employment contracts, corporate bylaws, internal policies and office manuals, in addition to all other documents necessary to comply with the law.

Litigation:
The firm represents clients in civil litigation, and all commercial, administrative and labour matters.

Real Estate:
The firm advises clients on the acquisition, development, construction, and sale of various building projects concerning first and second homes throughout Chile. It also provides advice on the acquisition, leasing, and sale of property for industrial use and administration of real estate of all kinds.

Tax:
The firm has extensive experience advising clients on all tax matters related to commercial transactions, incorporations, and corporate restructurings. In addition, it provides services to individuals on general tax issues ranging from simple analysis to comprehensive estate planning.

International Work:
The firm has a broad experience in cross border transactions advising international clients interested in doing business in Chile and clients with offshore interests and Chilean clients in doing business outside of Chile. The firm has recently advised on operations involving bond issuance, infrastructure projects, mergers and acquisitions, project finance and others..