Javier Vergara Fisher

Environment.

Litigation.

Public Law.

Natural Resources Law.

Partner at Vergara Galindo Correa (VGC Abogados). Javier Vergara is a founding partner of VGC Abogados, with a practice focused on environmental law, regulatory compliance, environmental policy, public law, litigation, and natural resources matters. He is widely recognized as one of Chile’s leading environmental law practitioners, combining senior private-sector advisory experience with a substantial public-sector background in the development and implementation of Chile’s environmental institutional framework.

His professional profile is particularly strong in complex environmental permitting, environmental impact assessment, environmental compliance, risk management, environmental disputes, and strategic advice to clients in regulated industries. He has advised domestic and foreign companies across sectors including mining, agroindustry, forestry, cement, energy, sanitation, ports, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Javier’s background is distinctive because he participated in the public-sector development of Chilean environmental policy and regulation before entering private practice, including roles at the Special Decontamination Commission for the Metropolitan Region and the National Environmental Commission, known as CONAMA. This experience has positioned him to advise clients at the intersection of environmental regulation, business strategy, public policy, and administrative decision-making

He has served as founding partner of Vergara Galindo Correa Abogados (VGC Abogados), Chile’s first law firm dedicated exclusively to environmental and natural resources matters, which was founded in 2005 and has developed into a leading environmental law firm in Chile.

Before founding VGC Abogados, Javier worked at Urrutia & Cía, first as an associate lawyer from 1998 to 2000 and then as partner from 2000 to 2005.

In the public sector, Javier held senior roles in Chile’s environmental administration, including Head of the Legal Department of CONAMA from 1996 to 1998, Regional Director of CONAMA for the Metropolitan Region from 1995 to 1996, Executive Secretary of the Special Decontamination Commission for the Metropolitan Region from 1994 to 1995, and lawyer at that Commission from 1991 to 1994.

Earlier in his career, Javier worked at the law firm Figueroa, Coddou y Correa, where he served first as legal clerk and later as lawyer.

His professional experience includes participation in the formation of Chile’s Environmental Impact Assessment System, involvement in the drafting of relevant regulations, and work on major debated projects such as Gas Andes and Trillium. He also participated in the discussion of the draft Environmental Framework Law, in the development of emissions standards, environmental quality standards, and decontamination plans, and in legislative harmonization efforts related to the Chile–Canada Environmental Cooperation Agreement.

Javier has been a Professor of Environmental Law at the Universidad de Chile Law School since 1994. His academic experience also includes serving as guest professor in the Master’s Program in Environmental Law at the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, La Rábida, Spain, where he taught Chilean environmental legislation in a comparative law module. Earlier in his academic career, he taught Introduction to Private Law at the Universidad de Chile and served as teaching assistant in Civil Law at the same university.

ICARE’s Legal Circle.

Chilean Bar Association

Chilean Association of Environmental Law, ACHIDAM.

International Bar Association.

“Instrumentos de Políticas para el Control Ambiental,” co-authored with Ricardo Katz Bianchi and published in Bases para una Ley General del Medio Ambiente by CIPMA in 1992.

“Responsabilidad Civil, Responsabilidad por daño ambiental” with María de los Ángeles Pérez, published in Bases para una Ley General del Medio Ambiente by CIPMA in 1992.

“La responsabilidad en el Proyecto de Ley de Base del Medio Ambiente,” published in Revista Derecho y Humanidades of the Universidad de Chile Law School in 1992.

“Gestión Ambiental Municipal,” in the chapter “Manejo de Residuos Sólidos e Industriales,” published by Fundación Ebert in 1995.

“El Futuro del Derecho Ambiental,” published in Derecho del Medio Ambiente. Congreso Internacional by Editorial Jurídica Cono Sur in 1997.

“Criterios a tener en cuenta para la discusión una política y una institucionalidad ambiental en Chile” in Documentos en Foco by Expansiva in 2006.

Barrick

Minera Los Pelambres

AngloAmerican

Agrosuper

Cementos Melón

Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado

CODELCO

Hidronor

MAE Holding

EPSA

Mostos del Pacífico

ESMAX.

Javier has been ranked by Chambers and Partners Latin America 2026 as Band 1 in Environment and has been ranked for 16 years. Chambers describes him as a pre-eminent partner and a go-to lawyer in Chile for complex environmental matters with a contentious component, particularly for mining-sector clients in judicial claims and project-related negotiations.

Chambers market commentary describes him as a renowned practitioner who stands out for technical capacity, response time, and holistic vision, and as one of Chile’s most experienced environmental lawyers in both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Best Lawyers lists Javier Vergara as recognized since 2009 in Environmental Law, Litigation, and Natural Resources Law. Best Lawyers also records a “Lawyer of the Year” distinction for Javier Vergara in Environmental Law in 2019 and a “Lawyer of the Year” distinction in Natural Resources.

The Legal 500 recognizes Javier Vergara in the category Hall of Fame since 2022.

Universidad de Chile

Degree in Legal and Social Sciences

Environmental Law Institute, Washingyon DC

Environmental Policy Development and Implementation