Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos

Managing Partner: Juan Pablo Matus

Number of partners: 29

Number of other lawyers: 84

Contacts

General Corporate & M&A: Sergio Díez, Carlos Pérez-Cotapos, Juan Pablo Matus, Cristián Herrera, Gerardo Varela, Gonzalo Grez, Andrea Saffie, Tomás Vidal, Nicolás Lustig, Francisco Javier Illanes, José Luis Letelier.

Mining, Natural Resources: Carlos Pérez-Cotapos, Gonzalo Grez.

Environmental: Gonzalo Jiménez, Martin Astorga.

Banking, Finance & Capital Markets: Rodrigo Sepúlveda, Juan Antonio Parodi, Francisco Javier Illanes.

Tax: Javier Cerón

Employment: Ignacia López, Bárbara Zlatar, Ricardo Tisi.

Litigation & Arbitration: Florencio Bernales, Fernando Urrutia, Raimundo Moreno, Jorge Boldt.

Energy, Oil & Gas, Public Utilities: Sergio Díez, Gonzalo Jiménez.

Media & Telecommunications: Francisco Javier Illanes, Rodrigo Lavados.

Privacy: Rodrigo Lavados.

Antitrust & Competition: Juan Cristóbal Gumucio.

Real Estate & Urban Development: Juan Pablo Matus, Tomás Vidal.

Maritime, Fisheries & Aquaculture: Sergio Díez.

Intellectual Property: Juan Pablo Egaña, Eduardo Lobos, Cristián Barros, Pablo Cariola.

Firm Overview:

Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos is one of the leading and largest business law firms in Chile with more than 100 attorneys. The firm offers high quality legal services to its clients and provides advice in all relevant legal areas for doing business in Chile.

With regard to intellectual property, the firm provides these services through its sister firm Sargent & Krahn, which is the largest and leading firm offering legal services in this field in Chile, including: trademarks; patents, utility models and industrial designs; pharmaceutical law; copyrights; information technology; domain names; contracts; unfair competition and consumer protection; litigation; geographical indications; designations of origin and plant breeder’s rights.

Main Areas of Practice:

General Corporate:

The firm advises on all areas of corporate and commercial law, including incorporation of companies, structuring and restructuring investment vehicles, privatisations, joint ventures, foreign investment, advice on compliance, day to day corporate matters and all type of agreements.

M&A:

The firm is recognised as a leader in structuring and resolving corporate, tax, finance, litigation, antitrust, environmental, regulatory and employment issues included in M&A transactions and IPO. It advises on the preparation of acquisition strategies and purchase offers, public and private tender offers, analysis of contingencies, precontractual documents, negotiation and drafting of contracts, shareholder agreements, approvals and structuring transaction financings and guarantees.

Mining, Natural Resources & Environmental:

The firm has vast experience representing international clients in mining, water and natural resources, utilities, forestry, aquaculture, fishing, and has advised foreign companies involved in exploration, prospecting and operation activities, acquisition of mining projects, project finance, environmental studies, permits, joint venture agreements and mining exploitation agreements.

Banking, Finance & Capital Markets:

The firm advises banks and financial institutions as well as borrowers on financial laws and regulations in Chile, and assists in the preparation and execution of term sheets, syndicated loan agreements, securitisation, project financing in infrastructure, mining, gas, power projects, IPO, bonds, underwriting, private placements, structured finance transactions, trade finance and other financial transactions. It has represented investment banks and issuers in equity and debt placements in Chile and abroad.

Tax:

The firm represents local and foreign clients (corporations and individuals) on a range of tax issues including corporate and personal income tax, including taxes affecting compensation plans for executives and directors, sales tax or VAT, stamp tax and real estate tax. It also advises on domestic and cross-border transactions, including capital market and financial operations, project finance and tax-efficient structures for inheritance tax and family owned businesses. The firm also represents clients in claims assessed by tax authorities, including transfer pricing audits.

Employment:

The firm provides advice on all labour and employment matters including issues arising from individual labour relationships, labour issues related to restructuring of companies, social security programs, collective bargaining, compensation packages structuring, stock option programs, subcontracting of services, trainee to HR Managers, preventive labour audits, among others. It also assists expatriates to obtain adequate visas to work and live in Chile.

Litigation & Arbitration:

The litigation team has extensive experience representing domestic and foreign clients in complex civil, commercial, insolvency, insurance, labour, regulatory and antitrust cases. It also handles domestic and international arbitration in ad-hoc and institutional proceedings.

Energy, Oil & Gas, Public Utilities:

The firm represents foreign and domestic corporations within energy, oil and gas projects as well as in the water sector; non connected renewable energy, solar and wind power, structuring joint ventures in the construction stage of projects, management agreements and privatisation of state-owned power plants and utilities as well as their day to day legal issues.

Media & Telecommunications:

The firm assists foreign telecom companies investing in local companies, and in structuring joint ventures. It advises several companies in acquiring or selling important interests in domestic telecoms as well as the purchase of important assets and companies.

Antitrust & Competition:

The firm advises local and foreign clients in all areas of competition law and unfair competition. It also deals with many relevant cases before the competent administrative authorities and courts.

Real Estate & Urban Development:

The firm has played an active role assisting local and international clients in all areas of real estate law such as purchases, leases, mortgages, easement of all types, living trusts, residential and industrial condominiums, exercise of eminent domain, expropriations and permits and zoning regulations.