Prieto Abogados

(The following information was supplied by the firm)

Overview

Prieto is a full-service, business-oriented law firm with consolidated prestige in handling complex matters. It is well known by its relevant foreign and local client base. The firm’s broadly experienced team of lawyers with international exposure provides legal services across a wide range of practice areas. Prieto has an active participation in energy, natural resources and public utilities, capital markets and taxation. The firm’s experience in insurance, M&A, securities, litigation and antitrust stands out.

Senior Partner: Patricio Prieto S
Managing Partner: Benjamín Grebe
Number of partners: 16
Number of other lawyers: 60

Main Areas of Expertise

Administrative
Prieto counsels domestic and international companies on public and administrative law aspects during due diligence processes or at litigation phases. The firm assists especially in matters concerning public procurement; public works and infrastructure concessions; public-private associations; public financing; urbanism; and in general regulated markets.

Antitrust
Prieto is highly regarded in this area, having participated in numerous investigations conducted by the FNE and cases before the TDLC, regarding concentration, vertical and horizontal integration, cartels and unfair competition in various industries. Prieto has developed antitrust compliance programmes and pre-emptive advice to clients.

Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
Prieto has developed a broad experience in these areas and is recognised for its strong team of lawyers involved in securities’ offerings, IPOs and project finance transactions involving high profile energy and infrastructure projects and financial and capital markets transactions, usually representing both local investment banks and issuers in several equity/debt offerings locally and abroad. Prieto has developed a strong practice in the formation and management of investment and private equity funds.

Corporate & Securities
Much of the firm’s work includes corporate finance, corporate governance, takeover bids, joint ventures, reorganisations and partnerships.

Energy & Natural Resources
Prieto counsels national and international players involved in the energy generation and transmission sectors. The firm has strong experience in advising developers and owners in traditional fossil-fuel energy projects and also in renewable energy projects, such as hydro, mini hydro, wind farms and photovoltaic plants. The firm’s involvement in this area varies from financing, development, implementation and related disputes in connection with said kinds of projects. It also serves as regular counsel to one of the biggest energy groups in the world which controls and operates the main energy generators of the North Interconnected Grid in Chile.

Environment
The environmental department has evidenced the relevance of permit validity and integrity regarding the acquisition of a company, in the context of transactions that involve productive entities. An accurate diagnosis has allowed clients to adequately negotiate the price of a sellable business unit or complex. Additionally, the design and implementation of defence strategies as a result of permit granting or facilities inspections are a mainstream service, reaching high delivery standards within the market.

Insolvency, Bankruptcy & Business Reorganisation
Prieto is one of the full service Chilean firms that have an active participation in bankruptcy procedures, representing debtors and creditors in the most relevant insolvency procedures in the country.

Insurance & Pension Funds
The insurance department has a solid base of local and international insurance companies and brokers, with an experienced group of specialists. Prieto has protracted experience in insurance claims and litigation insurance matters. The firm also represents private pension funds and health care providers.

Labour
This department advises clients in establishing incentive programs for executives and employees, in collective bargaining procedures and in the restructuring of companies. The labour team represents an increasing number of companies in labour planning, in collective bargaining and in litigation as well.

Litigation & Arbitration
Prieto regularly represents clients on relevant disputes related to energy, construction, real estate, retail, insurance, securities and transportation, before both ordinary courts and international and domestic arbitrators. In addition, its partners act as arbitrators in various proceedings relating to investment, construction and energy.

M&A
Prieto has a seasoned team with extended experience in multinational, cross-border and domestic M&A transactions and due diligence work, representing buyers, sellers and investment banks, in all type of industries, such as energy and natural resources, oil and gas, telecommunication, finance, retail, shipping, transportation, pension funds, forestry, food industry, department stores and supermarket chains, infrastructure, information technology, pharmacies, among others.

Public Utilities
Prieto has extensive experience in gas, power, water and telecommunication services. It has advised in matters related to the construction and financing of gas works, including cross-border pipelines and GTAs. Prieto has represented some blue chip companies in the country in the power generations, transmission and distribution areas. The firm has participated in the acquisitions and financing of combined-cycle power plants and in the privatisation and acquisitions of the main water utilities in the country.

Real Estate, Construction & Infrastructure
Prieto provides a comprehensive advice on legal matters in the real estate area, from due diligence, financing, purchases, leases and mortgages to planning, development and construction of housing and commercial projects. Legal advice also includes real estate trusts, local permits, and all type of regulatory, tax and environmental issues.

Tax
The tax department at Prieto advises clients in respect of all tax issues, particularly in the structuring of diverse and complex transactions. The team advises local and foreign companies, business groups and individuals in their tax planning. Also the team has broad experience in tax and custom litigation whether at the administrative level as well as before Chilean tribunals an courts.

Languages
Spanish, English, French.