Urzúa

URZÚA Abogados is a niche law firm specialized in projects, engineering and construction, mining, and their controversies-claims, litigation and arbitration.

What distinguishes URZÚA Abogados is that we are experienced and high-standard lawyers, who not only guide the work, but also think, perform and participate directly in its development. In other words, the lawyers who have the first meeting with the client, are the same professionals who will carry out the mission entrusted.

The hallmark of URZÚA Abogados is that we do not leave anything to chance and we accompany our clients until the moment when quality and good service demand it, always striving for a successful conclusion.

Practice areas

Projects, engineering and constructions and their disputes.

URZÚA Abogados has a projects, engineering and construction area focused on comprehensive project advice, from its preliminary studies (since pre-feasibility) and preparation of contractual documents (actively participating with the client in this critical stage), through its performance (contractual support during the execution of the project, key stage in its success) until its termination. Finally, we represent our clients in the various forms of dispute resolution which can occur during the course of construction projects, including change order negotiations, close out settlements, mediation, arbitration, litigation, and other forms of dispute resolution.

We have been part of various infrastructure projects that exceed US$5bn, in projects as diverse as mining, sewage treatment plants, shopping centers, transmission lines, wind farms, solar farms, substations, salmon processing centers, power plants, among others.

Our participation focuses on the most critical stages of the projects, such as the decision to terminate an engineering and/or construction contract, replace the contractor, submit or reject claims and, likewise, take action or avoid collection of the guarantees of the contract.

Especially, we get involved in the execution stage of the project, guiding our clients with creative solutions to improve their position before their counterpart.

Finally, we do not focus on a single market player, transversally advising owners (regulars and spots), construction and engineering contractors, on all types of contract models.

Litigation and arbitration - Project, engineering and construction disputes. Related to our projects, engineering and construction practice, we have experience in more than thirty industry litigation and arbitration, besides many others preliminary ruling claims. We have represented owners, builders and engineering companies in these processes, allowing us to have a cross-cutting understanding of how every actor think, acts and must exercise their rights.  This allows us to have the vision of “tomorrow’s day”, in order to define what is essential in the previous day, that is, when designing and executes a project, which leads us to have a more comprehensive and effective perspective on how contractual support to projects should be carried out.

Mining.

Mining entails many risks, but even greater opportunities. Our job is to anticipate risks and, through creative solutions, enable our clients to seize opportunities and expand their businesses.

We have led mining-related transactions for over US$22 billion in recent years, including joint ventures, strategic alliances, farms-in, engineering and construction contracts, and procurement agreements, with experience in mining across five continents. Additionally, we have led exploration ventures over 2+ million hectares of mining claims, representing both junior and major companies.

We know the mining industry from the inside. Working side by side with geologists, engineers, internal legal teams and senior executives of mining companies, we have been part of investment decision-making, risk analysis and strategy design. We know the way mining companies operate, what they care about and what they don’t, and we speak the same language as their executives.

Our lawyers have experience strategically advising junior and major mining companies in the different phases of the mining cycle, from initial exploration to the establishment of large-scale operations, including some of Chile’s most emblematic mining transactions. Furthermore, we regularly advise companies that provide services to the mining industry.

Our mining practice area covers the structuring and negotiation of all kinds of contracts necessary for both the acquisition and subsequent development of mining projects, including earn ins, joint ventures, and strategic alliances, as well as the regulatory and community aspects of mining projects.