Morales & Besa

Morales & Besa was founded in 1992 by a group of outstanding professionals in the areas of corporate, financial and tax law, with the purpose of achieving the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and quality of service. Since then, we have been committed to building a first class firm and providing excellent service.

Our firm seeks, selects and integrates the best legal talent based on their personal merit and skills, to train them in its culture of excellence and teamwork. Many of our lawyers have postgraduate degrees from leading law schools in the U.S. or Europe and have completed internships in renowned foreign law firms.

Practice areas
Banking and Finance: Morales & Besa has a highly regarded and experienced banking & finance team.  We have participated in numerous highly complex financings in both local and international markets, including: foreign exchange transactions;, syndicated financings; club deals; and refinancing of existing debts.

We represent both creditors, whether banks or other financial institutions, and debtors, in all kinds of transactions, including: secured and unsecured financings; structured financings; acquisition financings; securitizations; restructurings and capitalizations.

Capital Markets: Morales & Besa are leaders in the area of capital markets. We have extensive experience in of the full spectrum of transactions, including: stock exchange openings;, secondary public offerings of shares;, capital increases; short and long-term debt issuances; restructurings; and, various types of financial and stock market operations, both locally and internationally.

Competition & Antitrust: Morales & Besa’s antitrust team has vast experience advising national and international clients.

Our advice extends to representation in merger approval proceedings before the National Economic Prosecutor’s Office (“Fiscalía Nacional Económica” or “FNE”), as well as to judicial representation before the Chilean Competition Tribunal and the Chilean Supreme Court. We also have extensive experience advising clients in investigations by the FNE, in regulatory compliance and antitrust compliance.

Corporate: At Morales & Besa we provide services to all types of national and international commercial entities, including open and closed corporations. We provide advice on corporate, financial, tax and regulatory matters. We know that every business is different, and we provide personalized and creative advice, which is valued by our clients and reflected in the long-standing relationships we have with corporates from various sectors.

Criminal Law: Morales & Besa provides legal advice to natural (individuals) and legal persons (corporates) regarding economic crimes, tax, environmental, cybercrime, money laundering, violation of anti-corruption laws and infringements of intellectual property laws. We provide support for clients both accused of committing a crime, or who have been victims of a criminal offense.

Energy: Through the advise and support we have provided our clients, our energy practice has had a fundamental role in the development of the energy sector in Chile. We have advised key players in the generation, transmission and distribution of energy, transportation and distribution of fuel, as well as financiers, investment funds, offtakers and regulatory entities.

Environmental: Our environmental law practice advises on the environmental regulation for all types of projects (mining, energy, sanitary, real estate, and infrastructure) at the different stages of their development.

Intellectual Property and Data Protection: At Morales & Besa, we specialize in the registration and protection of trademarks; registration and protection of copyrights on a wide range of assets; protection and revocation of internet domain names; and, in the registration and protection of invention patents.

Labor: At Morales & Besa, we provide our clients with the full range of services in labor and employment law, advising all types of employers, both in the public and private sector, including foreign employers.

Litigation, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution: Morales & Besa’s Litigation and Arbitration practice is central to what we do. We advice on  all categories of disputes and conflicts. Our team works in an integrated manner with all the other practice areas of the firm.

Merger & Acquisitions: Mergers & Acquisitions has been at the heart of our Firm since its inception. We advise a broad array of national and international clients. We help our clients analyze their options in depth by providing cutting-edge and innovative advice, always with a global perspective and a very clear business outlook, underpinned by our extensive and varied experience in this field.

Mining and Natural Resoures: In the mining industry, we advise both national and international companies, providing comprehensive advice on all mining-related matters. We accompany our clients on their journey, helping to establish strategies and plans for the acquisition, disposal and development of exploration and exploitation projects; processing of mining property and water rights; environmental assessment; obtaining permits and authorizations; preparation and negotiation of all kinds of contracts; capital venture; royalties; streaming agreements; project financing; due diligence; and, also providing continuous corporate, labor, tax, litigation and environmental advice at all stages of the development of such projects.

Projects and Infrastructure: Our project and infrastructure teams advises major concessionaire companies, banks and financial institutions, as well as the Republic of Chile on national public infrastructure projects, including matters related to the structure, management and implementation of public works concession contracts.

Public Law: Faced with the undeniable reality that the areas in which the State regulates the activities of individuals are growing, Morales & Besa increasingly advises clients on their relationship with State entities.

Our public law advice covers administrative law, state contracting, administrative claims, and regulatory processes. The advice we give seeks to prevent risks, or to achieve the resolution of disputes with the Administration.

Real Estate and Construction: Our real estate and construction team advises on complex and diverse real estate and infrastructure projects. It works closely with our other  practices, to provide our clients with comprehensive and in-depth advice on their real estate and construction matters. Our collaborative approach allows us to guide developers throughout the life of a project.

Restructuring & Insolvency: Our Reorganization and Insolvency practice has advised clients on some of the most emblematic proceedings of the recent past. We have participated in almost all cross-border insolvency proceedings with effects in our country.  We have experience representing both debtors and creditors in these proceedings, as well as in relevant local insolvency proceedings, mainly in insolvency reorganization.

Tax: At Morales & Besa we are experienced in the design of innovative tax solutions required by complex business structures, especially as a result of foreign investments and participation in the Chilean market.