The full-service offering at DLA Piper Chile provides the Santiago office’s banking and finance practice with global leverage during high-end international finance transactions involving other jurisdictions. In addition to the team’s assistance to international conglomerates and companies with their traditional financing activities, the group is active in several fintech industry areas, such as payments, P2P lending, cryptocurrencies, and investment and personal finance. The Chile banking and finance practice is led by Mauricio Halpern, who advises banks, borrowers and sponsors on the structuring of credit facilities. In the senior associate ranks, Eduardo Araya focuses on financing and debt structuring, while Vicente Vergara (who returned from a year at the firm's New York offices in August 2023), advises borrowers on lending deals, structured products, and corporate and project financing.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Key clients

  • Blue Elephant Energy
  • Summit Ridge Capital Partners
  • SC Lowy Financial (HK)
  • Nordic Trustee
  • HSBC

Work highlights

  • Advised Blue Elephant Energy on the structuring, negotiation and formation of a joint venture with Chilean developer oEnergy for the acquisition of 20 photovoltaic plants.
  • Advised Summit Ridge Capital Partners (as lender) on a $20.1m credit agreement with Vecchiola.
  • Acted for a cohort of foreign bondholders (represented by Nordic Trustee as priority creditor), in relation to the judicial reorganisation of Nova Austral, a major Chilean salmon fishing company.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mauricio Halpern