Full-service firm Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos houses a practice group 44-strong (including 11 partners) that covers the full range of corporate and M&A work. The group’s representative expertise ranges from joint ventures and private equity / venture capital deals, to the acquisition of private and public companies, domestic and cross-border transactions, corporate mergers and spin-offs, and corporate restructurings. The firm fields multiple highly-rated partners, including: corporate law and contracts specialist Sergio Díez; Gerardo Varela, whose M&A track record includes energy, retail and aquaculture sector deals; Cristián Herrera, an adviser on corporate and transactional laws (as well as foreign investment and securities regulations); corporate, commercial, real estate and M&A expert, Juan Pablo Matus; and Carlos Pérez-Cotapos, who assists with corporate, natural resources and mining law matters. Senior partner Francisco J Illanes, José Luis Letelier and Gonzalo Grez are additional key practitioners, along with younger partner Andrea Saffie. The first line of advisors was further strengthened in July 2023 with the hire of Nicolás Lustig, who returns to private practice after more than 15 years in various in-house positions – most recently some eight years at BHP. Within the firm’s senior associate ranks, María Francisca Salas and Sergio Balharry both advise on M&A deals.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Great knowledge and advice.'
  • 'Solid experience.'
  • 'The team is made up of top-notch attorneys who are highly knowledgeable, highly trained, and have extensive experience to deliver their legal advice.'
  • 'The advantage of the Cariola team for us is that they have deep knowledge of the business that our company develops, so their advice is very complete and incorporates the commercial elements that are relevant to the projects.'

Key clients

  • Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Multiexport Foods
  • América Móvil (Claro Chile)
  • Fonterra
  • Prize
  • Ripley Inversiones II
  • Luz del Sur
  • New Hope/ECONEU
  • EPM
  • AI Capital Investment
  • Río King

Work highlights

  • Advised Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile on an integration agreement with Christus Chile and Red de Salud UC Christus Salud.
  • Advised Multiexport Foods on the sale of 24.5% of its shares in Salmones Multiexport to Cargill (USA), and the sale of an additional 1.13% to Mitsui (Japan).
  • Advised América Móvil (Claro Chile) on its joint venture with Liberty Latin America (VTR) to combine their respective operations in Chile on a 50/50 basis.

Lawyers

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Practice head

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Sergio Díez, Gerardo Varela, Cristián Herrera, Juan Pablo Matus, Carlos Pérez-Cotapos, Gonzalo Grez, Andrea Saffie