/ Alessandri moves up two bands in Corporate and M&A in Legal 500 2027

1. Corporate and M&A: Mid-Market – Band 2

The experienced, 12-strong practice at Alessandri advises local companies, multinationals and private equity firms on acquisition and sale transactions. With expertise in handling the negotiation of share and asset purchase agreements, as well as shareholder and transitional services contracts, the group typically undertakes cross-border business deals, joint ventures and reorganisations. Its offering also takes in legal, tax and environmental due diligence work. Fernando Jamarne, Felipe Cousiño and younger partner José Antonio Cuadra co-lead the practice. Jamarne advises on commercial transactions, cross-border matters and corporate M&A; Cousiño, who also leads the firm’s insurance, capital markets, mutual funds and investment funds groups, has vast experience in international transactions, antitrust law and financial market regulations; and Cuadra’s practice encompasses foreign investment, M&A and corporate finance, including transactions involving financial institutions and multilateral entities. At associate level, seniors Hans Kokott (contractual, civil, commercial and real estate matters), Vicente Guíñez (M&A, banking, financial, regulatory and corporate law) and Francisca Donoso (corporate law and capital markets) are the names to note.

2. Data Privacy – Band 2

Next Generation Partner: Carla Illanes
Leading Associate: Jaime Urzúa

Alessandri’s nine-strong technology, cybersecurity and data privacy team handles regulatory compliance assessments, gap identification and remediation plans, along with the drafting and implementation of privacy policies. It also covers reviewing and adjusting labour-related data processing, and determining the legal framework for data governance. Other key areas include data processing agreements, cross-border data flow regulation, AI-related governance and general risk management. The practice is co-led by data protection, cybersecurity, IT, technology procurement and AI specialist Carla Illanes, a former DLA Piper Chile counsel and October 2025 recruit as partner; and Rodrigo Velasco A, who regularly leads cross-border matters involving digital platforms, software, audiovisual production, licensing and copyright enforcement. In the associate team, Jaime Urzúa assists with implementing personal data protection and cybersecurity programmes in the financial, insurance, health, retail and technology sectors; while Cristina Valenzuela’s workload includes drafting privacy and cookie policies, reviewing contracts with data processors, conducting risk assessments and managing security incidents. Fellow associates Elisa Matta, also a recent hire from DLA, and Sebastián Díaz-Muñoz complete the group. In October 2025, former practice head Macarena Gatica and associate Ignacia Ormeño both departed the firm.

3. Intellectual Property – Band 2

Leading Partner: Rodrigo Velasco Alessandri
Leading Associates: Carla Pacheco, Laura Hernández Bethermyt, Hernán Torres

The 12-strong IP practice at Alessandri ‘consistently impresses with its speed in responding to and analysing each case’. Integrating IP expertise with corporate law, tax, labour, contractual, regulatory and litigation specialisms, the multidisciplinary group comprises patent engineers, chemists and biotechnologists in addition to lawyers. Acting for clients from the food and beverage, consumer goods, agribusiness, viticulture, retail, entertainment, technology, life sciences, biotechnology and engineering-driven sectors, the practice routinely advises on large trade mark portfolios, patent drafting and prosecution, freedom-to-operate analyses and prior-art searches. It additionally covers IP litigation, licensing and enforcement actions. Music industry specialist Rodrigo Velasco A is managing partner of the firm’s technology and IP practices; while Santiago Ortúzar focuses on the design of strategies for the global protection and licensing of the innovations and patents of Chilean companies, universities and inventors. At director level, Carla Pacheco’s IP workload encompasses portfolio management, advertising, litigation and unfair competition; while senior associates Laura Hernández Bethermyt and Hernán Torres also advise on IP mandates.

4. Life Sciences – Band 3

Leveraging its IP credentials, Alessandri’s life sciences department includes Andean legislation experts, as well as engineers, chemists, biotechnologists and designers. In addition to specialising in processing applications, the team covers freedom-to-operate matters, prior art studies and drafting invention patents. Intellectual and industrial property practice head Santiago Ortúzar focuses on protecting innovation and patents, along with contracts and free competition cases. Associates Francesca Bozzo and Matías Hermosilla complete the group.

5. TMT – Band 3

Alessandri’s TMT practice benefits from the ability to work alongside the firm’s IP, corporate, financial, tax and labour departments. The practice, which is led by music industry specialist Rodrigo Velasco, assists banks and financial institutions, as well as software, technology, entertainment and insurance companies, with managing information security and cybersecurity risks. In late 2025, Carla Illanes, who focuses on data protection, cybersecurity, IT, technology procurement and AI, joined as partner from DLA Piper Chile; while former practice head Macarena Gatica and associate María Ignacia Ormeño departed the firm.

6. Banking and Finance – Band 4

With notable experience in structuring and negotiating loan agreements, Alessandri, which is ‘always striving to provide quick solutions to clients’ needs’, is active in the manufacturing, financial, retail and energy sectors. The team’s principal figures are financial transactions specialist Fernando Jamarne and José Antonio Cuadra, whose practice includes advising multilateral clients on domestic entities’ corporate loans. Associate Hans Kokott completes the group.

7. Dispute Resolution: Litigation – Band 5

In addition to IP and consumer law litigation, Alessandri’s seven-strong practice handles disputes involving contractual liability, torts, technology, environmental issues and healthcare, as well as conflicts concerning capital markets, insurance, construction, project development, antitrust and the automotive market. Raúl Montero litigates disputes involving contractual civil liability, construction issues, telecoms, unfair competition, and intellectual and industrial property; and Patricio Rámila is an expert in civil and commercial dispute resolution, along with domestic and international arbitration. The experience of director Luis Fuentes includes civil liability, unfair competition, environmental rights, industrial property and consumer law cases.

Texts based on editorial commentary published by Legal 500.