/ Sustainable Investment, the new practice area of Alessandri

Led by Arturo Alessandri and with Alicia Undurraga, former Head of the International Department of the Ministry of Mining, as new hire:

Sustainable Investment, the new practice area of Alessandri

“Companies must work harder to produce the same, since conflicts should be foreseen.”

Santiago, December 2014. “The way to invest in Chile has changed”, says Arturo Alessandri categorically. The lawyer, an expert on foreign investment, explains that the incorporation of the concept of sustainable development in Chilean law, with new environmental institutions, the creation of the Ministry of Social Development, incorporation of local and indigenous communities through sectoral laws and with pending discussions such as the eventual incorporation of a social license or profit shares; caused the way to invest in our country to change.

“It is necessary to give competitive investment solutions to meet these standards, concerning the innovation of all stakeholders of the system and the establishment of new institutions with the purpose of creating legal certainties” says Arturo Alessandri.

A new practice area: Sustainable Investment

Alessandri was adapted to the changing times and developed a counseling with a modern interdisciplinary focus, with a sustainable development approach. It is included, in addition to the traditional vision of mining and energy rights, the analysis of regulatory compliance, due diligences, audits, assessment procedures, advisories on environmental liability, litigation, environmental financial products (carbon bonds) transactions, obtaining permits, issues related to the System of Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Commission and Environmental Courts, punitive procedures, advisories for compliance with project finance international standards, relationship and negotiation with communities, Indigenous Law and ILO Convention 169.

Work Group

The group is led by Arturo Alessandri and supported by Alicia Undurraga, the new hire of Alessandri who has broad experience in the public area. Felipe Cousiño, will be in charge of corporate issues and capital markets; Mariana Viera on administrative and energy law matters, José Miguel Cuadra on natural resources and, of course, the technical consulting company of the firm, Alessandri Energy and Environment, which is specifically engaged in power generation projects, with emphasis on renewables; energy power and carbon bonds projects. Moreover, it is engaged in auditing solar and water projects.

Who is the new senior associate?

Alicia Undurraga is a lawyer from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile with wide experience in mining, environment and energy areas. She studied at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and has a minor in Commercial Law and additional studies of Business. Before joining Alessandri she worked as an environmental lawyer in Friosa, in charge of the relationship with authorities; environmental and sector permits; punitive administrative procedures; and trials.

During the government of Sebastián Piñera she took over a number of issues related to mining, natural resources and environment. As Head of the International Department of the Ministry of Mining, she was responsible of organizing and coordinating the International Agenda of the Minister of Mining and other ministerial authorities with foreign political authorities of equal rank and was in charge of the Foreign Investment Committee and the relationship between the authorities of the Ministry of Mining with foreign investors.

Then she served as executive secretary of the Mining Treaty between Chile and Argentina, as national responsible for the Management of the Treaty and its protocols.

Later she was Head of Indigenous Affairs of the Ministry of Mining, position in which she participated in the drafting of SEIA’s Regulations, in the socialization of the Regulations with the Mining Industry and indigenous communities. She collaborated in drafting the “Communities Handbook of the relationship between the extractive industry and indigenous communities” and in developing the study “Mining Companies and Indigenous Peoples in Chile: Best practices for building mutually beneficial relationships” (World Bank Convention) and acted on behalf of the Ministry of Mining in the “Consensus Table of Indigenous Inquiries for the Application of ILO 169”. She also participated in drafting and consultation of the “Regulations of the New Indigenous Consultation Rules” of the Ministry of Social Development.

Alicia is member of the Chilean Bar Association.

Alessandri: prestigious innovation

During 2013 Alessandri introduced a new corporate image, enhancing three key attributes: innovation, prestige and humanity. “The quality of our services has evolved over times and has been refined based on the new legal industry reality: customers value the closeness and personalized treatment, but they want to be advised by a prestigious lawyer”, explains Arturo Alessandri, managing partner.

Photo:
Arturo Alessandri C. and Alicia Undurraga P.

Press Contact Information: Paula Pérez A. – Director of Communications of Alessandri

+562 2787 6000 – pperez@alessandri.cl

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