Find Lawyers in Chile for Natural Resources Law
Practice Area Overview
The natural resources practice area focuses on the use and management of natural resources. Generally the use of resources such as minerals or water requires a title, in the form of a concession granted by the national government. Therefore, on the one hand, the practice concerns with the application process for the granting of a concession for the use of natural resources. A strong practice must include assessment of environmental aspects of the project, to determine whether environmental permits or other administrative permits are applicable.
Similarly, the practice area comprises litigation pertaining water and mining concessions, and related environmental permits, both before the general court (usually in cases of opposition to the granting of the concession or motions for its annulment) or the special environmental court (in cases related to applicable environmental permits).
Additionally, the exercise of these concessions requires access to surface land. Thus, natural resources lawyers must provide advice on land use issues which may arise when the owner of the surface land is a different person or entity. Chilean legislation provides easements which may be imposed on the land owner, in favor of the concession holder. Although the strength of these easements remained uncontested for quite some time, recent rulings that limit their breadth pose new challenges for developers. Access becomes particularly relevant when surface land falls under some category of protection that stems from environmental or cultural attributes, and especially if it belongs to indigenous communities.
Furthermore, natural resources practice areas are preparing to anticipate changes related to two bills currently being discussed in congress. The first is a major amendment to the water code that could have particular influence on mining. The second is the introduction of a law designed to safeguard glaciers, which would prohibit certain activities that could have an impact on these water reservoirs.
LLB, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Law School. LLM in Minning Law by Universidad Gabriela Mistral, Environmental Law Diploma by University of Chile. Partner at VGC since 2012. Previously, associate at Vergara y Cia. Professor of Mining and Natural Resources Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Law School, Professor and Director of the Master in Mining and Water at the same University. Head of the energy and natural resources department, provides advice ...
Partner of Carey and co-head of the firm’s Energy Group. His practice focuses on energy regulatory matters, development of energy projects of a diverse nature, such as generator plants, transmission facilities, infrastructure works and green hydrogen projects, including contracts for the supply of electricity, liquid fuels, natural gas, NCRE accreditations, use of transmission systems, gas transportation, engineering and construction of energy infrastructure, assets, land use, permits, ...
Partner of Carey and co-head of the firm’s Natural Resources and Environmental Group. His professional practice is focused on water law, natural resources transactions and litigation, agribusiness, corporate law and commercial law. Additionally, he leads the Carey’s China Desk. For more information, please visit: https://www.carey.cl/en/resume/alberto-cardemil/
Gonzalo Cubillos is a lawyer who graduated from the Universidad de Chile. Before founding CS Abogados, he partnered with Cubillos Evans, Cubillos Molina and Barros & Errazuriz. Previously, he was Executive Secretary of the Corporación Centro de Estudios y Gestión Ambiental para el Desarrollo (CEGADES), Deputy Director of the National Environmental Commission (CONAMA) and Consultant of the Environment and Human Settlements Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America...
Paola is the head and Partner of the Environment and Natural Resources department of Ossandón Abogados. She focuses her practice on providing environmental consultancy on matters relating to administrative requests and defences before public and judicial authorities, environmental auditing reports, residual waste management, infraestructure, energy and water, among others. Previously, she worked as environmental advisor for the Mayor of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, advising the...
Partner of Carey and co-head of the firm’s Energy Group. His practice area is focused on energy regulatory matters and various types of energy projects, including contracts for electricity, liquid fuels, natural gas, NCRE accreditations, electric transmission, gas transportation, engineering and construction of infrastructure projects, property and land use permits, environmental matters and litigation related to regulatory matters of the energy industry, and civil law. For more informa...
University Studies Universidad de Chile, School of Law, 1973. Montenegro Prize for the best graduate of his year, 1973. James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States of America, 1968-1969. Admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Justice, 1975. Academic and Professional Activities Professor in Commercial Law, School of Law, Universidad de Chile, 1974. Author of Chilean and foreign publications. “Considerations about the principle of administrative legality&rd...
Paulina has more than 20 years of experience in the practice of environmental law. Along her career she has consolidated an extensive and recognized professional practice in a wide range of environmental law matters, including advice on investment projects regarding the environmental impact assessment system (SEIA), preventive environmental compliance strategies. defense in litigation and sanctioning administrative procedures, waste regulation, remediation of contaminated sites, corporate env...
LLB, Universidad de Chile Law School. Specialization Program “Environmental Policy Development and Implementation”, organized by the Environmental Law Institute, Washington, DC, United States. Senior Partner at Vergara Galindo Correa Abogados. Previously, partner of Urrutia & Cía; Head of the Legal Office National Environmental Commission, Director of National Environmental Commission of Metropolitan Region and Secretary of Decontamination Commission of Metropolitan Reg...
Partner of Carey and co-head of the firm's Natural Resources and Environment Group. His practice focuses on natural resources, mining, water rights, energy, environment, ESG, surface lands, project financing, and corporate and commercial law. For more information, please visit: https://www.carey.cl/en/resume/rafael-vergara/
Hipólito Zañartu has extensive experience advising clients in the natural resources and environmental sector, in terms of project management and constitution, as well as in the litigation of these matters. As a specialist in mining, water, energy and administrative issues, Mr. Zañartu has prepared numerous mining and water law legal reports, for both private and public institutions, among others. Prior to joining SLBZ, he worked for almost twenty years as a lawyer, prosec...
Director of the firm's Environmental and Regulatory Law Department and member of the firm's Urban Law and Strategic Project Development Department. His practice focuses on advising clients in the desingning of real estate, infraestructure and productive projects, assuming their representation in case there is a dispute related to environmental and regulatory matters. Education Law, P. Universidad Católica de Chile (summa cum laude). Post Graduated Diploma 'Water's Management and Regula...
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