LAVÍN Abogados & Consultores, a new Chilean boutique law firm
Lavin Abogados & Consultores is the new boutique law firm for maritime, renewable energy, maritime concession and natural resource matters. It is headed by partners Julio Lavin Valdes, Rodrigo Lavin de Tezanos Pinto, Andres Del Favero Braun and Roberto Sepulveda Olavarria. The team is rounded out by Ernesto Correa Elizalde, consulting attorney, Luis Fernando Maldonado Venegas and Fernando Araya Rodriguez, consultants, and associate attorneys Pedro Ortuzar Ortuzar, Gonzalo Lavin de Tezanos Pinto and Arturo Lavin de Tezanos Pinto.
The team is multidisciplinary, offering integral legal and accounting service in tax planning and management, equity and business restructuring and reorganization—for both business groups and family offices—and in the defense of taxpayers before government agencies or the courts.
The firm told LexLatin that Julio Lavin left Jara del Favero in 2017 when he decided to found this new boutique law firm with the other partners. The firm explained that it “was the result of Julio Lavin’s desire to continue practicing the profession with his children who are lawyers, in a way different from traditional structures, emphasizing personalized, integral service to clients.”
Its differentiating feature is “the provision of customized, quality legal and technical services for competitive prices as compared to other firms that have heavier cost structures.”
Julio Lavin said, in a press release, that what prevails in the firm is the need to “accompany the clients at all times, in the workplace and in the field, whether they need urgent help, permanent assistance or advice in making strategic decisions and taking recommended courses of action in their investment projects.”
He said that the firm has made “strategic alliances with law firms expert in civil, commercial and criminal dispute resolution; with technical and environmental consultants who assist in matters such as submissions to the Environmental Impact Assessment System and air emissions monitoring and modeling; and with electrical consultants specializing in energy studies in general, engineering solutions, connectivity and the processing of connection to power grids.”
Julio Lavín
Julio Lavin is a seasoned specialist who has practiced the profession for more than 42 years. He is a recognized expert in the environment, maritime and aquaculture concessions, sanitary services and administrative litigation.
He worked previously for Jara del Favero Abogados, Grasty Quintana Majlis y Cia., Bertelsen-Oelkers-Genskowsky-Lavin and the Chilean Navy.
Since 1976, he has taught at the Catholic University of Valparaiso, Catholic University of Chile, Los Andes University and University of Chile. He has also authored many articles and is co-author of a book on his area of expertise.
He graduated from the law school of the Catholic University of Valparaiso in Chile and earned a Master in Political Science from the University of Chile.
Rodrigo Lavín
Rodrigo Lavin has focused on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, financing, taxpayer defense, tax planning and management. He was a member of Jara del Favero Abogados through 2016 and in-house counsel to Monsanto Chile S.A.
He holds a law degree from Los Andes University and a Master in Tax Management and Administration from Adolfo Ibañez University.
Andres Del Favero
Andres Del Favero is a specialist in the environment, maritime and aquaculture concessions, mining, infrastructure and corporate affairs. He worked in the Legal Department of Anglo American, Barrick Gold Corporation and Carey & Allende. He was also in-house attorney for Jacobs Engineering Group, formerly Aker Solutions, and a member of Jara del Favero Abogados through 2010.
He earned his law degree from the Catholic University of Chile and a LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds a Business and Law Certificate from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.
Roberto Sepulveda
Roberto Sepulveda has specialized in energy, infrastructure, real estate, corporate affairs, mergers and acquisitions and financing. Before joining Lavin, he was a member of Carvallo, Bizarri & Garcia; Philippi, Prietocarrizosa, Ferrero DU & Uria; and was International Visiting Attorney at Stone & Pigman in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. He was also senior counsel for Transmisora Electrical del Norte S.A. and in-house lawyer for Sociedad GNL Mejillones S.A.
He graduated from the law school of the Catholic University of Chile and earned a Master of Laws in Energy & Environmental Law at Tulane University Law School.
Ernesto Correa Elizalde
Ernesto Correa Elizalde has more than 20 years of experience in mining, energy, water, the environment, petroleum and natural gas. He has practiced at Carvallo, Bizzarri & García; Ovalle & Correa Abogados; and Fontaine & Cía. He was International Visiting Attorney at Río Tinto Plc, in London; Senior Counsel for Enap Sipetrol S.A., and an attorney for Banco de Chile and Banco Santander-Chile.
He holds a law degree from Gabriela Mistral University and a Master of Laws in Mineral Law and Policy from the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) of Dundee Law School in Scotland.
Fernando Araya
Fernando Araya Rodriguez is an electrical engineer expert in energy, electrical engineering, and the laws, regulations and standards of the Chilean electricity sector, as well as unconventional renewable energy (URE). He was consultant to the National Energy Commission (CNE), transmission and connection director at Aaktei Energia SpA, chief executive officer of Enerbosch S.A., planning manager of the electrical system of Empresas EMEL, a subsidiary of PPL Global, and assistant manager of medium-voltage systems at Tecnored S.A., a subsidiary of Chilquinta Energia S.A.
He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile and a Master in Energy Economics from Federico Santa Maria Technical University.
Fernando Maldonado
Luis Fernando Maldonado Venegas is a certified public accountant expert in tax planning and management, taxpayer defense and IFRS auditing. He worked as the chief financial officer of Pacific Seaways S.A., and as chief accounting officer of Cecinas Winter S.A. and San Jorge S.A. He has also been an auditor and advisor to customs brokers, exporters, shipping companies and family offices.
He earned his certified public accountant degree from the School of Economic and Administrative Sciences of the University of Valparaiso, Chile, and he holds a Master in Tax Planning and Management from the School of Administration and Economics of the University of Santiago, Chile. He also holds international certification in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
