A Lawyer in Chile to Oversee Your Market Entry

If you are operating in the Chilean market or considering launching there, you are going to need to find a good corporate lawyer in Chile. 

Because while the South American country is known for its pro-business regime and starting a business in Chile is a relatively straightforward process, your attorney will be able to guide you through the process in the shortest possible time, while also guaranteeing that you remain in full compliance with local corporate law.

Your lawyer in Chile will therefore ensure that you can get to work quickly while maintaining your company in good standing with local authorities. 

An experienced corporate attorney in Chile will also be able to offer valuable advice on the likes of which entity type best suits your needs, as well as protecting your intellectual property (IP) — be that a brand, product, or trademark.

Should you be interested in additional corporate support, such as recruitment, visa processing, or accounting and tax filing in Chile, you may wish to seek out a provider of integrated back-office services, in order to only have to deal with one third party in the country.

In some cases, such a provider would be able to offer professional employer organization (PEO) services in Chile — essentially a service that entails hiring staff on your behalf. 

This can be attractive to investors launching a short-term or limited scale operation in the country that would rather avoid having to set up and subsequently liquidate a local entity. It can also be a stop-gap to allow investors to get to know the market better ahead of a potential deeper commitment via company or branch formation in Chile.  

If you are considering market entry and need a local corporate lawyer in Chile, read on to understand more about the market, as well some insight into what your attorney will be able to do for you and how to identify one that will be best able to meet your needs.

Or go ahead and contact us to discuss how we can support you doing business in Chile.

Chile: a prime destination for investment in Latin America 

Chile is the fifth-largest economy in Latin America — registering a gross domestic product (GDP) of $283.3 billion in 2019 (all figures in USD) — despite only being the seventh-largest by population. 

It is also one of the most prosperous nations in the region, registering a gross national income (GNI) of $15,010 per capita in 2019 to position it as a high-income nation by standards established by the World Bank.

Chile is known as a global beacon of free trade, and the country maintains an extensive network of free trade agreements (FTAs) with key markets around the globe. 

It is also a founding member of the Pacific Alliance — a ten-year-old economic integration initiative that also includes three more of the most popular markets for foreign investment in the region — Colombia, Mexico, and Peru — and has ambitions to expand beyond the region. 

Chile is known for its extractive industries, with copper and precious gems and metals among some of its largest exports. It also has sizable fishing and agricultural sectors, with fish and seafood, fruits and nuts, and wood also key export products.

Among its most significant trading partners are China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil.

Should you be interested in entering the mining industry, or any other specialist sector, when it comes to finding a lawyer in Chile, you will need to identify a law firm that can cater to those particular needs.

How your corporate lawyer in Chile will be able to assist you

Some of the ways in which your lawyer in Chile will be able to assist you include:

Decision-making: Your attorney in Chile will have extensive understanding of the corporate legal regime in the country and as such will be able to provide you with ongoing advice on key decisions and potential outcomes when you have different options available.

Risk management: Your lawyer in Chile will guarantee compliance with all corporate law regulations and norms, eliminating the risk of legal inconveniences or financial penalties.

IP protection: Your attorney in Chile will have the knowledge and experience to keep your intellectual property protected, guaranteeing that you will maintain your competitive edge in the market and avoid encroachment from competitors.

Local connections: A well-established lawyer in Chile will have strong connections in the local legal and business communities, which could provide opportunities to you or our company when getting established or after your have begun operations.

What to look for in a lawyer in Chile

When seeking out the services of an attorney in Chile, it will be worth keeping the following in mind: 

Specialist legal knowledge: If you are going to be entering certain sectors, such as the extractive industries or import/export, you will need a lawyer in Chile who has the relevant knowledge for that area. 

Technological know-how: For investors who will be doing business in Chile while based elsewhere, you are going to want to contract an attorney who uses online packages, platforms, and communication effectively, so that you can properly monitor their work.

Second language proficiency: While it will be essential for your lawyer in Chile to communicate effectively in Spanish, as that is the official language of the country, if you are not proficient in that language, you are going to need to secure the services of someone with a firm grasp of English. 

Past client feedback: When choosing your attorney in Chile, you will want to make sure that past customers have been satisfied with the service they have provided, and this can be done by checking feedback online. If you find that they have one or two negative comments, but are generally well regarded, you can be confident that they will provide a good service, however if you see they have numerous complaints and a bad overall rating, you probably want to consider somebody else.

Biz Latin Hub can provide legal services in Chile

At Biz Latin Hub, our bilingual team of legal services specialists in Chile is on hand to support you every step of the way while launching and operating in this prosperous market. We offer legal services as part of a comprehensive portfolio of corporate support solutions, including accounting & taxation, company formation, hiring & PEO, visa processing, and due diligence, meaning that we can provide you with an integrated package of services to cater to your particular needs.

We also have local teams in place around Latin America and the Caribbean, and offer our services in 18 other markets around the region, and are specialists at multi-jurisdiction market entries.

Contact us now to discuss how we can assist you.

Or read about our team and expert authors.