At a key moment for the Chilean economy, marked by the need to reactivate investment, simplify the regulatory system and move forward in unlocking strategic projects, the law firm Chirgwin announced the launch of its National Projects area.
The new area constitutes an integrated practice that brings together the Energy, Mining, and Natural Resources sectors from a comprehensive and pro-business perspective. This decision reflects a clear strategic commitment: Chirgwin is committed to Chile, its development, the ongoing changes, and the improvements necessary to enable projects that will be key to the country’s growth in the coming years.
The launch of this new area comes at a time when projects have reached a turning point in terms of regulatory, environmental, and territorial complexity, institutional requirements, legal uncertainty, and public scrutiny. Faced with this scenario, Chirgwin has chosen to strengthen a specialized practice that allows it to support significant projects by combining legal knowledge, sectoral understanding, and practical experience in complex projects.
Chirgwin explains that the creation of the National Projects area is due to a proactive initiative for the changes and improvements that the country needs to move forward: improvement of environmental and sectoral evaluation processes, greater institutional coordination, legal certainty for investment and an approach that allows to reconcile productive development, sustainability and regulatory requirements.
A team designed for complex projects
The central pillar of this new practice is its team, made up of specialists with highly recognized track records in sectors critical to the development of projects in Chile.
Mike Hantke, a lawyer with over 25 years of experience in water, environmental, and natural resource law, served as a full-time minister and president of the Third Environmental Court of Valdivia. He is currently an associate professor of environmental and procedural law at the School of Law and Social Sciences of Universidad San Sebastián. His career—which combines professional practice, judicial experience, and a strong academic and international background—is particularly relevant in a context where water, land, and sustainability have become key factors in project viability.
Francisco Valle has extensive experience in metallic and non-metallic mining projects, sector regulations, negotiations, and dispute resolution before ordinary and arbitration courts in mining, water, and environmental matters. Throughout his career, Francisco has represented clients in administrative proceedings and in dispute resolution and litigation before ordinary and arbitration courts in mining, water, and environmental matters.
Mónica Ortega, a specialist in environmental and regulatory law with a focus on water law, energy, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills, has advised companies and public agencies. Mónica currently brings an academic and international dimension to the field as an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Projects in this area will be led by the specialist best suited to the client’s specific legal nature and challenges, with expert assistance from other team members. The combination of these profiles, along with the support of other specialists and collaborators from the firm’s corporate law and litigation teams, allows Chirgwin to integrate regulatory, permitting, land, water, energy, mining, and core legal services into a single practice, offering comprehensive advice for projects of high technical, legal, and strategic complexity.
Focus on effective implementation and support
With this launch, Chirgwin reaffirms its position as a legal partner for strategic projects, aligning its structure and capabilities with the real implementation challenges facing the country. The new area reflects a firm conviction: that regulatory changes and improvements must translate into viable, executable, and sustainable projects capable of driving long-term economic and productive development.
