CRISTIÁN URZÚA

Partner

+56994333848 / +56224709721

curzua@urzuaabogados.com

Cristián Urzúas practice focuses on projects, construction and engineering law, including its disputes (claims, litigation and arbitration, in all the stages of a project, including its operation).

He advises owners and contractors in infrastructure projects, engineering and construction, from the idea of ​​developing a project through the preparation of contracts, their execution, materialization and claims, even up to their litigation, arbitration or liquidation.

Cristián was director of the ​​Arbitration and Litigation Group and engineering and construction specialist, at Carey & Allende– currently CMS Carey & Allende, Santiago (2015-2016); and senior associate (2009-2015); associate of the arbitration and litigation firm, Ortúzar, Águila & Concha -today Ortúzar Vergara & Boetsch, Santiago (2006-2008); and associate of the Arbitration and Litigation Group at Álvarez, Hinzpeter & Jana -now Bofill Mir & Álvarez Jana-, Santiago (2006-2008).

The best quality of Cristián Urzúa is his 24/7 availability, excellent treatment of clients, honesty and efficiency. He has knowledge and creativity that are very difficult to find in the Chilean market. He is extremely hard-working and diligent, and very committed to his clients. In my opinion, he is the best projects lawyer in Chile.

Cristián Urzúa has outstanding knowledge of our business and the practice of arbitration. He has been involved in several complex cases regarding all kinds of construction law issues.

What makes this practice unique is having the experience to interpret correctly different scenarios and know how properly to assess and weigh the different risks without raising transaction costs.

Legal 500

  Representative experience

  • A mining company with global presence, in the contractual support of the construction of an expansion of mining infrastructure that required the performance of five packages of contracts, in various modalities, for USD 2,000 million.
  • A construction company of power transmission lines, in the contractual support of the construction of one of the most important power transmission lines of the decade, for USD 250 million.
  • An engineering company with global presence, in a domestic arbitration for USD 7 million, in a conflict related to impacts on term, costs and scope of the work, obtaining one of the few judgements that awarded a complaint against an arbitrator ex aequo et bono, in the last 15 years in Chile.
  • A photovoltaic solar energy company, in a domestic arbitration for USD 8 million, in a dispute in connection with impacts on term, costs and scope of the work, obtaining a favorable ruling, despite the fact that the award issued by the first arbitrator was challenged before the Santiago Court of Appeal.
  • A business group dedicated to operate public services, in a dozens of litigations and arbitrations against its former partner, for USD 20 million.
  • An engineering company with global presence, in the determination of its environmental contingencies and in the early preparation of its environmental defense, in a project of USD 1,000 million, for contingencies amounted to USD 40 million.

Acknowledgements

  • Up and Coming, Chambers and Partners, in Projects (2022 y 2023).
  • Next Generation Partner, The Legal 500, in Proyects and Infrastructure (2021, 2022 and 2023).
  • Leaders League, in Dispute Resolution in Construction and Arbitration (2021, 2022 and 2023).
  • Recognized by The Legal 500 which describes him like this: «It is strategic and has great knowledge». (2014, 2015, 2016 y 2017).
  • Beca Chile Scholarship (2009).
  • Fernando Rozas Vial Award to the best student of Civil Law (2006).
  • Carey y Cía. Award to the best student of Civil Law (2005 and 2006).

Activities and memberships

  • Professor at Pontificie Universidad Catolica de Chile, “Construction and engineering Law” course (since 2022).
  • Professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, “The Construction Contract before the Civil Law” course (since 2018).
  • Columnist of El Mercurio Legal, in matters of projects, engineering and construction, and in litigation and arbitration (2019-).
  • Columnist of the BIT Magazine, of the Chilean Chamber of Construction (2019).
  • Speaker of the Chilean Society of Construction Law (2019).
  • Speaker of the Contractor Meeting. Chilean Chamber of Construction (2018).
  • Invited by the IDIEM of the University of Chile to speak on arbitration (2018 – 2019).
  • Professor of Arbitration, Universidad Mayor (since 2019).
  • Professor at Universidad Alberto Hurtado, “The Construction Contract before the Civil Law” course (since 2018).
  • Professor at Universidad Diego Portales, “The Construction Contract before the Civil Law” course (since 2015).
  • Professor of Contracts and Torts, Universidad Diego Portales, (2013-2015).
  • Professor of Civil Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2006-2008).
  • Member of the Chilean Society of Construction Law.
  • Member of the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation.
  • Member of the Chilean Bar Association.

Practice

  • Projects.
  • Engineering and construction.
  • Project’s disputes (Claims, litigation and arbitration), including disputes related to the operation of projects.

Education

  • LL.M., University of California, Berkeley (cum laude, 2012).
  • Certificate in Contracts and Torts Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (summa cum laude, 2005).
  • Derecho. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (summa cum laude, 2005). 

Admissions

  • Chile.

Languages

  • Spanish.
  • English.