Patricio Zapata
Senior Counselpzapata@carey.cl
+56 2 2928 2612
His practice focuses on administrative, constitutional and regulatory law, advising several national and international clients, as well as public entities and state-owned enterprises on all sorts of matters directly or indirectly related to the public sector in Chile, including concessions, public procurement, negotiation and development of public-private associations, legal reports, litigation before Chilean administrative bodies, ordinary and special Courts of Justice, the Chilean Public Procurement Court and the Chilean Constitutional Court, legal defense against sanctions imposed by public entities, advisement on sectoral regulations in various markets, regarding public policies and legislative matters, as well as issues related to the Chilean Transparency Law.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- A mining company on its defense before the Constitutional Court in the framework of a constitutional remedy, presented by workers dismissed due to irregularities related to insurance contracts during their period as union leaders.
- Sun Dreams on a constitutional remedy before the Constitutional Court to obtain the inapplicability of an article that deprived Sun Dreams of exercising its right to appeal, obtaining a favorable ruling.
- Arauco on a cycle of lectures and preparation of reports about diverse topics discussed in the Constitutional Convention within the framework of the constituent process.
- Metrogas on a legal report on the unconstitutionality of certain regulations contained in the Natural Gas Bill, to be presented before the Constitution Commission of the Senate.
- Asociación Nacional de Fútbol (Football Federation of Chile) on a legal opinion on the disabilities of agents of professional players, within the framework of the elaboration of its statutes.
- A municipality on a constitutional remedy before the Constitutional Court against residents who oppose to the construction of social housing in the vicinity of their community.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
- Recognized in Public Law, Legal 500.
- Recognized in Administrative Law, Latin Lawyer 250.
- Recognized in Administrative and Public Law, Best Lawyers.
- Teaching Merit Award, Universidad Católica de Chile (2020).
- Best Teacher Award, granted by the students of the Faculty of Law, Universidad Católica de Chile (2017, 2018, 2019).
ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS
- Professor of Constitutional Law in the undergraduate degree and Master's in Public Law, Universidad Católica de Chile (since 1995).
- President of the Citizen Council of Observers of the Constituent Process (2015-2017).
- Dean of the Law Faculty, Universidad de Las Américas (2008-2017).
- Vice dean and dean, Faculty of Legal Sciences, Universidad Andrés Bello (2000-2006).
- Member of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Transparency and Probity (2003-2005).
- External cabinet advisor, Ministry of Justice of Chile (1997-1999).
- External cabinet advisor, Ministry of National Defense (1995-1996).
- Advisor and chief of the Political and Institutional Relations Division and secretary of the Public Ethics Commission, Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency (1990-1994).
- Professor of multiple specialties of Public Law in undergraduate and graduate programs at important institutions and universities.
PUBLICATIONS
- Author of several publications and articles about public law matters.
RELATED AREAS
EDUCATION
- Law, Universidad Católica de Chile.
- Course on Comparative Constitutional Law, University of Notre Dame, USA (1993).
- Master in Political Science, Universidad Católica de Chile (1994).
- LL.M., Harvard Law School, USA (1995).
- Doctorate studies in Law, Universidad de Chile.
ADMISSIONS
- Chile (2005).
LANGUAGES
- Spanish.
- English.
