What Morales & Besa does

Morales & Besa is a full-service Chilean law firm founded in 1992 and headquartered in the Las Condes business district of Santiago, Chile. The firm operates from a single office with 101-250 employees including approximately 60+ lawyers organized as partners, directors, counselors, and associates. It offers comprehensive legal advisory across 21 practice areas including Banking and Finance, Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Tax, Venture Capital and Innovation, Energy, Mining and Natural Resources, Real Estate and Construction, Projects and Infrastructure, Compliance, Competition and Antitrust, Public Law, Criminal Law, Environmental, Intellectual Property, Technology and Data, Labor, Litigation and Arbitration, Restructuring and Insolvency, and Pro Bono. The firm has been consistently recognized in Band 1 / Tier 1 by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 in Banking and Finance and ranked across multiple other practice areas by IFLR 1000, Latin Lawyer, and Leaders League.

The firm serves enterprise, financial institution, government, and private equity clients with a relationship-driven, partner-led engagement model. Notable engagements include advising the Republic of Chile on sovereign bond issuances including a US$2.2 billion transaction, advising LATAM Airlines on Chapter 11 reorganization and subsequent bond issuances, advising Global Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of energy assets from Actis across five jurisdictions, advising Accel-KKR on Chilean tech acquisitions including Lemontech and PST Pago Fácil, and advising the Republic of Chile, Cencosud, Sungrow, and KGHM on complex transactional matters. The firm operates a partnership-based professional services model with quote-based engagements and multi-year contracts, generating revenue through hourly or fixed legal fees across all 21 practice areas.

The firm's go-to-market relies on direct professional relationships, thought leadership via legal alerts and publications, participation in international conferences (IBA, ABA), and third-party validation through international rankings. It maintains formal collaborations with leading law firms worldwide and runs foreign associate programs with prestigious international firms, embedding lawyers trained in US and European law schools. Most lawyers hold postgraduate law degrees from leading international institutions, supporting a talent moat and cross-border capability. The firm has no publicly disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no M&A activity, and is privately held under a traditional Chilean partnership structure.

Name

Morales & Besa

Legal name

Morales & Besa

Website

https://moralesybesa.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Morales & Besa is a Chilean full-service law firm founded in 1992, advising enterprises, financial institutions, government entities, and private equity firms across banking, M&A, capital markets, energy, mining, and infrastructure mandates in Chile and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency Law (BPAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Legal advisory services
• Corporate law
• Banking and finance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Litigation and arbitration

Headquarters

HQ city

Santiago

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Morales & Besa generates revenue through comprehensive legal advisory services across multiple practice areas including banking and finance, corporate/M&A, capital markets, mining, energy, tax, labor, litigation, and more. Revenue is generated through professional fees for legal counsel, transaction advisory, regulatory compliance services, and litigation representation, typically billed on an hourly basis or fixed fees for specific engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Morales & Besa is a full-service Chilean law firm that provides comprehensive legal advisory services across 21 practice areas, including banking and finance, corporate/M&A, capital markets, energy, mining, tax, labor, litigation and arbitration, compliance, public law, environmental, real estate and construction, projects and infrastructure, intellectual property, technology and data, criminal law, competition and antitrust, restructuring and insolvency, venture capital, and pro bono. The firm delivers counsel to enterprises, financial institutions, private equity firms, and government entities on complex domestic and cross-border matters.

Product overview

Morales & Besa is a full-service Chilean law firm founded in 1992, offering comprehensive legal advisory across 21 distinct practice areas. The firm operates as a unified legal services platform covering corporate/commercial matters (Banking and Finance, Corporate, M&A, Capital Markets, Tax, Venture Capital), regulatory and compliance services (Compliance, Competition, Public Law, Criminal Law), sector-specific practices (Energy, Mining, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Environmental), and dispute resolution (Litigation, Arbitration, Restructuring). The portfolio also includes specialized practices in Technology and Data, Labor, and Pro Bono services. The firm is recognized by major international rankings including Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, IFLR 1000, and Latin Lawyer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bancario y Financiero (Banking and Finance) Legal advisory services for banking and finance transactions, including syndicated loans, project financing, debt restructuring, and regulatory compliance for financial institutions.
• Compliance Legal advisory on compliance with Chilean regulations including corporate, labor, competition, and criminal law matters, including internal policy reviews and compliance program design.
• Corporativo (Corporate) Corporate legal services including advisory on corporate structures, M&A, joint ventures, shareholder agreements, foreign direct investment, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance.
• Derecho Penal (Criminal Law) Legal defense and advisory for individuals and companies in economic crimes, tax crimes, environmental offenses, cybercrime, money laundering, corruption, and intellectual property violations.
• Derecho P\u00fablico (Public Law) Legal advisory on administrative law, government contracting, regulatory proceedings, public tenders, regulated markets, and administrative sanctioning defense before government bodies.
• Energ\u00eda (Energy) Legal advisory for the energy sector including electricity generation, transmission, distribution, fuel transportation, project development, permitting, PPA and EPC negotiations, and renewable energy focus.
• Fusiones y Adquisiciones (Mergers & Acquisitions) M&A advisory services for strategic and financial buyers, sellers, and lenders in acquisitions, joint ventures, public company deals, LBOs, and capitalizations across Latin America.
• Inmobiliario y Construcci\u00f3n (Real Estate and Construction) Legal advisory for complex real estate and infrastructure projects including development, financing, construction, and operation of highways, airports, hospitals, and energy facilities.
• Laboral (Labor and Employment) Comprehensive labor law services including employment documentation, HR advisory, terminations, collective bargaining, labor litigation, immigration, and compliance training.
• Libre Competencia (Competition & Antitrust) Competition law advisory including merger control filings, FNE investigations, TDLC proceedings, compliance programs, and anti-competitive conduct prevention.
• Litigios y Arbitrajes (Litigation, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution) Dispute resolution services including civil, commercial, and criminal litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
• Medioambiente (Environmental) Environmental law advisory for project permitting, SEIA processing, environmental audits, administrative proceedings, liability suits, and environmental due diligence for M&A.
• Mercado de Capitales (Capital Markets) Capital markets advisory including IPOs, secondary offerings, debt issuances, restructurings, and regulatory compliance for issuers, investment banks, and market participants.
• Miner\u00eda y Recursos Naturales (Mining and Natural Resources) Mining and natural resources legal advisory including project acquisition, development, water rights, environmental evaluation, permitting, royalties, streaming agreements, and project financing.
• Propiedad Intelectual (Intellectual Property) Intellectual property services including patent, trademark, industrial design registration, copyright protection, domain name protection, and data privacy advisory.
• Proyectos e Infraestructura (Projects and Infrastructure) Infrastructure project advisory including public-private partnerships, concession structuring, project financing, and development of energy, transport, ports, and hospital projects.
• Reorganizaci\u00f3n e Insolvencia (Restructuring & Insolvency) Restructuring and insolvency advisory representing creditors and debtors in reorganization and liquidation proceedings, including cross-border insolvency matters.
• Tecnolog\u00eda y Datos (Technology and Data) Technology and data law practice covering tech transactions, data privacy, cybersecurity, AI regulation compliance, privacy impact assessments, and international data transfers.
• Tributaria (Tax) Tax law advisory including tax structuring for complex business transactions, foreign investment, M&A, joint ventures, due diligence, corporate reorganizations, and tax litigation.
• Venture Capital e Innovaci\u00f3n (Venture Capital and Innovation) Venture capital and innovation advisory for investment funds and entrepreneurs including CORFO funds, startup investments, acquisitions, and tech company transactions.
• Pro Bono Pro bono legal services providing access to justice for underprivileged individuals and organizations, with commitment to 20+ annual hours per attorney.

Named customers24 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leading Law Firms WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorales & Besa maintains a policy of collaboration with leading law firms around the world, opening doors to exchange of ideas, approaches, knowledge, and experience, resulting in innovative solutions. The firm has foreign associate programs enabling lawyers to integrate into prestigious international law firms.
• Pro Bono Declaration SignatoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorales & Besa is one of the signatories of the 'Declaration of Pro Bono Work for the Americas', committing to more than 20 annual hours of pro bono work per lawyer.
• Fundación Pro BonocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorales & Besa is a member of Fundación Pro Bono, providing legal assistance to underserved communities and organizations.
• TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorales & Besa is part of TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation's international pro bono program, providing access to global pro bono opportunities and collaborations.
• International Bar Association (IBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirm lawyers regularly participate in IBA conferences and events in various fields of law.
• American Bar Association (ABA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirm lawyers regularly participate in ABA conferences and events in various fields of law.
• Ganémosle a la Calle FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorales & Besa organizes the Inter-Law Firm Golf Championship annually in support of Fundación Ganémosle a la Calle, now in its 13th edition.
• Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvised GIP on investment in acquisition of several energy assets from Actis across multiple jurisdictions including Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Spain and Mexico.
• Accel-KKRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvised Accel-KKR on multiple acquisitions including Lemontech S.A. (70% stake), Teamcore Solutions SpA, and EVO Payments acquisition of PST Pago Fácil.
• Citigroup, Santander, Deutsche Bank, J.P. MorgancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvised major international investment banks on LATAM Airlines international bond issuance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aninat Schwencke & Cía: Chilean full-service firm with significant M&A, corporate, and tax capabilities. Competes directly for cross-border M&A and corporate-advisory mandates out of Santiago.
• Barros & Errázuriz: Top-tier Santiago full-service firm with a strong banking, finance, and corporate practice. Competes directly with Morales & Besa for Chilean financial-institution mandates and cross-border financings.
• Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría (PPU): Major Latin American regional law firm with a flagship Santiago office. Directly comparable in corporate, M&A, energy, and project finance work, and a frequent counterpart on multi-jurisdictional deals where Morales & Besa also acts.
• Larraín y Asociados: Established Santiago full-service firm with strong corporate, banking, and real estate practices. Competes for similar mid-to-large-cap Chilean corporate mandates.
• Claro y Cía: Long-established Santiago-based full-service law firm. Directly comparable in banking, corporate, M&A, and energy mandates, and one of the firms most often co-counseled or competed against on Chilean transactional work.
• Carey y Cía: Chile's largest full-service law firm and Morales & Besa's principal domestic competitor. Carey competes head-to-head in banking & finance, M&A, capital markets, mining, and energy, and is consistently ranked Band 1 across more practice areas by Chambers & Partners.
• Bofill Mir & Alvarez Jana: Santiago full-service firm with strong corporate, M&A, and capital markets practices. Competes for the same pool of corporate and financial-institution clients in the mid-to-upper market.

Broad incumbents

• Garrigues (Chile): Iberian-origin international firm with a Chilean office providing corporate, tax, and regulatory advice. Overlaps with Morales & Besa in cross-border Iberian-LatAm transactional work.
• Baker McKenzie (Chile): Global law firm with a substantial Santiago office competing for cross-border M&A, banking, and energy mandates. Differs in scale and global reach but overlaps meaningfully in client base.
• DLA Piper (Chile): Global firm with a Santiago office providing corporate, finance, and energy law services. Competes for inbound international client mandates that Morales & Besa also targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/morales-&-besa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Morales & Besa