In memoriam: Claudio Undurraga

Founding partner of Prieto

(1940-2022)

Claudio Undurraga was an exceptional, loyal, professional, cheerful, hard-working and loving man. He practiced the legal profession for 57 years. In 1977, together with Patricio Prieto, Carlos Concha and Alberto González, he founded Prieto y Cia (now known as Prieto). He authored and witnessed its growth and consolidation over 45 years.

Widely recognised and admired in the legal industry, he led outstanding teams in different areas such as arbitration, energy and natural resources, projects and infrastructure, capital markets, antitrust and telecommunications. He played an active role in the formation of several generations of lawyers who work at Prieto today and he gave his experience and knowledge for more than four decades.

At the international field, he was distinguished for years by Chambers and Partners as Senior Statesperson, in the areas of energy and natural resources and projects and infrastructure. For more than 30 years he was an active member in the International Bar Association (IBA). He was Chair of the Latin American Regional Forum (LARF) and Officer of the Professional Ethics Committee. Claudio Undurraga made great friends at this association of lawyers.

We would like to thank him for his loyalty, his joy and his dedication to the firm, to each lawyer and collaborator. We would like to highlight his trajectory, friendship, generosity and collaboration throughout all these years. We will miss his conversation, his companionship, his opinion, his advice and his good judgement.

An inspiring figure

Jaime Herrera

Partner, Posse Herrera Ruiz

In 2010 I was honored to co-chair LARF with one of the most fascinating people in our profession. We had met a few years before, but our friendship and my deepest admiration and respect for Claudio Undurraga was anchored after many days of hard work in the LARF and frequent friendly get-togethers over the course of a decade.

A friend in common suggested I should support Claudio, who at the time was assuming the responsibility as leader of the Latin American community at the IBA, with more calendars on his back than many of us. However, at that time I was not warned to garner all my energies to follow his steps.

Combining the features of a great jurist (studious, critical, curious, analytical, creative and protective of the law) and that of a great sailor (focused, meticulous and disciplined but yet adventurous), Claudio was highly enlightened and erudite, always willing to share his experience, knowledge and vast culture with generosity, humility and an acute sense of humor.

Claudio lived a wholesome and accomplished life, leaving behind a great legacy as a lawyer, a family man and in his community.

But without a doubt, from my personal perspective, his most profound imprint was his incredible energy, an unwavering energy that allowed him to apply himself professionally with great lucidity. Energy that was powered by his beloved Soledad, his wife, friend and accomplice in their adventures.

Claudio: thank you for being an inspiration to all of us in the legal community in Latin America.

You will be profoundly missed.

An unbeatable combination

Marcela Hughes

Consultant

We always say that LARF is special. And all of us who are part of it know that it is. An unbeatable combination: intelligent professionals, with impressive careers, generous with their experience, eager to share and continue learning, but with that magic ingredient that gives it the Latin spark of camaraderie and friendship.

Claudio was a worthy example of all these characteristics, he had all of them, to which I must undoubtedly add his love of the sea and sailing. We shared that family passion. His stories and plans were a pleasure to listen to.

Dubai, Prague, Bogota, Punta del Este .... no matter where, he was always ready to participate and accompany. I have no doubt that on his new boat the wind will take him wherever a group of LARF friends go.