Felipe Riesco is a counsel in the Administrative and Constitutional Law area of Garrigues’ Santiago de Chile office. His practice centers on providing strategic advice in relation to environmental assessment for investment projects, administrative regulation, penalty proceedings and judicial review proceedings. He prepares highly complex legal reports and gives presentations to state institutions, including the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the courts and the Chilean parliament. He complements this practice with advisory services on environmental, regulatory and planning law. He has amassed a wealth of experience in the public sector, having held senior positions at agencies forming part of the environmental institutional framework. He holds a Master’s Degree in Constitutional Procedural Law, as well as a postgraduate diploma in Administrative Penalty Law from Universidad de Valladolid, Spain.
Experience
His practice centers on environmental and public law, with a special focus on environmental assessments for investment projects, administrative penalty proceedings, and litigation before the ordinary, environmental and constitutional courts. He has advised businesses in the energy, mining, real estate, infrastructure and natural resources sectors in relation to administrative regulations and dealings with supervisory bodies. His experience also extends to the preparing legal reports and providing regulatory advice on highly complex matters.
Before joining Garrigues as a counsel, Felipe was a partner at Barros Silva Varela & Vigil (2020-2026). Prior to that, he was Undersecretary for the Environment (2018–2020), Law Clerk of the Third Environmental Court of Valdivia (2015–2018), Legal Adviser to the Environmental Supervisory Authority (SMA) (2012–2013) and Regional Director for La Araucanía of the Environmental Assessment Service (2010–2011).
He is fluent in Spanish and English.
Academic background
- Degree in Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2005).
- Admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Chile (2009).
- Postgraduate diploma in Administrative Penalty Law, Universidad de Valladolid (2014).
- Master’s Degree in Constitutional Procedural Law, Universidad de Talca (2022).
Memberships
- Chilean Administrative Law Association (ADAD).
- Chilean Environmental Law Association (ACHIDAM).
- Chilean Bar Association.
- Public policy adviser, Centro de Estudios Libertad y Desarrollo.
- Sitting member of the Innova Chile Committee, Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO).
Distinctions
- Chambers and Partners
Environment, Band 4
His clients have said: “Felipe Riesco is a highly analytical lawyer who can quickly resolve complex issues. He is trustworthy and has a strong ability to understand client needs”. - The Legal 500
Public Law, Next Generation Partner - Leaders League
Administrative litigation
Dispute Resolution: Environmental litigation
Publications
- “El carácter integrador de la legislación y de los instrumentos de gestión ambiental y la competencia exclusiva y excluyente de la Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente para la fiscalización, seguimiento y sanción de los instrumentos de gestión ambiental” (The coordinated nature of legislation and environmental management instruments and the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the Environmental Supervisory Authority for the supervision, monitoring and enforcement of environmental management instruments). Revista de Derecho Ambiental N°5, Center for Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, Universidad de Chile. 2015
- “La Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente y el procedimiento administrativo sancionador ambiental. Principios del procedimiento y los incentivos al cumplimiento ambiental” (The Environmental Supervisory Authority and the environmental administrative penalty proceeding. Principles of the proceeding and incentives for environmental compliance), in Gestión del cumplimiento ambiental. RIL Editores, Colección Estudios Urbanos UC. 2021
- “Algunas ideas sobre la participación ciudadana en el proyecto de ley marco de cambio climático” (Some thoughts on public participation in the climate change framework bill) Revista de Derecho Aplicado LLM UC N°7, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. 2021
- “La Corte Suprema y el orden institucional de la República: el caso del plan de prevención y de descontaminación atmosférica de las comunas de Quintero, Concón y Puchuncaví. Rol N° 149.171-2020” (The Supreme Court and the institutional order of the Republic: the case of the air pollution prevention and decontamination plan for the municipalities of Quintero, Concón and Puchunaví. Case no. 149.171-2020) in Sentencias Destacadas 2023-2024. Ediciones Libertad y Desarrollo. 2025
- “La Ley 19.300 y la implementación de los instrumentos de gestión ambiental: un problema que se agrava con el tiempo” (Law 19,300 and the implementation of environmental management instruments: a problem getting worse with time), in Gestión ambiental en riesgo: a 30 años de la Ley 19.300. Ediciones Libertad y Desarrollo. 2025