- Gonzalo Fernández is the Founding Partner of Gonzalo Fernández & Cía., a law firm specialized in domestic and international litigation and arbitration, founded in July 2024.
- Mr. Fernández has been consistently recognized as one of the best litigators and arbitrators by the most varied legal publications, such as Chambers, Legal 500, Who is Who and Leaders League.
- He was the head partner in Carey’s litigation and arbitration practice for more than 20 years.
- He has an extensive experience of more than 30 years as a litigator, both in ordinary proceedings and in domestic and international arbitrations, under the rules of CAM Santiago, ICC, ICSID and UNCITRAL, as well in as ad hoc arbitrations, focusing his practice on commercial, civil, mining, energy, environmental and construction matters. In this capacity, he has participated in several of the most relevant cases in the Chilean legal market.
- He is also recognized as one of the most distinguished arbitrators in the country, having participated in domestic and international arbitrations under the rules of CAM Santiago and ICC, as well as in ad hoc proceedings.
- He is a lawyer (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) and a LL.M graduate (Harvard Law School, 1998). In 1989, he received the University Merit Award for being the best student of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and, in 1991, the Tocornal, Montenegro and Gutiérrez Awards for being the best Law School graduate, with the highest average grade in its history. In 1997, he received both the Fulbright and the President of the Republic Scholarships to carry out his studies abroad.
- Between 1988 and 1989 he worked as a foreign associate at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton (New York, USA).
- Member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce for the period 2018-2021 and re-elected for the period 2021-2024 (until June).
- President of the Chilean Chapter of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club (CEIA) for the period 2023 to 2024.
- Since 1997 he has been a Professor of Civil Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
- Since 2024 he has been an Arbitrator of the Panel of International Arbitrators of the Arbitration Center of the Lima Chamber of Commerce.
- Author of various articles on arbitration and enforcement of foreign decisions in national and international publications and frequent panelist at arbitration seminars in Chile and abroad.
Education
- 1987 – 1991: Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (graduated with maximum distinction).
- 1997-1998: Master of Laws (LL.M.), Harvard University.
Awards and Scholarships
- 1987 to 1991: Honor Registration for having entered the Law program with the highest grade in the selection process and having finished each year as the best student of his class, with the highest-grade average in the history of the Law School.
- 1989: University Merit Award for being the best student of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
- 1992: Pedro Montenegro Award for being the best graduate of the Law program.
- 1992: José Tocornal Jordán Award for being the best graduate of the Law program.
- 1992: Luis Gutiérrez Alliende Award for being the best graduate of Commercial Law.
- 1997: Fulbright Scholarship for postgraduate studies abroad.
- 1997: President of the Republic Scholarship for postgraduate studies abroad.
Academic Experience
- Since 1997: Professor of Civil Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Publications
- 30 years of institutional development: arbitration and mediation, Arbitration and Mediation Center of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, 2022, author of the article “Law No. 19,971 on International Commercial Arbitration: 18 years in force”.
- Notable Judgments 2018, Libertad y Desarrollo, 2019, author of the article “Commentary on the Constitutional Court ruling 2985-2016 on profiting from another’s fraud in the CORFO INVERLINK case”.
- Treaty on Arbitration Law, The Arbitration Agreement, Grupo Editorial Ibáñez: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Colombia and Instituto Peruano de Arbitraje, 2011, author of the article “The arbitration agreement in Chilean law: its nature, requirements and effects”.
- International Commercial Arbitration in Latin America: Legal Framework and Case Law, La Ley, Wolters Kluwer group, Madrid, 1st edition, September 2009, author of the chapter “International Commercial Arbitration in Chile: legal and jurisprudential framework”.
- The New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards of 1958, Instituto Peruano de Arbitraje, Lima, 2009, co-author with Dyalá Jiménez of the Chapter “The Evolution of the Rules of Exequatur of Arbitration Awards in Chile”.
- Arbitration Studies, Book in honor of Professor Patricio Aylwin Azócar: Editorial Jurídica de Chile, 1st edition, January 2007, co-author with Jorge Carey Tagle of the Chapter “Costs in arbitration”.
- Arbitration World, Jurisdictional Comparisons, The European Lawyer Ltd., 2nd edition, 2006, Chilean Chapter, co-authored with Pedro Pablo Gutiérrez.
Professional Experience
- Since 2024: Founding Partner at Gonzalo Fernández & Cía.
- 1994 to June 2024: Carey. Head Partner of the litigation and arbitration practice.
- 1998 – 1999: Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton (New York, USA). Foreign Associate.
Appointments
- Since 2005: Arbitrator of the arbitrator’s list of the Arbitration Center of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce.
- 2007 – 2024: Member of the Advisory Board of the Pro Bono Foundation.
- 2013 to 2015: Member of the Chilean Committee for the Appointment of ICC Arbitrators.
- 2018 to 2024: Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for the period 2018-2021 and re-elected for the period 2021-2024.
- 2023 to 2024: President of the Chilean Chapter of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club (CEIA).
- Since 2024: Arbitrator of the Panel of International Arbitrators of the Arbitration Center of the Lima Chamber of Commerce.
Languages
Spanish, English.
