Law firm McCarthy Tétrault to expand in Latin America with a new office in Chile

McCarthy Tétrault LLP is expanding its Latin American practice by opening a physical office in Chile, saying it is the only major Canadian law firm with an on-the-ground presence in the region.

The firm found roughly 3,000 square feet of space in Santiago, has hired an office manager for the location and plans to move in within two months. Shawn Doyle, who has worked for McCarthy Tétrault in Santiago for the past four years, has been appointed managing partner of the new office.

“It is important for me to stress that it is not just a Chile office,” Mr. Doyle said in an interview from Copenhagen, where he is attending the International Bar Association’s annual conference.

“It will be based in Santiago, that is where I live and it has to be located somewhere, but it’s a Latin America-wide practice.”

Mining will be a major area of focus for the new office, Mr. Doyle said, as several Canadian mining companies have operations throughout the region. He serves on the advisory council for the World Association of Mining Lawyers, and previously spent three years as the Chile country manager for Polish copper and silver miner KGHM Polska Miedz SA.

Several other Canadian law firms also have long-established Latin American practices, though they are generally operated from Canada.

“It is part of their mining practice, it is part of their energy practice,” Mr. Doyle said. “I don’t think any other firm has taken the same methodical, comprehensive, strategic approach to the region, as a region, the way we have over the past few years.”

He said that opening an office, which will accommodate “several” other Canadian lawyers in addition to himself, is “a reconfirmation of the strategic focus and the commitment to the region that we have.”

“You can do some of the work that we do from Canada, but there’s other work that we can just do better and be more helpful to clients because we speak the language, literally and figuratively,” Mr. Doyle said. “We know what is going on. We are closer to the action. That often can be translated into better, more situationally aware advice for our clients.”

Trade between Canada and the Latin American and Caribbean region has grown steadily over the past several years. According to Global Affairs Canada, the total value of trade between Canada and the region has grown by more than one-third from roughly $70-billion in 2018 to approximately $95-billion in 2024.

The region accounted for nearly 20 per cent of all Canadian direct investment abroad in 2024, the Global Affairs data showed, or about $475-billion.

“The theme of the day is diversification of Canada’s economic relationships, though the focus is often on Europe and on Asia,” Mr. Doyle said. “Those are important places, but Latin America is close at hand and it is important as well.”