Nicolás Frías
Partner
“Very intelligent, serious and precise” (Legal 500, 2023 Edition.)
Nicolás has been a partner at our firm since 2018, focusing his practice on advising clients on conflict resolution, including arbitration and commercial mediation, civil litigation, and advising expert panels and dispute boards. He also advises various companies on regulatory and corporate matters.
Nicolás is also a professor of procedural law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, teaching commercial mediation and negotiation courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Chile and abroad.
Nicolás was Director of the Procedural Law Department at the Faculty of Law of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (2021-2025) and has been Deputy Director of the UC Justice Reform Programme since 2015. He has experience in various consultancies on public policy issues related to the justice sector, particularly in civil procedure and access to justice. He was executive secretary of the ministerial advisory commission for Civil Procedure Reform between 2018 and 2019.
He also actively serves as a mediator for the Arbitration and Mediation Centre of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce. He has been recognised by Leaders League in the ‘Chile Best Mediators’ category, ‘highly recommended’ group, since 2020.
Nicolás has been a certified mediator by the International Mediation Institute (IMI, Certified Mediator) since 2025.
Professional Training
LL.B, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2009).
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Dispute Resolution, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Law (2014).
Professional Career
Ministerio de Justicia de Chile (Chileean Justice Ministry) (2010-2013).
International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris (2014).
Alessandri Abogados (2014-2015).
Frías Lagos & Villablanca (2018 to date).
Academic Career
Deputy Director of the Justice Reforms Program at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile since 2015.
Professor of Procedure Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile since 2016.
Publications
“El proceso arbitral y facultad de imperio de los jueces árbitros a la luz del artículo 635 del Código de Procedimiento Civil”, Revista de Derecho Aplicado LLM UC (9), 2022.
“El Panel Comunitario como alternativa para la solución de conflictos socioambientales”, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Public Policy Centre, “Propuestas para Chile”, 2019. Co-author.
“Hacia un modelo integral de política pública para la mediación: un análisis de las instituciones sectoriales”, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Public Policy Centre, “Propuestas para Chile”, 2019. Co-author.
“Modelo Orgánico para la Nueva Justicia”, ID 425-23-2016, P. Universidad Católica. Investigator and consultancy coordinator. Directorate of Studies of the Chilean Supreme Court of Justice (2018).
“Funcionalidad de los principios procesales en el proyecto de ley de Nuevo Código Procesal Civil”. Law Review of the Finis Terrae University, 2018. Co-author.
Speaker at the VI Jornadas Nacionales de Derecho Procesal; ponencia: “Incorporación de un sistema de pequeñas cuantías: lineamientos a partir de la experiencia comparada y nacional”. Universidad de Chile, octubre 2017.
Speaker at the international seminar regarding the role of the judge; presentation called: “La teoría de las cargas dinámicas probatorias como factor de mitigación de los efectos adversos del estándar de admisibilidad de las demandas en el sistema procesal civil norteamericano”. P. Universidad Católica, Mayo 2017.
“The Dynamic Allocation of Burdens Doctrine as a Mitigation of the Undesirable Effects of Iqbal’s Pleading Standard”, Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, Vol. 37, N°2 (2015).
“Reforma Procesal Civil. Proyecto de ley Nuevo Código Procesal Civil. Flujos de Procesos. Libros Primero a Quinto”; Volúmenes 1 y 2, Libros Primero a Quinto. Ministerio de Justicia. Santiago, junio 2012 y abril 2013.
“Justicia y Nueva Constitución. Perspectivas y propuestas.” Programa Reformas a la Justicia UC, Facultad de Derecho, Ediciones UC, año 2021. Co-Coordinador.
“Un Gobierno Judicial para un Nuevo Estado de Derecho”, en “Justicia y Nueva Constitución. Perspectivas y propuestas.” Programa Reformas a la Justicia UC, Facultad de Derecho, Ediciones UC, año 2021. Co-autor.
Recognitions and memberships
Becas Chile (Chilean Scholarship), 2013-2014.
UCLA Dean’s Award in International Finance, 2014.
“Chile Best Mediators”, “highly recommended”, Leaders League, 2020.
Mediator at the Centro de Arbitraje y Mediación de la Cámara de Comercio de Santiago (CAM Santiago) (Center for Arbitration and Mediaton of Chamber of Commerce of Santiago).
Colegio de Abogados de Chile A.G. (Chilean Bar Association).
International Mediation Institute (IMI), “young mediators” membership.
Relevant experience
Representation of a biomass-based energy generation company in arbitration before the CAM Santiago, in relation to a conflict with a mining company. Amount: USD 14 million.
Representation of investment company in lawsuits against controllers. Amount: USD 30 Million.
Judicial representation of a foreign company in conflict with an insurance company, in relation to the seizure of a ship in a Chilean port. Amount: USD 11 million.
Representation of a company in emergency injunction filed to annul an international letter of credit. Amount: USD 9 million.
Representation of a foreign fruit importer in an international arbitration against a Chilean exporter. Amount: USD 1.5 million.
Representation of a company that supplies medical equipment in lawsuits filed against the Chilean Treasury. Amount: 200.000 UF.
Judicial representation of a municipality in a tort liability lawsuit related to a highly sensitive conflict with public connotation. Amount: 150.000 UF.
Representation of former executives in a civil lawsuit brought against a relevant Chilean sports association. Amount: 100.000 UF.
Representation of a Chilean exporter in an international dispute before a US receiver, carried out before foreign courts. Amount: USD 1 million.
Representation of a photovoltaic energy company in a dispute aimed at obtaining precautionary measures on electrical permits. Amount: USD 2 Million.
Legal representation of shareholders in a corporate conflict for the responsibility of the general manager and the administrators. Amount: 100.000 UF.
Legal representation in a conflict against an electricity generator for damage caused to an agricultural estate. Amount: 70.000 UF.
Representation of a construction company in two arbitration claims filed against one of the most relevant real estate holdings in Chile. Amount: 15.000 UF.
Representation of owners of lots acquired from a relevant real estate developer, before arbitral justice. Amount: 8.000 UF.
Language
Spanish and English.