Paula Gajardo

Director

Paula is director at MSyA Attorneys and focuses her practice on environmental law, with extensive experience in strategic advice to investment projects, particularly in matters of environmental assessment, citizen participation, indigenous consultation and community relations.

Before joining MSyA she worked at Vergara Galindo Correa, in the areas of Environment and Communities. Previously, she was an associate lawyer at Cariola Diez Pérez – Cotapos law firm and lawyer at the Legal Division of the Environmental Assessment Service.

Education

» Law, Faculty of Law, Universidad Católica de Chile, 2008.

» Postgraduate Degree in Environmental Assessment of Projects and Environmental Law, Universidad Finis Terrae, 2012.

» Diploma in Indigenous Rights, Environment, and Dialogue Processes within the framework of 169 OIT Convention Consultation.

» Master in Environment: Environmental Management, Assessment and Law, Universidad Finis Terrae, 2013.

» Diploma in Community Relations and Prevention of environmental Conflicts, Universidad Católica de Chile, 2021.

Acknowledgments

» Ranked by The Best Lawyers in Chile, Environmental Law (2021 – 2022).

» Ranked as “Rising Star”, Legal 500 in 2021 and 2023.

Memberships & Activities

» Chilean Bar Association.

» Member of the Chilean Association of Environmental Law (ACHIDAM).

» Member of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA, www.iaia.org).

» Professor of Environment Master: Environmental Management, Assessment and Law, Faculty of Law, Finis Terrae University, 2008 – 2014.

Publications

» “Reflections on the consideration of climate change in the environmental impact assessment”, Environmental Law Review No. 12.

» “Towards a new definition of the concept of “Stakeholder”‘, Environmental Justice Journal Year VII, N°7, December 2015.

» “Resettlement of indigenous communities in the Environmental Impact Assessment System, Universidad Finis Terrae Law Review: Law and Environment. Second epoch year II, N°2-2014.

» 34th IAIA Annual Conference (Viña del Mar, April 2014).
– Member of the Organizing Committee of the IAIA14 Conference: Impact Assessment for Social and Economic Development.
– Speaker at the sesión ‘Indigenous Peoples Engagement Around the World’.

» 32th IAIA Annual Conference (Porto, mayo 2012).
– Speaker at the session National Experiences I.

Languages

Spanish, english, french