The 2009 buyout of IP boutique Estudio Harnecker by general practice firm Carey y Cia to create Harnecker Carey was regarded by peers as a groundbreaking move. Although mergers are common in the Latin American legal market, the total acquisition of one law firm by another is not. Rivals expressed strong and varied opinions on the multi-million dollar deal, but with Harnecker's technical expertise in patents now backed by the support of one of the largest corporate law firms in Chile, most agreed the resulting formation is "much stronger". "Carey was very big in regulatory matters so together they have really put together a powerhouse," said one competitor.
The transition has been handled gracefully from the perspective of the firm's clients, which include industry giants such as Pfizer, Pepsi, Sanofi-Aventis, Audi, Jean Paul GaulTier, Toyota and Gillette. "I think that there has been great continuity," reported one patron, adding: "They have demonstrated a lot of leadership and visited our offices."
Harnecker Carey recently represented The North Face in a counterfeiting action which concluded in May 2010 and resulted not only in the seizure of the forged goods, but also a fine and 400 days in jail for the infringers. The outcome was notable because it is unusual for Chilean courts to impose prison time for such offences. The firm is also representing the agent (WME) of the 33 miners who were trapped in a copper and gold mine in Copiapó, Chile for 69 days. Overall, clients praised the diligence and ingenuity of the firm's lawyers. "They not only work on problems, they also work on being proactive and avoiding them – and that's something that's very difficult to find, especially in Latin America," said one customer.