Trinidad Zegers Takes Charge of Civil Procedure Reform Initiative

On August 13, 2026, the Chilean Minister of Justice, Fernando Rabat, announced the appointment of attorney Trinidad Zegers Domínguez as the new coordinator for the long-stalled Civil Procedure Reform project. This initiative, aimed at modernizing the judicial system, has been pending in Congress for several years. Zegers, a recent graduate from the Catholic University and officially sworn in as a lawyer on April 10, 2026, joined the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in the same month as an advisor. Her new role places her at the forefront of efforts to advance a project that has been under consideration for over a decade.

Zegers' responsibilities will include not only overseeing the reform's trajectory but also acting as a managerial figure to facilitate progress on a legislative proposition that seeks to replace the Civil Procedure Code, in place since 1903. The reform aims to streamline legal processes, introducing more efficient procedures for the collection of small debts and incorporating digital tools to enhance case management.

A Promising Career Ahead

According to her LinkedIn profile, Zegers began her law studies at the Catholic University in 2019, where she also held the position of internal vice president of the student council during her academic tenure in 2021. By 2023, she had worked as a legal consultant at DLA Piper Chile, focusing on regulated markets and energy and natural resources. Following that, she completed her professional internship at the Human Rights Office of the Metropolitan Judicial Assistance Corporation and gained further experience in litigation and dispute resolution at SLBZ+ Abogados, Schenke Brancoli.

The new Civil Procedure Code proposal was first introduced to Congress on March 12, 2012, during Sebastián Piñera's first presidency. This effort originated from a two-year initiative involving an inter-ministerial commission and an advisory council. A significant milestone for the reform occurred in May 2021 when the Senate approved the general idea of the legislation, with the then Minister of Justice, Hernán Larraín, describing it as a "significant transformation" that aimed to replace a system he characterized as "costly, slow, and cumbersome." With Zegers now steering the initiative, there is renewed hope for the advancement of this critical reform.

As reported by emol.com.