Hogan Lovells > Monterrey, Mexico > Firm Profile

Hogan Lovells > The Legal 500 Rankings

Mexico > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

‘One of the strongest specialties of Hogan Lovells’ according to clients, competition and antitrust is an area in which the firm’s Mexico office is frequently engaged in investigations work, as well as handling complex merger control issues, often in relation to major global M&A. In 2022, the team was part of a multi-jurisdictional group of counsel that advised Mondelez International on its $1.3bn acquisition of Ricolino, with coordinated filings in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Ukraine; the team secured unconditional approval in Mexico. ‘First-class lawyers’ Ricardo Pons and Omar Guerrero co-lead the practice: Pons focusing on merger control and investigations, while experienced litigator Guerrero is accustomed to handling matters before competition tribunals, federal courts and the Supreme Court. The ‘performance and knowledge’ of counsel Alan Ramírez Casazza is also highlighted by clients, and senior associate Martín Michaus-Fernández is a further name to note. Since publication, Ramírez has been raised to the partnership – effective as of January 2024.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 1

Hogan Lovells’ Mexican capabilities -across offices in Mexico City and Monterrey- are particularly well known for international arbitration (as well as domestic arbitral matters). The international arbitration group works closely with the wider firm’s global offices (particularly the Miami-based group), allowing the firm to offer comprehensive multi-jurisdictional support on cases. Omar Guerrero is deeply experienced in all types of dispute resolution and maintains an an active arbitral practice encompassing both sole arbitrator roles and acting as lead party counsel. Guerrero co-leads the practice group with Luis Enrique Graham, another long established figure who is a  regular as party counsel in arbitrations or as arbitrator in national and international disputes. The department displays admirable strength-in-depth: Monterrey-based Alejandro García González’s practice includes representation of clients in proceedings under a variety of rules, including ICC, LCIA, ICDR, CAM and CANACO; Jorge Valdés King has focused on dispute resolution through his career and undertakes arbitration, litigation and bankruptcy; and Luis Ernesto Peón is a key contact when it comes to arbitration in the finance arena. Counsel Juan Arturo Dueñas regularly supports on cases relating to contract disputes, cross-border arbitrations, torts, damages and collection - notably in the energy, automotive, insurance, pharmaceutical and constructions sectors. Senior associate Rogelio Gama is also noted.

Mexico > Life sciences Tier 1

Delivering ‘legal research that is usable from a business standpoint’, the small but experienced team at Hogan Lovells has impressive life sciences credentials and expertise in industries including pharma, health care, consumer goods, chemicals, and technology; and advises on matters including M&A transactions, the restructuring of business models and operations, labelling and advertising issues, the launch of new products, product liability and antitrust, as well as handling litigation. Recent matters include regulatory advice to ensure full compliance with labelling requirements (under the amendments to NOM-051) and sanitary control regulations for products, services and advertising; operational regulatory advice; administrative litigation to secure product marketing authorisations; and assisting clients with navigation through public procurement procedures, among others. The practice is led by Ernesto Algaba Reyes, a 20-year veteran in the sector who focuses primarily on health law and regulatory compliance matters for the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries. Specialist support is provided by counsel Cecilia Stahlhut Espinosa who also has over 10 years’ sector experience regarding regulatory drug matters, medical devices, biotechnology, product compliance and general health regulatory compliance, as well as a background in related international trade matters. On the contentious front, the pair can call on counsel for global regulation, Alan Ramirez, and senior associates Giovanni Sosa (corporate and finance) and Marino Castillo (litigation and arbitration), as necessary; while on intellectual property-related mattes, practice head Bernardo Herrerías is the key contact. Former specialist associate Héctor Mercado moved to Cuesta Campos y Asociados S.C. in June 2022. Since publication, Stahlhut has been raised to the partnership - effective as of January 2024.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 2

The litigation department at Hogan Lovells provides ‘excellent service’ and frequently collaborates with related practice areas at its Mexico offices, as well as with the broader global network of the firm when tackling cross-border matters. The scope of the practice covers sectors from insurance and finance, to real estate and energy projects, with the team adept at handling all types of work, including class actions, constitutional litigation, and shareholder disputes. The practice is co-led by managing partner Omar Guerrero, a stellar name in commercial litigation, and also competition and antitrust claims; and Luis Enrique Graham whose vast dispute resolution experience includes representation before the Supreme Court. Also in Mexico City, Luis Ernesto Peón is especially strong in the finance and insurance segments; and counsel Juan Arturo Dueñas is focused on contractual disputes, cross border litigations, torts, and collections. The firm also maintains litigation capability at its Monterrey office, where Alejandro García González has a broad disputes practice.

Mexico > Energy and natural resources Tier 2

National oil companies from across the Latin America region are among the clients of Hogan Lovells in Mexico; the firm provides day-to-day advice on their operations in Mexico following the deep water exploration and extraction contracts awarded by the Mexican government in the mid-to-late 2010s. The practice has a diverse oil and gas offering that encompasses upstream, midstream and downstream projects, but is also active in the renewable energy market and electricity matters. Three lawyers share leadership of the department: Miguel Ángel Mateo Simón, an experienced name in general energy regulatory, dispute resolution and transactional matters for clients across energy sectors; Carlos Ramos, whose practice is focused on oil and gas; and Juan Francisco Torres Landa, a corporate and M&A expert well-versed in energy sector work. Counsel Mauricio Fuchs Tarlovsky’s practice covers corporate, transactional and operational issues, and his clients include Repsol and ExxonMobil. Further support to the practice heads comes from senior associates Perla Díaz Taracena, a transactional and regulatory lawyer; and Víctor Barrientos, who has broad cross-border commercial law experience.

Mexico > Intellectual property Tier 2

Bernardo Herrerías has led Hogan Lovells’ intellectual property offering in Mexico for over 15 years and directs a practice that is relied on by a wealth of multinationals for portfolio management, prosecution and IP litigation. Focusing on the protection, registration, and preservation of all types of IP rights, the department is familiar with a range of sectors, from the patent and design landscape of pharmaceutical products, to copyright in the entertainment industry. Herrerías’s experience in the market covers all types of IP and he has cultivated strong relationships with the patent and trademark office, customs, the office of the attorney general, and other IP-related authorities. In January 2023, Edgar Mata was promoted to counsel and he is the most senior team member after Herrerías. He acts across the full range of the practice group’s workload and has particular experience in cross-border portfolio management. Senior associates José Casillas and Valentina Schmid are also experienced practitioners of note.

Mexico > Labour and employment Tier 2

Hogan Lovells fields a ‘great team that combines experience and innovation’ in the labour and employment area; it is a trusted counsel to multinationals in sectors ranging from automotive and aerospace, to finance and food. The practice handles the gamut of labour and employment issues, frequently assisting with collective bargaining agreements, high-profile terminations, investigations, and employment benefits; moreover, as a key pillar of a full-service international firm, the department also works closely with the firm’s corporate and M&A practice. Luis Ruiz Gutiérrez and Hugo Hernández-Ojeda can draw on combined experience of over seven decades in the Mexican market, acting on consultancy and litigation, union negotiations, and social security matters. They co-lead the department with Mary Carmen Fuertes, who is experienced in handling the labour components when coordinating regional projects in Latin America. Counsel Luis Adrián Rosas Ortega is a key contact for labour litigation; while at senior associate level, Oswaldo Chávez Uribe and María Regina Torrero  provide key support to the partners.

Mexico > TMT Tier 2

A team with ‘countless strengths’ acts on the full range of matters in the TMT space for the Mexican office of Hogan Lovells, where the offering has recently been restructured to form a digital technologies practice. The department is well-versed in aiding clients’ navigation of the country’s complex and changeable regulatory landscape, as well as assisting on M&A in the relevant sectors as part of multi-disciplinary teams, often combining lawyers from the firm’s various global offices. Clients see practice head Federico Hernández Arroyo as a ‘benchmark for leadership’; senior associate Ana Rumualdo is the other key contact, focusing on emerging technologies, data privacy and other data management issues.

Mexico > Banking and finance Tier 3

The banking and finance practice group at Hogan Lovells advises clients from offices in Mexico City and Monterrey, and has a track record representing both lender and borrower clients, among them major international banks Banco Santander and BNP Paribas. In addition, its regular clients include fintechs and alternative lenders such as funds and SOFOMs. Close cooperation with the firm’s bankruptcy, restructuring and litigation teams, as well as with its many international offices, facilitates its effective handling of complex cross-border cases. Recent work highlight include advising IDB Invest on a $300m financing for the expansion of Peru’s largest wind farm, and advising Fideicomiso para el Desarrollo Verde y Económico de Monterrey on promoting ESG commitments for the city. The practice is co-led by financial transactions and M&A specialist Federico de Noriega Olea, in Mexico City; and René Arce in Monterrey, who advises on structured and project financing operations. Additional expertise is provided by of counsel Aldonza Sakar, who has particular strength in cross-border and project financing, as well as additional expertise regarding asset-backed loans; and Ana Catalina Decanini, who joined the team as counsel in July 2022.

Mexico > Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 3

Hogan Lovells’s practice offers both bankruptcy and restructuring expertise and has a good balance of financial and litigation practitioners. The team represents international funds and banks in Mexican insolvency proceedings and is particularly experienced at representing lenders in restructuring transactions; it also represents clients drawn from a broad range of industry sectors - including banking, automobile, food, insurance and technology. A recent standout matter saw the team represent Alloy Merchant Finance as lessor of power equipment to Grupo Famsa in the latter’s insolvency proceedings. Five partners lead the practice: Omar Guerrero Rodríguez handles commercial litigation, arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings; Federico de Noriega Olea specialises in out-of-court restructurings; Jorge Valdés King is known for commercial litigation, arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings; with finance specialist René Arce Lozano and litigator Luis Ernesto Peón Barriga completing the senior team.

Mexico > Compliance Tier 3

Acting for clients from a range of sectors - including manufacturing, construction, healthcare and energy - the compliance practice at Hogan Lovells advises on corporate compliance policies (and ensuring their alignment with Mexico’s National Anticorruption System regulations), conducts internal investigations, and provides compliance-regulations training sessions. Key contacts include Carlos Miranda, who undertakes anti-corruption compliance due diligence and is experienced in corporate, M&A, insurance, infrastructure and energy law; and corporate and finance expert Juan Francisco Torres Landa, who has advised national and multinational companies on matters of compliance, white-collar crime and investigations. Veteran disputes and anti-corruption practitioner Luis Enrique Graham and corporate law-focused Federico de Noriega Olea provide additional depth to the bench’s skillset.

Mexico > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Fielding a 24-strong practice group co-led by six partners Hogan Lovells’ Mexico-based M&A offering cover the full spectrum of corporate transactions, with the added resources of a full service firm backed by a strongly integrated global firm. Unsurprisingly, the team attends a prestigious client roster with myriad “household names” – from Mondelez, IBM, Daimler and Ford, to Sony Music, Del Monte Foods and Prudential Real Estate. The practice houses a number of renowned figures, such as Juan Francisco Torres Landa, who is highly-regarded for his skills handling cross-border work and corporate restructurings; Federico De Noriega, who boasts a strong track record in joint ventures and multi-party acquisitions; and Carlos Ramos, who provides additional expertise regarding insurance and energy law in Mexico (and divides his time between the firm’s Houston and Mexico City offices). With a practice centred on the industrial, consumer products, automobile and financial services sectors, Mario Jorge Yañez also divides his time between two offices: Mexico City and Monterrey; while Guillermo González Frankenberger and July-2022 hire, counsel Gina Decanini, operate solely from Monterrey. Indeed, the pair are highlighted f0r their ‘great knowledge and experience’: Gonzalez has over 25 years’ experience in M&A, real estate, corporate governance, and commercial and corporate matter; while Decanini – formerly a partner at Canales and experience in house at Cemex – has experience across the administrative, company law, corporate, energy and real estate sectors. Rounding out the partner group, Ángel Domínguez de Pedro focuses on civil law and commercial, real estate and M&A transactions. Counsel Andrea López De La Campa, also in Mexico City, is another key member of the group and focuses on M&A, corporate reorganisations, corporate day-to-day activities and commercial cross border transactions. Corporate and M&A focused senior associate Karla Rabasa is also noted.

Mexico > Environment Tier 3

Following the January 2023 departure of former practice head Brenda Rogel, the Mexico office of full service international firm Hogan Lovells‘ hired experienced practitioner Mauricio Llamas from Jones Day in April 2023, bringing senior associate Mauricio Villegas with him. Llamas – who originally opened his own specialist environmental boutique firm back in 2008 –  has over 20 years dedicated to the sector and also has broader experience that reaches into government regulation and environmental health and safety (EH&S) matters. This latter area is also an area of specialism for Villegas who advises domestic and international clients on a wide array of EH&S compliance matters and M&A environmental auditing procedures. The team is rounded out by Sofia de Llano and Santiago Contró (mid- and junior-level associates, respectively) who also arrived with Llamas; and a pair of January 2023 hires that further the practice group’s capabilities in the ESG space: practice director Pablo Necoechea, and ESG-focused associate, Mariana Ávila Martínez. While it remains early to see how the practice will bed in at the firm initial signs are positive with the group handling a more or less balanced workload split between environmental consultancy, environmental auditing and environmental litigation for clients in the hydrocarbons, metallurgy and mining, and industrial recycling sectors, among others. Recent mandates include comprehensive advice for the development of a one-of-a kind, waste-to-energy and recycling facility in the north of Mexico.

Mexico > Insurance Tier 3

‘Characterised by extensive knowledge in regulatory issues’, Hogan Lovells’ insurance law department also has notable expertise in the formation and acquisition of insurance, surety and brokerage companies. Practice head Carlos Ramos Miranda is an experienced figure in insurance matters across a variety of industries and  handles regulatory issues, transactions and litigation in the insurance sector with facility. Omar Guerrero and Luis Ernesto Peón are noted for representing insurance companies in commercial litigation and insolvency proceedings, while associate Andrea Tinoco was very active in 2022 supporting on insurance industry corporate and regulatory matters.

Mexico > International trade and customs Tier 3

With strong offerings in both WTO proceedings and international trade matters, and customs law, Hogan Lovells has a broad practice that is notable for having been involved in some of the most complex anti-dumping investigations in Mexico. On the customs side, the full suite of administrative, advisory and litigious work is handled by the department which is co-led by a trio of experienced partners. Mario Jorge Yañez is a fully dedicated international trade specialist; Juan Francisco Torres Landa is the firm’s Latin America group chair for international trade; and Arturo Tiburcio is a litigator with a focus on both trade and tax issues. Senior associate Mario Lara and associate Brianda Ramírez assist the practice heads across all IC&T matters.

Mexico > Real estate Tier 3

Hogan Lovells houses a ‘technically sound’, eight-strong real estate practice that is known for its expertise in real estate due diligence, the sale and acquisition of real estate, leasing and condominium regimes, construction, litigation, and the operation and management of real estate developments. The ‘outstanding’ team regularly counsels international real estate developers and corporations, and operates under the leadership of a trio of experienced partners: Juan Francisco Torres Landa specialises in project financing, foreign investment and M&A; Ángel Domínguez De Pedro handles M&A and real estate financing and is lauded as having an ‘extraordinary understanding of the law’; and Monterrey-based Guillermo González Frankenberger is experienced in M&A, real estate and corporate governance. Of counsel Fernando Medina Luna majors on civil, commercial, corporate and real estate matters, including ejidos, and claims before PROFECO and local authorities. At associate level, Ana Lucía Gutiérrez Fernández is noted for her contributions on land leases, purchases, real estate portfolio transactions and administrative regulatory matters.

Mexico > Tax Tier 4

Hogan Lovells is a strong choice of counsel for tax audits in Mexico, where it has deep experience representing a diverse range of international businesses. The team also supports the firm’s corporate and M&A practice on the tax aspects of transactions in the country. Leadership is divided between three lawyers: deeply experienced veteran Arturo Tiburcio, who focuses his practice on tax consultation, income tax audits, VAT, and international tax issues, including double tax treaties and transfer pricing; Jaime Espinosa, a Monterrey-based expert on transactional tax law; and counsel Francisco Palmero, whose experience covers the breadth of the firm’s tax offering. Senior associate David Esquivel is another notable contact in the team.