Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. > Tijuana, Mexico > Firm Profile

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Mexico > Energy and natural resources Tier 1

Among the comprehensive array of energy and natural resources services at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C., clients appreciate its ‘deep knowledge of environmental matters’ and commend the team for being ‘ahead of regulatory developments in the carbon credit space’. Its recent workload has been indicative of the breadth of the department’s expertise, acting in amparo trials, financings, regulatory compliance and M&A, among other areas. At the head of the practice, Benjamín Torres-Barrón handles all legal matters relating to the development and construction of real estate, mining, infrastructure and other major projects spanning energy and natural resources, either in Mexico or involving Mexican entities. Daniel Sánchez Morales is an experienced advisor to both developers and lenders; while Marco Nieto-Vazquez has a strong public sector practice, focusing on nuclear matters, and power trading and pricing. At associate level, key support is provided by Carlos Maass-Porras and Pamela Lemus. Former senior asociate Carlos Muskus Guardia left to establish his own practice in October 2022.

Mexico > International trade and customs Tier 1

The combination of Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C.’s breadth of domestic coverage (with offices in Cd. Juárez, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey and Tijuana), and its position as an integral part of the wider firm's global network, make for powerhouse international trade and customs capability that can support a multinational client base on the full suite of sectoral matters. A dedicated customs team assists with the structuring and establishment of IMMEX operations; audits; customs litigation; international trade agreements; and all related dealings with the Mexican authorities. The department is co-led by Manuel Padrón-Castillo, in Cd. Juárez, who is especially experienced in the maquiladora industry; and Adriana Ibarra-Fernández, in Mexico City, a key figure in the market who has professional experience at the Ministry of Economy. Armando De Lille-Calatayud is the name to note in Monterrey and a reliable figure for strategy, audits and customs litigation. In Guadalajara, Daniel Sánchez-Elizondo and Verónica Rejón-Avina both maintain broad customs practices; partners Jorge Ambriz-Cuevas (Cd. Juárez) and José Hoyos-Robles (Mexico City), and of counsel Andrea Diéguez-Orozco (also in Mexico City), are all further names to note.

Mexico > Labour and employment Tier 1

The sizeable Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. labour and employment practice is especially well-regarded for its support to multinationals in major cross-border workforce reorganisations. This is, however, one of the numerous services provided by a practice whose offering covers the gamut of matters in the labour and employment field; a deep bench features practitioners with specific expertise in a number of market segments. At the firm’s Monterrey office, practice head Ricardo Castro-Garza is a seasoned counsel to Mexican businesses operating internationally and works closely with the firm’s corporate and M&A practice. Also in Monterrey, Alfonso García-Lozano’s practice includes corporate employment advice and employment litigation; while in Mexico City, Manuel Calderón heads the labour litigation department. Javiera Medina-Reza is another key name for labour and social security litigation, while Salvador Pasquel-Villegas is one of the most experienced practitioners in the department and a trusted counsel to international companies on employment and social security matters arising from M&A, divestitures and redundancies, international contracts and  the termination of high-level executives. Maria del Rosario Lombera-González is noted for employment law, particularly compensation and benefits and pension plans; and the firm’s Tijuana office houses employment law experts Carlos Martín del Campo and René Pérez. Liliana Hernández-Salgado and Gabriel Ortiz both continue to develop their practices at the more junior end of the partnership scale, while Humberto Ruiz Correa, in Monterrey, is the senior associate to note.

Mexico > Life sciences Tier 1

Global firm Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. pulls no punches when it comes to its life sciences offering in Mexico, fielding a ‘well-developed practice' consisting of 14 partners (drawn from a diverse range of practice groups), plus a further four associates and two senior technical experts, thereby allowing the firm to put together teams with capability in the distinct segments of the sector. Practice head Christian Lopez-Silva is a recognised and dedicated specialist whose practice takes in  both advisory and regulatory healthcare and life sciences matters, associated IP and IT&C matters, life sciences transactions, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotech, product liability and recall, and public law and regulatory disputes. He is flanked - as necessary - by a further five key partners: foreign trade and customs specialist José Hoyos-Robles; head of the firm's technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) industry practice group in Mexico, privacy specialist Carlos Vela-Treviño; IP specialist Marina Hurtado-Cruz - who has particular expertise regarding health, advertising and consumer law and whose practice also takes in administrative litigation; Guadalajara-based Fernando Robles, also an IP specialist (particularly as regards litigation and enforcement), who in addition has a niche specialism as regards the beverage and alcoholic drinks sector; and Roberto Cardona, a tax specialist and head of the firm's public and administrative law practice in Mexico. At associate level, following the March 2022 departure of senior David Campos, the firm hired Carla Calderón -also as a senior- in November 2022; a dedicated specialist whose practice encompasses life sciences regulation, pharmaceutical law and biotechnology matters, she arrived at the firm after almost a decade as chief legal officer at government contractor EXIMCO, where she gained considerable experience in administrative law. The group's caseload indicates ongoing consolidation of the practice offering, particularly as regards regulatory litigation (notably, for a number of medical device companies), private health service matters (for regional private hospitals such as Puerta de Hierro and Christus Muggerza), digital health, public acquisitions and patent linkage (for clients such as Glaxo Smith Kline, Biogen and Procter & Gamble).

Mexico > Intellectual property Tier 2

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. acts on the full suite of IP matters, from disputes to transactional support, with the combination of its international presence and practitioners on the ground across Mexico constituting a significant plus for its international client base. The department is organised along industry lines, with partners focused on up to two sectors. Fernando Robles-Pesqueira is especially strong in the consumer goods and retail sectors and coordinates the IP litigation sub-group of the department. For patent matters, Marina Hurtado-Cruz is the lead contact; an expert on health, advertising and consumer law, she excels in healthcare and life sciences. Carlos Dávila-Peniche is in charge of the copyright and media, and the enforcement groups; his practice covers the drafting, negotiation, review and enforcement of licensing and franchising agreements, as well as technology and intangible asset transfers. The four-strong leadership group is rounded out by counsel Gresly Marcano, the name to note for brand management matters. All above named lawyers are based in Mexico City, while in Guadalajara, Daniel Villanueva-Plasencia and associate Sebastian Salido-Aguilera are the key names.

Mexico > Real estate Tier 2

Lauded by one client as ‘one of the most skilled in the market’, the group at global powerhouse Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. is known for its broad real estate offering. It is well equipped to assist with land acquisitions, sale, purchase and lease agreements, financings and joint ventures, structuring and securitisations, as well as market entry and exit strategies. Operating from five strategic locations across the country – Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexico City – the ‘highly knowledgeable, responsive, and professional’ team routinely assist foreign multinationals and hotel groups with industrial, commercial, residential and tourism real estate projects. The practice is co-led by a trio of experienced partners: Juan Bernardo Garcia heads up both the Monterrey office and the firm’s global real estate and infrastructure practice group; his primarily transactional practice is firmly focused on real estate, development and construction law. José (Pepe) Larroque leads from Tijuana and handles the structuring of cross-border real estate transactions for the acquisition, development and financing of real estate and infrastructure projects; Guadalajara-based co-head Fabián Monsalve also leads the firm’s North America real estate practice, and specialises in project finance, real estate and M&A. Key senior associates support the partners across the range of matters, namely: Gabriela Saucedo (Monterrey), Roberto Cantu-Dessommes (Chicago), Carlos Maass-Porras (Ciudad Juárez), the ‘knowledgeable and available’ Juan Carlos Guerra-Gascon and Alejandra Muriel-Vizcaino (both in Guadalajara); and Atziri Rosado-Ontiveros (Mexico City).

Mexico > Tax Tier 2

The tax team at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. is appreciated by clients for its ‘very pragmatic approach’ and is especially well-versed in cross-border matters, drawing on the firm’s international network. The practice has a particular focus on the oil-and-gas, automotive, manufacturing and finance sectors. As of March 2023, coordination of the department is the responsibility of Jorge Narváez-Hasfura, who has over 35 years’ experience acting for companies in tax disputes, and advising as regards international taxation and transfer pricing matters; he is widely recognised as a leader in the tax law market. Previous practice head Luis Adrián Jiménez Robles remains an integral part of the group and focuses on Mexican inbound restructuring planning for multinationals and multijurisdictional groups headquartered in North American and Europe. International tax and private wealth are pillars of Javier Ordoñez’s practice; and Juan Carlos Valles is an experienced name in complex tax and customs litigation. Diana Juarez is another name to note for international taxation and tax planning, while at senior associate level, Graco Sáenz stands out. Since publication, Sáenz has been raised to the partnership - effective as of Janauary 2024.

Mexico > Wealth management Tier 2

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. brings the firm’s hallmark international outlook to its wealth management department in Mexico, with a focus on cross-border tax compliance, as well as strength in assisting insurers with compliance for operating in Mexico. Pre-migration planning is an additional notable component of the firm’s family client's offering. The team is led by Jorge Narváez-Hasfura, one of the country’s leading tax lawyers. With a ‘charismatic approach’, Javier Ordoñez-Namihira is also a key figure in the team; clients highlight him as ‘a super knowledgeable lawyer’. A senior associate in the tax planning group, Lizette Téllez de la Vega provides key support on wealth management matters.

Mexico > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. operates a multi-jurisdictional merger control practice for its clients with operations in Mexico, and is also part of the firm’s global offering regarding cartels and as compliance counsel. Practice head and managing partner of the firm’s Mexico offices, Raymundo Enriquez is well-versed in merger control, cartel investigations, antitrust compliance and competition litigation. He is supported by Luis Amado, who is particularly strong on investigations related to potential monopolies; and associate Alina de la Luz, formerly at COFECE for over seven years, and who has particular expertise in abuse-of-market-dominance cases and the analysis of competition conditions.

Mexico > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Not just ‘a good day-to-day corporate practice’, but also ‘a skillful and knowledgeable practice that understands the current challenges of international transactional operations’, Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C.‘ 50-strong corporate team -spread across offices in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cd. Juárez, Monterrey and Tijuana- constitutes a unique offering, both as a local “one-stop shop” and with its ability to draw on the firm’s truly global network. The practice regularly handles a broad range of M&A, joint ventures, public offerings, restructurings and strategic alliances for clients of all sizes and sectors, both local and foreign, including both public and private companies, start-ups, investment banks, venture capital operations and growth equity firms. Overall head of the M&A and transactional practice in Mexico, Gaspar Gutiérrez Centeno leads the department from the Mexico City (CDMX) office and is particularly active in transactions across the projects and real estate sectors. Indeed, the bulk of the team is in CDMX, with former managing partner Reynaldo Vizcarra-Mendez, and younger partners Carlo Pérez-Arizti (M&A, VC, foreign investment, and corporate and contractual law), Lorenzo Ruiz de Velasco (corporate and cross-border financial transactions, M&A projects, negotiations, divestitures and capital markets’ matters), and Stephanie Arias-Marruffo – who was promoted to the partnership in July 2023 – all working out of the capital. Elsewhere, in Cd Juárez, principal partner Jorge L Ruiz and Adriana Martínez-Alderete are warmly endorsed as ‘trusted advisors’ who are ‘always readily available and have always provided legally sound advice, tailored to our requirements’. At associate level, seniors Jesus Perez-Palazuelos (M&A, corporate, contractual and foreign investment law), and Alejandra Heredia-Martinez (general corporate law, foreign investment and corporate reorganisations), and associate Javier Zenteno are all noted.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 3

For contentious matters in the energy, automotive, alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceutical and tourism sectors, the litigation practice at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. makes for a robust and experienced choice of counsel. The department has capability across civil, commercial and criminal litigation, as well as in bankruptcy proceedings. The firm’s offices across Mexico all have key roles in the practice: in Monterrey, Alfonso Cortez-Fernandez is the main contact - he has a broad disputes practice with cross-border experience; commercial litigator Alfonso Curiel-Valtierra heads dispute resolution team in Mexico City; while in Guadalajara, David Márquez-Lechuga oversees contentious matters and is experienced in civil, commercial, and administrative litigation, along with restructuring and insolvency. Juan Francisco Vázquez-Lavista (in Mexico City) is another litigator with cross-border experience, and the practice was further strengthened in January 2023 with the promotion to the partnership of Javier Navarro Treviño in Monterrey. Guadalajara-based Emilio González-Guzmán is a key figure at associate level.

Mexico > Environment Tier 3

The small, four-strong team at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. handles the full range of environmental and climate change law matters, from regulatory compliance, clean-ups, audits, and corporate policies and management systems, to contentious administrative proceedings, environmental litigation, and health and safety issues, particularly as regards the real estate, mining and infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, automotive, hotels and hospitality, food, chemical, petroleum and manufacturing industries. Chair of the firm’s environmental and climate law practice in Mexico, senior counsel Frederico Ruanova-Guinea heads the practice and brings some 35 years’ experience to bear. Key support comes from finance-oriented senior associate Alejandra Muriel-Vizcaino; however, the departure of specialist senior associate and practice coordinator Mario Facio Salazar in September 2022 had undoubtedly impacted the practice. Recent matters include environmental surveys and reporting in relation to industrial facilities, issues pertaining to battery waste, and advising clients on seeking amendments to the ban on single-use plastics enacted in Mexico City.

Mexico > Projects and infrastructure Tier 3

According to one client, Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C.’s sizable team stands out for fusing ‘strong local knowledge’ with ‘international support’. The group regularly supports sponsors, investors, developers, lenders and operators with projects and infrastructure matters, covering the planning, structuring, financing, developing and construction stages. The practice is jointly led by Gaspar Gutierrez-Centeno, who specialises in project finance and M&A); and Benjamin Torres Barrón, who focuses on project development, construction and public bids. Key partner Daniel Sánchez-Morales‘s expertise spans corporate, energy, project finance and infrastructure matters; he has experience assisting multinational public and private corporations, private equity funds, real estate developers and investors, and financial entities. Associate Carlos Maass-Porras supports the partners on energy, mining, infrastructure, projects and real estate matters. Former senior asociate Carlos Muskus Guardia left to establish his own practice in October 2022.

Mexico > TMT Tier 3

A diverse client base of familiar multinationals across the TMT field instruct Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. on matters covering a broad range of practice areas. Cybersecurity and tech transformation are recent market trends which have seen an uptick in the department's workload, with companies keen to trial new technologies in the Mexican market as the regulatory landscape is friendlier than in other major markets. The global network of Baker McKenzie offices is a boon in terms of drawing new clients, but the Mexico team’s reputation is also increasingly strong, particularly among social media companies. Carlos Vela-Treviño leads the practice and is one of the market’s leading names in data privacy and cybersecurity law; he also has a robust practice across IT and telecoms law. Carlos Dávila-Peniche is an IP lawyer with strong experience acting for TMT clients; while Daniel Villanueva-Plasencia, raised to the partnership in January 2023, is a further key IP contact at the firm’s Guadalajara office.

Mexico > Banking and finance Tier 4

The team at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. advises a cohort of major local and international financial institutions -as lenders, borrowers, arrangers and guarantors- on major cross-border deals. The practice has a strong background in fintech transactions, and counts major payment processors Stripe and Adyen among its clients. With five Mexican offices (CDMX, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana), the firm has a strong presence in strategic locations in the north of the country. In addition, close collaboration with its ten offices in the United States furthers its cross-border capabilities. Partners Lorenzo Ruiz de Velasco and Gaspar Gutiérrez Centeno  handle banking and finance matters, and co-lead the team; with additional partner-level input from Daniel Sánchez Morales and Alfonso Martínez-Bejarano ‘an expert in the fintech world’. Senior associate Michelle Pfeffer works from the Monterrey office and specialises in lending, project finance, credit transactions and financial regulatory issues; associate Ruth Barbachano left the practice in October 2022.

Mexico > Compliance Tier 4

The compliance group at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. is focused primarily  on data privacy matters, AML and fraud prevention. It also stands out for its aptitude at handling investigations, with particular strength advising clients involved in pharmaceuticals and life sciences. The firm has a strong domestic network with a presence in CDMX, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana, and the compliance team counts a number of lawyers dual-qualified in Mexico and the US among its ranks. Reynaldo Vizcarra-Mendez coordinates the group, along with Jonathan Adams, who focuses on internal investigations and white-collar crime. Senior associate Claudia Aguilar joined in September 2022; partners Deyanira Flores-Rodriguez  and Héctor Díaz left the firm in October and November 2022.