The Legal 500 > Latin America > Mexico > Intellectual property

Full-service firm Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. has a top-notch IP department that competes head-to-head with the main specialist boutiques in the sector. The area stands out for its strong expertise in copyright and trade mark matters, including the prosecution of distinctive brands and trade names, while also remaining active in litigation. Seven partners head the practice: Martín Michaus, who focuses on trade marks, patents and copyrights; trade mark prosecution expert Eduardo Kleinberg, who also leads the franchising and licensing areas; skilled litigator and data protection specialist Adolfo Athié; Claudio Ulloa, who handles all patent-related work; and Jorge Vega and Jose Hinojosa, who are recommended for their general non-contentious work. Juan Carlos Hernandez, together with of counsel Manuel Guerra, are currently leading the entertainment law sub-practice. Other highlighted practitioners include litigation partner Eduardo Castañeda and senior associates Mariana Vargas and Santiago Zubikarai.

Multidisciplinary firm Hogan Lovells boasts a group of lawyers who are well recognized in the market for their trade mark and copyright prosecution practice. Under the guidance of partner Bernardo Herrerías, the team is highly valued for its anti-counterfeiting work and skills in litigation and enforcement regarding trade marks, patents and copyrights. Recent work highlights show the firm representing EMI Music in an infringement action related to the use of a “sampler” from a well-known artist in a song included in a new album. Other key practitioners include senior associates Valentina Schmid, who specializes in trade mark portfolio management for international clients, and José Armando Casillas, who is very experienced in the health care, technology, media, telecom, and consumer sectors.

Specialized boutique, TMI Abogados, has established itself as a reference when it comes to high expertise in IP and technology law in Mexico, and is often the go-to firm for big names from the IT or life-sciences sectors, among others. Always trying to offer out of the box methods, the practice is particularly prominent in trade mark infringement cases, counterfeiting claims and copyright enforcement issues. The practice is led by 'impressive' and talented practitioners including founding partner Kiyoshi Tsuru, accomplished litigator Rodolfo Rangel, and head of the patent and anti-counterfeiting departments, Irely Aquique.

Active for over a century, veteran firm Uhthoff, Gómez Vega & Uhthoff, SC stands as a major institution in the Mexican intellectual property market with high level expertise in all corporate-related IP advisory, franchising, data protection, and patent and trade mark prosecution and litigation. The team of 11 partners assists a wide roster of clients from the pharmaceutical, telecommunications, technology, media or automotive sectors, and evidences a particularly strong focus on life sciences. Key practitioners include Eugenio Pérez and senior partner Javier Uhthoff, who specialise in patents; trade mark experts Marcella Bolland, Consuelo González and Eryck Castillo; skilled litigators Saúl Santoyo and Xavier Hadad; the experienced Mario Ponce W., who handles copyright matters, and Ignacio Domínguez-Torrado, who is recommended for licensing work.

Impressive IP boutique Dumont, is highly sought after for its expert advice on patent work - covering filing, prosecution and litigation; and trade mark matters, including strategic advice on applications and protection; the team also handles copyright and unfair competition issues. The well-rounded team includes managing partner Laura Collada, hailed by clients as a ‘proactive, experienced and competent lawyer’; patents head Victor Garrido; trade marks head Christian Thomae, who is also very knowledgeable on copyright matters; and head of litigation, Israel Escobedo. The practice has developed particularly strong expertise and experience in the pharmaceutical, chemical, electrical, mechanical, biotech and IT sectors.

Full-service firm González Calvillo, SC has a stand-alone IP practice, led by partner Pablo Hopper, who has ‘outstanding skills in patent and trade mark registration matters’ and a very strong focus on litigation. The business-oriented team includes other key practitioners including counsel Alberto Pliego, who focuses on the transactional front, particularly franchising; senior associate Lirio Salgado, who primarily handles patents and copyrights; and skilled litigator Constantino Aquique, a former member of the disputes department of Mexican Institute for Intellectual Property (IMPI).

Goodrich, Riquelme y Asociados has a high-quality IP practice with a solid reputation for their guidance on patent, trade mark, and copyright infringement claims, as well as other, non-contentious matters. The team, led by senior partner Enrique Diaz, is a popular choice among a wide range of domestic and international companies working in the pharmaceutical, technology, retail and automotive sectors. Other key partners include Julio Prieto, who has high level of expertise in trade mark filings and prosecution; and Guillermo Sosa, who handles IP litigation matters.

Intellectual property is one of the core practices at Müggenburg, Gorches y Peñalosa, S.C. (MGPS), which represents clients in a variety of matters related to trade marks, patents, trade secrets, copyright, domain names and other IP rights. The department is particularly active in litigation, advising clients - including international pharmaceutical companies - on numerous procedures enforcing intellectual property rights, primarily related to patents and against third parties selling and manufacturing infringing products. Skilled litigator and patents' specialist, Esteban Gorches, is the team's key practitioner.

Full-service firm Santamarina y Steta offers ‘first class intellectual property services’, in the main IP areas of trade marks, patents, and copyright, as well as in trade secrets and domain names, plant varieties and breeder’s rights. As one client notes, the firm ‘understands the problems of the agronomic discipline’. The business-oriented team of six lawyers represents companies from the pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and automotive industries, and is led by Jose Pablo Pérez Zea, an expert in franchising and licensing, who also handles litigation and prosecution regarding intellectual property rights. Support comes from Daniel Legaspi, who was appointed counsel in January 2021 and handles trade marks, franchising and licensing and is also an accredited arbitrator for copyright issues; along with associates Jacqueline Caraza, who focuses on patents, and plant variety specialist Enriqueta Molina. The litigation side of the practice was reinforced by the arrival of Efraín Olmedo from Arochi & Lindner, SC in July 2019.

Well-known in the market for its solid litigation capability, the practice at Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC, offers clients ‘high level expertise’, especially regarding IP infringements, unfair competition, advertising and marketing controversies. Following the departure of practice head Marco Tulio Venegas, the team of 'highly qualified and efficient lawyers’ is now co-led by partners Rupert Hüttler and accomplished litigator Patricia Kaim, who was promoted at the end of 2019 and is praised by clients for her ‘knowledge, dedication and determination to solve our problems quickly’. Senior support comes from seasoned arbitrator Claus Von Wobeser.

The incorporation of the ‘very knowledgeable, competent, strategic-minded and dedicated,' senior associate Jonathan Rangel, has clearly boosted the presence of Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, S.C. in the Mexican IP market. As well as reinforcing the litigation-side of the practice, his arrival has also allowed the practice to secure an interesting roster of clients. He leads a team of ‘well-prepared experts’ with proven experience in intellectual property matters, that includes key practitioners Carlos Bello, who focuses on copyrights and related Internet issues, and the head of corporate Juan Carlos Morales.

Cuesta Campos y Asociados S.C. ‘has a strong understanding of intellectual property matters’, offering clients a solid practice that specializes mainly in patent and trade mark litigation, as well as trade mark registrations. The team of ‘exceptional’ lawyers has a particular emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry; mostly handling annulment actions, and is led by Mauricio Chozas, who is praised by clients for his litigation capabilities.

Ibarra, del Paso y Gallego has set out to establish itself as a solid player in the IP market. The arrival of former Ocampo 1890, S. C. partner, Juan Manuel Alvarez del Castillo, has been a great asset to the practice, which has increased both its activity and profile. Alvarez handles and prosecutes a broad range of matters involving trade marks, patents, copyright, domain names and related litigation; he is also a significant reinforcement of the firm's life sciences practice.

Boutique firm C&L Attorneys handles a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious patent, trade mark and copyright work, particularly for international clients. The practice is led by founding partners Ana Castañeda, who heads the patent and trade mark areas; and Jorge Leon, who has a strong focus on IP litigation - including infringement actions- and also leads the copyright and enforcement departments.

Corporate powerhouse Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. has developed a respectable IP area that has increasingly gained prominence in litigation. The team is led by partner Begoña Cancino, who regularly advises clients on trade mark, copyright and trade secret matters, including registration and enforcement of IP rights, negotiation of technology transfer, licensing and franchising agreements, litigation, the IP implications of transactions and on data privacy matters. The eight-strong team was reinforced last November with the arrival of sanitary regulation expert Guillermo Govela, as counsel, from an in-house position.

Specialised boutique De Alva & Asociados is best known in the IP arena for its expertise in trademark infringement and other IP related litigation; IP enforcement; trademark, slogan and trade name filing; international trademark filing (Madrid System); patent filing and prosecution; and copyright litigation. The three-strong practice, which has substantial expertise in industry sectors including entertainment and media, retail, software and computer services, chemicals and automotive, is led by founding partner Sergio De Alva, who is supported by partners Gerardo Torres and Luis Gaya.

Promoted to of counsel  in February 2020, Alejandro Díaz leads the practice at full-service firm Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes S.C., which focuses on trade marks, copyright and IP litigation; privacy and data protection, domain-name dispute resolution; advertising regulatory issues; licensing and franchising agreements; and entertainment, IT and sports law. The six-strong team also handles criminal procedures related to counterfeiting and piracy issues and has extensive experience in Constitutional Appeals (Juicios de Amparo).

The IP practice at Sánchez Devanny is differentiated by its strong focus on the pharmaceutical industry, advising key clients including Stendhal, Servier, Merck, Alexion, Serral, Lakeside, Biotoscana, Stendhal and Exeltis on a broad range of issues including prosecution, litigation, interactions with regulatory law for both patents and trade marks, as well as general policy advisory. IP practice head Juan Luis Serrano-Leets has 20 years' experience and is a 'a very complete lawyer'; formerly in house at Astra Zeneca, he also leads the life sciences and data privacy areas.