The Legal 500 > Latin America > Mexico > International trade and customs

EC Legal Rubio Villegas strikes the right note with its ‘first-class practice’, which offers extensive experience in anti-dumping, countervailing duties, and safeguard measures, while also offering a top notch expertise in trade remedies, IMMEX, Prosec, export promotion programs, rules of origin, and customs and origin audits. The 13-strong team is co-led by four partners: in Mexico City, Eduardo David and Juan Carlos Partida, who specialize primarily in trade remedy matters; and from Ciudad Juárez: maquiladora expert Fernando Holguín and Felipe Mendoza, who has vast experience advising on compliance with treaty-established rules of origin and verification of origin procedures. Arturo Bañuelos, in Mexico City, is another name to note.

Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. has a respected international trade and customs department, impeccably combined with the firm's strong tax practice. The talented Sergio Barajas, who has broad knowledge of both the private and public sectors and is currently President of IMECE (Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos en Comercio Exterior), heads the team. It specializes in customs procedures, WTO and NAFTA-related treaty issues, IMMEX-related matters, audits, verification of origin, administrative procedures and foreign trade strategy for new operations, among other specialties. Senior associate Roberto Serralde, who brings vast experience regarding lobbying and governmental negotiations related to foreign trade matters concerning the automotive, electric, retail and chemical industries among others, is another key member of the team; however, experienced Nicolás Estrada left in April 2020 to establish Estrada & Villavicencio Consultores.

The excellent ‘combination of experience and knowledge’ makes the trade practice at Galicia Abogados S.C. stand out 'above all others’ both ‘individually and as a whole'. Partners Daniel Amézquita and Mario Valencia, who is well-known for his work in contentious customs and tax matters, co-head the team which handles maquila (IMMEX) and PROSEC programmes, certified companies (OEA or C-TPAT equivalent), VAT certificates, quotas, certifications, licences, import and export permits; tariff classifications and compliance with tax and customs obligations, as well as anti-dumping and subsidies investigations, litigation and arbitration processes, and FTA negotiations. All with a focus on the energy, pharmaceutical, automotive, telecommunications, chemical, e-commerce and retail industries. Key support comes from associate Fernando Rodriguez.

The accomplished David Hurtado heads the practice at Jáuregui y Del Valle, S.C., which is highly recommended for its expertise in anti-dumping and countervailing duties, while also skilfully handling multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, and other aspects of the IT&C area including litigation, market access, trade policy, preferential trade regimes, customs compliance, trade compliance and trade remedies. The six-strong practice includes additional key practitioners Luis Carballo, who handles tax and administrative litigation, as well as constitutional proceedings; and senior associate Julia García de Acevedo, who specializes in dumping, customs, and health-related international commerce.

Sánchez Devanny continues to shine in the international trade and customs market, thanks to its well-rounded team comprised of expert practitioners. Turenna Ramirez handles strategic planning of trade and customs matters along with litigation, and specializes in international treaties (including NAFTA), customs audits, export promotion programs (including IMMEX) and verification-of-origin processes. José Alberto Campos has a broad expertise in tax and regulatory aspects including tariff and non-tariff requirements and export controls, as well as significant experience in Free Trade Agreements executed by Mexico.  Eduardo Sotelo, who made partner in January 2020, is a very competent litigator. All three co-lead the practice. Also recently raised to the partnership, María Luisa Mendoza (IT&C matters particularly in relation to the energy, health and life science sectors) is another name to note among the eight-strong team, which has experience across the chemicals, automotive, food & beverages, cosmetics, medical and pharmaceutical, and alcohol and tobacco sectors, among others.

Partner Alexis Michel stands at the helm of the solid international trade and customs practice at SMPS Legal, which is praised for its advice on issues related with anti-dumping, and countervailing and safeguards investigations, while also skillfully handling mandates on matters including tax obligations, tariff classification, customs valuation, FTA matters, verification of origin procedures, criteria confirmation before tax and customs authorities; foreign trade programs (such as IMMEX), drawback and sector promotion programs; and internal audits and compliance. The six-strong team, which assists clients from a wide range of industries, including metals, retail and shipping,  also includes key senior associates Natalia Cardona, who specializes on tax consulting and litigation, and customs tax expert Lorena Domínguez.

A regular advisor to clients across a wide range of industries -including food and beverage, automobile, electronics and aviation- the practice at Hogan Lovells is divided into two main areas. Managing partner Juan Francisco Torres and the talented Jorge Yañez (who is notably strong on trade compliance and anti-dumping), focus on the international trade (dumping and subsidies) side, while fellow practice co-head Arturo Tiburcio is at the helm of customs matters (supported by Yañez). The solid team of five, which includes active senior associate Mario Lara, handles consultancy, litigation and administrative procedures, more specifically focusing on anti-dumping matters, tariff classification, customs compliance and regulations, rules of origin, tax audits related with customs compliance and import regulations established in tax legislation, customs/tax strategies, IMMEX/maquiladora activities, PROSEC matters, bonded and strategic tax warehousing and temporary importation regimes.

The young international trade practice at Holland & Knight has grown steadily over the past few years, advising on matters ranging from NAFTA verification-of-origin and renegotiation procedures, imports and exports, WTO disputes and permits, among other. The team is co-led by partner Luis Rubio, an experienced market player, also well-known for his strength in corporate and transactional matters; and Carlos Vejar, whose ‘vast experience’ and ‘excellent trajectory in the public and private sectors has allowed him to position himself as one of the most experienced lawyers in Mexico’, according to a client. Former general counsel for international trade at the Mexican Ministry of Economy, he offers specialized advice on international treaties and dispute resolution mechanisms. Associate Josafat Paredes is another key member of the five-strong department.

Backed by the firm's global network, Jones Day's Mexican international trade and customs practice advises domestic and international clients from across the manufacturing, maquila, retail, automotive, pharmaceuticals, mining and energy sectors, on the gamut of trade matters, with a special focus on maquiladora, regulatory, and FTA mandates, as well as litigation. The practice is led by of counsel Mauricio Llamas and counsel Javier A. Cortés, who has over 25 years' experience in custom duties and maquila-related work and their tax implications, along with consumer protection, litigation and life-science regulatory issues.

Operating from offices in Mexico City and Veracruz, as well as its Guadlajara (Jalisco) base, Ramos, Ripoll & Schuster has a full service IT&C practice led by a sector veteran Edmundo Elías Fernández, who has over 30 years' experience covering the spectrum of customs and international trade matters. The seven-strong team handles FTAs, import/export issues, audits, regulation and compliance, as well as all associated litigation. Arbitration focused partner Ruben Darío Gómez handles international trade proceedings and litigation; and the team was further strengthened with the arrival of tax and customs litigation-focused associate Pablo Licéaga from KPMG in January 2020. Recent matters include advising on procedures before PRODECON in relation to General Administration of Foreign Trade Operation's audits; verification of origin audits; Administrative Procedure in Customs Matters (PAMA) investigations and audits; revocation recourses; VAT-on-imports controversies and general customs and tariff advisory, among other matters. The team also handles the implementation of trade and customs compliance programs in relation to clients' supply chains.

Two experienced partners, Alejandro Luna and Ernesto Duhne, lead the eight-strong trade team at full-service firm Santamarina y Steta, which shows notable skills handling a range of IT&C matters, especially structuring operations in line with customs obligations, FTAs, IMMEX (maquiladora), tariff and non-tariff matters, taxation, anti-dumping, verification of origin, and related disputes. The practice has earned a good standing among multinational companies in the automotive, health, technology, aerospace, marine, pharmaceutical, retail and agro-industrial sectors, and also includes  noteworthy practitioners Mariano Calderón, a tax specialist who handles customs litigation, and associate Michel Zelaya.

Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC fields an ‘excellent’ seven-strong team, valued for its ‘mastery of international trade and customs issues’. With a particular focus on clients from the automotive, consumer goods, food and life sciences industries, the practice led by partner Luis Miguel Jiménez, who has particular expertise advising on matters related to IMMEX and Prosec programmes, as well as in handling VAT certifications. Also skilled in litigation matters, Jiménez is supported by experienced tax specialist Fernando Moreno, and associate María de Lourdes Salazar, the latter praised by clients for her knowledge of the area and for always offering ‘easy-to-understand explanations’.

Goodrich, Riquelme y Asociados houses a ‘very professional and experienced’ international trade and customs team, which skillfully handles non-tariff regulations and restrictions, tax payments, foreign trade audits, disputes, anti-dumping, tax refund procedures and IMMEX matters, among others issues. Partners Francisco Gómez and the ‘extraordinary’ Sergio Ruiz head the four-strong practice, which is praised by clients for offering ‘consultancy of the highest quality’. Associate Yoselin Sanabria, who specializes in customs fines; customs seizures; export incentives; imports and exports regulation, provides key support. Senior associate Mauricio Jaramillo left the firm in October 2019 to co-found CRZA Abogados. Since publication, Gómez and Ruiz have left the firm, along with fellow non-equity partner José Luis Vega, to join Ramírez Gutiérrez Azpe Rodríguez Rivero y Hurtado, effective as of Febraury 2021.