Recognised as a first-class practice in terms of private wealth law in México, Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. fields a sizeable team with a well-established footprint across the country. Victor Barajas, who earns praise for being a ‘very complete lawyer’ with an ‘excellent understanding of cross-border transactions and law applicability’, as well being credited with having been able to ‘position the firm internationally’, is head of the practice. The group's broad experience encompasses tax and legal planning of HNW individuals and families concerned with the transfer of their domestic and international assets; the design of cross-border successions and estates; due diligence regarding Mexican, US and international trusts; the drafting of Mexican trusts for succession and estate planning; assistance to foreign counsel with the design and drafting of foreign estate planning vehicles, including foreign trusts and personal holding companies, wills and others legal aspects related to the family wealth. Additional partner-level support is brought to the practice by Francisco Matus, who is well-versed in tax planning and consulting, although former M&A-head Daniel del Río retired in March 2022.
Wealth management in Mexico
Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C.
Practice head(s):
Victor Manuel Barajas; Alejandro Barrera
Testimonials
‘Victor Barajas is a professional with great experience and strategic tact for his clients.’
‘Basham, Ringe y Correa is a well-known law firm in the Swiss banking industry. Victor Manuel has managed to position the firm internationally. The law firm is very strong in tax work and has a very good commercial approach.’
‘Victor Manuel Barajas is a very complete lawyer. He is very knowledgeable and is always able to explain every single matter related to Mexican law and taxes in a very simple way. He has an excellent understanding of cross-border transactions and law applicability. He is well familiarized with the international banking industry and accurately advices his clients.’
Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa
Hailed as an ‘undisputed leader’ in this domain, Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa
renders services to a variety of players, including individuals, financial institutions and trustees, assisting them with the fulfilment of their tax obligations, as well as with the implementation of investment and legal structures both in Mexico and abroad, in compliance with the provisions of the applicable tax and legal regulations. Leading the practice is Alfredo Sánchez, who is regarded by clients as ‘one of the best tax experts in Mexico’, and boasts over three decades’ experience advising clients in connection with all aspects of domestic and international estate planning and succession matters for individuals, trusts and estate administrators. Younger parter Ana Sofía Ríos, whose expertise encompasses Mexican trust formation, holding companies, donations, planning for retirement and disability, governance and succession planning for family-owned businesses, transactions involving private investments and residential real estate in Mexico, is another key member of the group.
Practice head(s):
Alfredo Sanchez Torrado
Testimonials
‘Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa is an excellent law firm that combines legal and accounting practices like few others. Their opinions are always very accurate and with a great legal/fiscal foundation. An undisputed leader.’
‘Alfredo Sanchez Torrado is, without a doubt, one of the best tax experts in Mexico. He is very thorough in his analysis. He has extraordinary practical experience. He has a great understanding of the offshore world and international banking regulations.’
Key clients
JP Morgan
Citibank
UBS
Credit Suisse
Julius Ber
Bank Safra
BNP
Santander
Morgan Stanley
Work highlights
- Advised a family on trust setup for next generation and family protocol.
- Advised a client on preimmigration and change of tax residency due to relocation to another country.
- Advised a client on the setting up of Mexican fideicomiso (trust) for asset protection and smooth transfer of assets to the next generation.
Galicia Abogados S.C.
Galicia Abogados S.C.
is the firm of choice for a number of financial institutions, family offices and high-net-worth individuals in need of assistance with the legal aspects of estate and succession planning, including tax, corporate governance, real estate, wills, trusts, regulatory compliance and litigation risk management. The group is jointly headed by co-managing partner Christian Lippert, and Gabriela Pellón who mainly advises individuals and families regarding international investments and tax compliance, and can draw on her expertise handling tax aspects in transactions, mergers, spin-offs and acquisitions, restructurings, capital reductions, applicability of international treaties, tax audits and legal defence. Senior associates Cecilia Díaz De Rivera, Fabiola Jiménez and Fernando Luján are other names to note.
Practice head(s):
Christian Lippert; Gabriela Pellón
Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C.
Hailed for advising ‘punctually and in the best way’, the team of ‘excellent professionals’ who comprise the wealth management practice at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. are well known for their work advising on family wealth management with a focus on cross-border tax compliance, as well as pre-migration planning. Jorge Narvaez Hasfura helms the team, bringing to bear his broad expertise in transfer pricing and corporate reorganisation mandates, as well as his solid knowledge of tax rulings, treaties and litigation. He is closely supported by Javier Ordoñez, who excels in tax consulting in matters related to cross-border transactions, tax rulings, tax treaties, corporate restructurings, private equity, estate planning and wealth management. Senior associate Lizette Téllez De La Vega, who brings additional expertise in anti money laundering compliance programs, is also noted. All three are based in Mexico City.
Practice head(s):
Jorge Narvaez-Narvaez
Testimonials
‘Undoubtedly, the updating that the team has, as well as the articulation between domestic and international solutions, makes conversations and projects very efficient.’
‘They advise punctually and in the best way.’
‘They are excellent professionals.’
Key clients
Swiss Life (Luxembourg)
Utmost PanEurope dac
Quilter International
Highland Capital Brokerage
Work highlights
- Regulatory, tax and wealth management advice for Swiss Life (Luxembourg) in connection with life insurance offered to Mexican clients.
- Provided Utmost with regulatory, tax and wealth management advice in connection with life insurance offered to Mexican clients.
- Provided Quilter with regulatory and tax advice in connection with the Mexican insurance regulatory and tax implications related to the company’s offering of certain investment unit-linked insurance products to Mexican resident clients.
Sánchez Devanny
The wealth management group at Sánchez Devanny garners praise for its team of ‘expert lawyers’ who offer ‘solid, prudent, practical solutions, and ‘stand out for their expert knowledge and their experience – especially in designing cross-border solutions’. Key contacts of the group include Querétaro's Abel Mejía and Monterrey's Ricardo León, who is valued by clients for being ‘able to understand the big picture’ when handling mandates. Mejía specialises in international tax planning, both for companies and individuals. Regarding the latter, he advises on a range of matters such as pre-migration tax planning to other countries, design of international patrimonial structures that incorporate corporate-family governance protocols and orderly inheritance transmission, as well as as planning regarding inheritance taxes in different jurisdictions. León's expertise allows him to structure tax-efficient domestic and cross border acquisitions, mergers, reorganisations, spin-offs, redemptions, liquidations, post-acquisition integrations and business restructurings.
Practice head(s):
Abel Mejía; Ricardo León
Testimonials
‘Sánchez Devanny has expert lawyers with a lot of experience who work in a collegial manner to develop innovative, solid, prudent, practical solutions, and above all tailored to each client and their particular needs.’
‘Sánchez Devanny´s lawyers stand out for their expert knowledge, their experience – especially in designing cross-border solutions- their network of contacts that they use to perfect solutions, and their high level of professional demand.’
‘The team is capable and conscientious.’
‘Ricardo Leon stands out for being able to understand the big picture, knowing the law, and managing clients well.’
‘A solid team that understands perfectly the need for a cross-department collaboration. They are a young and highly qualified team with a very important spirit of growth and belonging to the corporation.’
‘Abel Mejía is the perfect example of teamwork and professionalism.’
‘The team is excellent, led by Ricardo Leon, they are always available when required, the fees are agreed in advance and are always very reasonable considering the quality of work and the final product received. Compared to other firms we have worked with, they are above average.’
‘The service is personalised, they are flexible and provide tailored solutions. We have recently worked with Ricardo Leon.’
Key clients
Citibank
UBS
Merril Lynch
JP Morgan
Lombard Odier
Deutsche Bank
JTC
Lombard International Insurance US
Zedra
Day Pitney
Work highlights
- Assisted with the creation and implementation of a Mexican share control and real estate trust to which the family equity and real estate holdings concentrated in multiple industrial parks in the northern region of Mexico were transferred.
- Assisting with the reviewing and updating a company’s policy for tax equalisation, planning and compliance of expatriated employees into Mexico and from Mexico to diverse other jurisdictions.
- Assisted with the restructuring of domestic and offshore holdings, treasury and commercial brokerage vehicles (involving over $75m), and interacting with local Spanish and Belgian counsel for the same purpose.