Agenda

This fireside chat will explore the evolving anti-corruption and compliance landscape in Mexico, focusing on the practical challenges organisations face in navigating regulation, enforcement and business relationships while maintaining high standards of integrity. The discussion will consider how companies can move beyond compliance as a purely legal requirement and embed ethical decision-making and accountability into their culture and day-to-day operations. It will ultimately focus on practical lessons and strategies for building resilient organisations that can manage corruption risks effectively while maintaining sustainable and responsible growth in Mexico. Of particular relevance to discuss the implications of foreign law applications in Mexico, in particular recent developments like the US rules designating criminal organisations as FTOs.

• • Juan Francisco Torres-Landa, partner, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
  • Ivonne Vargas, legal manager, Changan

3.20pm-4.05pm From chatbots to agents: building the AI-native legal department, in association with Harvey

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond conversational tools towards agentic systems capable of taking on increasingly complex legal workflows. For general counsel, the challenge is no longer simply how to use AI, but how to redesign the legal function to capture its full value while maintaining appropriate oversight and professional judgement.

This panel will explore what needs to change within legal workflows as organisations move from chat-based AI to AI agents, and examine some of the most common mistakes being made by law firms and businesses adopting legal AI in Mexico. Speakers will consider how automation is reshaping the roles of junior lawyers and paralegals, particularly as repetitive tasks become increasingly delegated to technology, and what new skills legal professionals will need as a result.

The discussion will also look ahead to what a genuinely ‘AI-native’ legal department could look like within the next five years, from new operating models and allocation of work to the evolving relationship between lawyers and technology. Finally, the panel will demystify the technology itself, including the distinction between general-purpose large language models (LLMs) and specialised legal AI platforms such as Harvey, and what those differences mean in practice for in-house teams.

• • Ami Egerstrom, legal engineer, Harvey
  • Tony Bueno, contract manager, Gentera
  • Edgar A. Ancona Leos, partner, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez
  • Margherita Birri, Research Editor, Legal 500

4.05pm-4.30pm Coffee break

4.30pm-5.15pm Dealing with uncertainty: how global companies are managing investments in Mexico amid geopolitical changes in trade and employment, in association with Basham
In an environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies, and an evolving labour framework, global companies face new challenges when investing in and operating in Mexico. This panel will explore how these developments are influencing investment decisions and the strategies companies are adopting to manage risk, remain competitive, and capitalize on the opportunities offered by the Mexican market.

The discussion will take a practical, multidisciplinary approach, combining legal insights with the perspective of an in-house counsel or business executive who can share firsthand experience on how these developments have affected business and investment decisions.

Key Discussion Topics:

• • The impact of trade tensions and evolving tariff policies on investment decisions.
  • The outlook for the USMCA and its influence on companies’ expansion, relocation, and growth strategies.
  • Supply chain reconfiguration and the challenges arising from the current geopolitical landscape.
  • Recent developments in Mexico’s labour environment, including union relations, labour compliance, and workforce stability, and their impact on investment decisions.
  • Key tax, trade, employment, and dispute-related risks that companies should consider when operating in an uncertain business environment.
  • Practical recommendations for General Counsel and senior executives to anticipate risks and make informed strategic decisions in a rapidly changing landscape.

• • David Eugenio Puente Tostado, partner (labour & employment), Basham
  • Sergio Barajas, partner (international trade), Basham
  • Gerardo Nieto, partner (tax), Basham
  • Elena Robles, legal director, Estafeta Mexicana

5.15pm-6.00pm Navigating the new M&A landscape: opportunities, risks and strategic growth in Mexico, in association with Holland & Knight

Mergers and acquisitions continue to play a pivotal role in shaping Mexico’s business landscape, as companies pursue growth, resilience and competitive advantage in an increasingly complex economic environment. Against a backdrop of evolving regulation, geopolitical uncertainty and heightened investor scrutiny, successful transactions require legal, commercial and strategic alignment from the outset.

This panel will bring together leading in-house counsel and M&A practitioners to explore the key trends driving deal activity in Mexico. The discussion will examine current market dynamics, cross-border investment, regulatory developments, due diligence challenges, transaction structuring and post-acquisition integration. Panellists will also share practical insights into managing risk, navigating negotiations and delivering value throughout the deal lifecycle, offering general counsel actionable perspectives on executing successful transactions in today’s market.

• • Roberto R. Pupo, partner, co-chair of the South Florida Corporate, M&A and Securities Practice Group and the Latin America Practice Group, Holland & Knight
  • Paola Frettlohr, head of legal Mexico, WeWork
  • Javier Barrera Gazcón, partner, general counsel, Nexxus Capital
  • Gerardo Prado Hernández, partner, Holland & Knight

6.00pm-6.05pm Closing remarks

6.05pm-7.00pm Drinks and canapés