Gizeh Polo > Cuatrecasas > Mexico City, Mexico > Lawyer Profile

January 2023 saw Cuatrecasas‘ Mexico office absorb local boutique Rico, Robles, Libenson, S.Cl, thereby gaining a 12-lawyer team (including four partners) with particular strength in transactional matters and disputes work. The move has only served to further strengthen the practice offering from an office that -since its opening in 2016- has steadily developed impressive track record in corporate and M&A matters. Moreover, the team can also draw resources not only from the firm’s Spanish headquarters but also from it’s increasingly relevant offices in Bogotá, Lima, Santiago de Chile and New York. Locally, the now 12-strong corporate practice is led by Santiago Ferrer (who also heads-up the competition department) and advises both domestic and international companies on commercial transactions, M&A, joint investments and financing, and asset and liability transfers, among other matters. Key associate support is provided by semi-senior Fernando Ruiz, who focuses on corporate, commercial and transactional matters. The group is gaining traction in an ever growing number of sectors, including consumer products/retail, infrastructure, healthcare, real estate, gaming, and energy and renewables; and recent headline matters saw the team advise Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets on the $173.8m acquisition of Gasoducto de Morelos and Morelos (the owners and operators of a 172km pipeline), from Elecnor and Enagás. Corporate and finance associate Juan Carlos Galicia left the firm in March 2023; however, since research concluded the firm has further built out its capabilities with the October-2023 hire of former Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. senior associate, Gizeh Polo Ballinas, as a partner; he is tasked with developing the office’s capital markets capability.

Cuatrecasas advises on the full spectrum of financial transactions, with particular strength with regards to corporate finance, structured transactions, and project and infrastructure finance, and counts major banks and insurance companies among its clients. The firm fortified its position in the Mexican market with its January 2023 integration of the former Rico, Robles, Libenson, S.Cl firm, which has increased its capacity to deal with domestic transactional and regulatory matters, combining this expertise with its existing strength in cross-border matters. The firm’s recent standout work has included advising Hotel Excellence Riviera Cancún and the Riviera Nayarita One&Only Mandarina Hotel on the refinancing of their debts. Spain-qualified León López has over two decade’s experience in banking matters and is well versed in the full range of financing transactions, he leads the team with Gustavo Robles -one of the group that joined the practice in January 2023- an additional name of note. Since research concluded the firm has further built out its capabilities with the hire of former Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. associate, Gizeh Polo Ballinas, as a partner; tasked with developing the office’s capital markets capability, he arrived in October 2023. Since publication, the practice has been further strengthened with the February 2024 hire of Mariana Campos; with extensive in-house experience including Barclays Bank (Mexico), BIVA and JP Morgan, Campos is a 20-year veteran of  the banking and finance sector, also handling capital markets, financial regulatory matters and banking transactions.