Carlos Aiza > Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. > Mexico City, Mexico > Lawyer Profile

‘Legal brilliance, attention to detail, negotiation skills, practicality, harmony with the client and commitment’ are the calling cards of the practice at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. The team routinely handles structured and DIP financings, syndicated loans, project and acquisition financings, and secured and unsecured financings, for which it is regularly instructed by international and domestic lenders, borrowers, guarantors, funds, agents, banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. A recent standout matter saw the group act as Mexican counsel to FIBRA Prologis, as borrower, on the refinancing of its $400m sustainability-linked unsecured revolver credit facility, with a syndicate of nine international and domestic banks. Firm chairman Carlos Aiza co-leads the practice and has extensive capital markets, corporate finance and asset-backed finance experience. Alongside him, Giovanni Ramírez Garrido specialises in acquisition finance, structured finance, asset-backed financing, and bankruptcy and restructuring mandates. Additional key partners include Pedro Velasco (banking and finance, bankruptcy, capital markets); Giovanni Ramírez Garrido (acquisition finance, structured finance, asset-backed financing, real estate financing); Emilio Aarún (structured finance, bankruptcy and restructuring), and Alejandro Isaac (secured and unsecured financings, real estate and project finance), who are collectively lauded by one client as ‘very talented … undoubtedly the best financing lawyers in Mexico’. Following the departure of former senior Adriana Colliers who moved in house at Vanguard in September 2024, Martín Pavón Pérez, and Lorena Bustamante are the key associate-level contacts; both support the partners across the gamut of banking and finance matters.

The ‘extremely solid’ team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. is a strong choice for a range of capital markets mandates, garnering praise from clients for its ‘timely delivery in complex transactions’ and ‘in-depth knowledge’. The group has a track record advising issuers, underwriters, pension funds and other institutional investors on both debt and equity transactions, and has also participated in landmark transactions involving CKD listings, FIBRAs, SPACS and REITS. Carlos Aiza takes the lead and specialises in capital markets and corporate finance transactions, FIBRA IPOs and workouts. A further key figure, Rodrigo Castelazo handles private equity and capital markets transactions, and has experience advising Mexican and international sponsors on establishing Mexican CKD funds. Mercedes Haddad, in turn, is noted for her work participating in bond issuances in Mexico and cross-border debt offerings and private placements; while Carlos Zamarrón undertakes private and public structured finance and capital markets transactions. Crisanto Sánchez was promoted to counsel in January 2024; and Mauricio Rascón is the name to note at senior associate level.

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.‘s bankruptcy group offers clients support with restructuring transactions, regulatory issues, workouts and the liquidation of distressed companies. The practice’s client roster features both debtors and creditors – an array of major banks, corporations, and private equity funds – and team members also have experience acting as mediators and receivers in insolvency proceedings. The department is co-directed by Carlos Aiza and Rodrigo Castelazo, who are active in restructurings, capital markets and corporate finance transactions. Additional key contacts include Pedro Velasco, who represents creditors and debtors on the non-contentious aspects of restructurings; and Emilio Aarún, who handles cross-border debt restructuring and negotiations with secured and unsecured creditors. Of counsel Thomas Heather is noted for his expertise in restructuring, arbitration, and corporate governance mandates and lauded for his ‘experience, professionalism and deep knowledge’. Focused on capital markets and restructuring, Christian Dorantes was promoted to counsel in January 2024.