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

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Mexico > Banking and finance Tier 1

Characterised by its ‘knowledge, availabilty and professionalism’, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. is undoubtedly a key player in the Mexican market. Its ‘pro-business’ finance practice is composed of six partners, two counsels and 33 associates, and is adept at handling the range of banking and finance matters, including structured and DIP financings, cross-border and local single bank and syndicated loans, acquisition finance, and both secured and unsecured financings. Its stellar client roster is comprised of high-profile local and international banks, funds, insurance companies and non-bank financial institutions, which it advises both as lenders and borrowers. Senior partner Carlo Aiza, who has a strong track record in finance and asset securitization transactions, heads up the practice. The ‘well-coordinated’ and ‘highly technical’ team of partners is further made up of: Giovanni Ramírez Garrido, whose practice has an emphasis on acquisition and structured finance, as well as asset-backed and real estate financing; and the ‘excellent’ Pedro Velasco, who assists domestic and foreign financial institutions and corporate borrowers (from across a range of industries) with secured and unsecured financings; along with Rodrigo Castelazo (capital markets and structured finance transactions); Alejandro Isaac (commercial, acquisition, real estate financings, infrastructure and project financings); and Emilio Aarún, a partner since January 2022 (banking, finance, bankruptcy and restructuring transactions). Eduardo Flores left the firm in July 2022.

Mexico > Capital markets Tier 1

According to one recent client, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.’s capital markets team stands out for its ‘dedication, availability and creativity’, and has achieved ‘excellent results in record time’. Skilled at representing issuers, underwriters, pension funds and other institutional investors on both debt and equity transactions, the group’s expertise also encompasses CKD listings, Fibra Es, SPACS and mortgage REITs. Practice head Carlos Aiza is renowned for his extensive capital markets experience; Rodrigo Castelazo leads on the practice’s key matters, including a recent highlight advising GM Financial on the reopening of its first and second long-term issuance of notes as recurring issuer. Carlos Zamarrón advises clients on private and public structured financial and capital markets transactions – he and his colleagues are praised for their ‘deep knowledge of local laws’; Mercedes Haddad takes care of structured finance, asset securitisations and derivative transactions. Partner Eduardo Flores Herrera left the firm, effective July 2022.

Mexico > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

The ‘creative’ competition and antitrust team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. ‘has an exceptional degree of specialisation’ and is counsel of choice for a host of major multinationals operating in Mexico. It takes a considerable share of the merger control cases before COFECE and is also a regular in acting for major clients that are subject to sector investigations; recent mandates include matters in the jet fuel and liquid petroleum gas markets. Department head Carlos Mena is one of the go-to advisors in the market when it comes to competition law litigation and investigations, where he has experience on the other side of the table having been head of the investigative authority and general director of investigations of cartels. He and Jorge Kargl are praised by clients for their ‘experience in the sector, together with the attitude of service and commitment to the client’, and Kargl is especially noted in the TMT space. For one client, Luis Gerardo García ‘makes the difference‘’ and he is the founder of the firm’s practice in this area. Another experienced antitrust and competition specialist is Mauricio Serralde, who acts on the full range of competition of matters; while Sara Gutiérrez is rapidly establishing a strong practice in administrative litigation and antitrust, and was promoted to the partnership in January 2023. Senior associate Edgar Martín Padilla has a practice focused on assisting national and international companies with pre-merger authorisations, cartel investigations and procedures before regulatory entities. Since publication, Padilla has moved to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's Brussels office as a foreign associate.

Mexico > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. houses a leading corporate and M&A team over 40-lawyers’ strong which is lauded for its ‘outstanding experience and knowledge in all areas’. Billed by one client as ‘by far the best M&A team in Mexico’, the practice group is well-equipped to advise on sophisticated M&A transactions involving both publicly and privately-traded companies in regulated and unregulated industries. Domestic and multinational corporations, real estate investment funds, private equity funds, global development institutions and investment banks all feature on its client roster, and recent headline matters include advising Apollo Global Assset Management on the conversion of its DIP loan into an equity interest in Grupo Aeromexico (valued at $1.5bn); and Aimia on the divestiture of a $558m, $48.9% equity stake in loyalty program operator PLM, which thereby becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of the airline. The practice is co-led by seasoned M&A heavyweight Jean Michel Enríquez along with Jorge Montaño, who majors in private equity, venture capital and capital markets transactions. Additional key partners include Eduardo González, who frequently advises private equity firms on follow-on acquisitions and liquidity events; and Humberto Botti, who handles domestic and cross-border acquisitions and divestitures. Providing ‘clear, strategic, tailored solutions, on time… and with a clear 360° vision of the risks and how to mitigate them’, real estate-focused practitioner Carlos del Río and younger M&A partner Diego Barrera comprise ‘a duo the likes of which you are unlikely to find at another firm’. Former practice co-head Iker Arriola, who focuses on M&A, corporate law and antitrust matters, is now resident partner at the firm’s Madrid office, which officially opened its doors in January 2023; while Esteban Valadez (M&A, private equity, joint venture and complex real estate transactions) who was promoted to partner the same month, rounds out the senior bench. A deep associate bench includes seniors Gerardo Zimbrón, who has 15 years’ M&A experience; and Edgar Ancona, who undertakes M&A, PE, joint ventures, minority investments and asset sales. Since publication, Zimbrón has been raised to the partnership and Ancona promoted to counsel - effective as of January 2024.

Mexico > Environment Tier 1

Best known for providing assistance on the environmental aspects of M&A, financings and -particularly- real estate related matters, the 10-strong team at market mainstay Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. provides the full spectrum of environmental, sustainability and climate change-related advisory and associated administrative and constitutional litigation. A capable and experienced senior team includes departmental head Carlos de Icaza (who divides his time between real estate and environmental practices), and a deep second-line consisting of Alejandro Castelló (environmental law and real estate), Jessica Villaverde (environmental impact assessments, water law, hazardous wastes and site remediation), and Mariana Westendarp (environmental litigation, impact assessments, risk and remediation, among other matters) – all three of whom were raised to counsel in August 2022; each can draw on over 15 years’ experience in environmental matters. In the absence of projects-related mandates the team has primarily been active in transaction-related environmental matters, advising Arcosa on the restructuring and sale of its Mexican vessels-manufacturing business; ABC Group on the acquisition of automotive component manufacturer dlhBowles; and Steel Dynamics in connection with ferrous and non-ferrous scrap recycler Roca Acero, among other matters. Other significant mandates include counselling Celanese on all environmental legal requirements related to the definitive closure and dismantling of a gas pipeline in the state of Jalisco, including acting before Mexico’s Agencia de Seguridad, Energía y Ambiente (ASEA) to obtain all relevant authorisations. The team has also been increasingly active in administrative environmental litigation, and in water-related matters -particularly in the State of Nuevo León- following 2022’s water-scarcity crisis.

Mexico > Insurance Tier 1

Regulatory and transactional matters in insurance and reinsurance are routinely handled by Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., a regular fixture in the market’s more complex matters and active on a number of cross-border matters during 2022. The team’s client base of insurers looked to Leonel Pereznieto and his team for advice on dealing with the particularly aggressive stance of the tax authority in recent times; elsewhere, the practice has seen medical insurance become an increasingly common source of instructions. Pereznieto is also active in contentious insurance and reinsurance matters, focusing on the negotiation and settlement of reinsurance claims, and their resolution through arbitration. In support, counsel María José Pinillos has over 15 years' experience advising insurers, reinsurers and brokers on a broad array of issues; and senior associate Carlo Romero has a growing practice focused on insurance, reinsurance and financial regulatory matters.

Mexico > Real estate Tier 1

Undoubtedly one of Mexico’s predominant forces in real estate practice, the ‘attentive’ and ‘robust’ team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. garners praise for its ‘exceptional knowledge of real estate issues’ and skill at negotiation. The group’s expertise encompasses the regulatory aspects of direct and structured investment, and  strategic property acquisitions in the industrial, retail, commercial, tourism & leisure, residential and urban segments, as well as the development, management and operation of real estate projects. It is routinely instructed by local and multinational developers, promoters, tourism and hospitality companies, and investors – including real estate funds, Mexican CKDs, CERPIs and FIBRAs. The practice is co-led by Monterrey office head Francisco Montalvo, who has a strong track record advising domestic and multinational conglomerates on the acquisition and development of tourism, industrial and residential developments, as well as on the acquisition and divestiture of companies and assets in northern Mexico; and Carlos de Icaza, who works from Mexico City and has led on numerous innovative real estate transactions, often representing industrial groups, real estate investment trusts, development companies and private equity funds. Carlos del Río handles M&A, private equity and real estate transactions from the Mexico City office; Monterrey-based Badir Treviño-Mohamed advises real estate developers, administrators and investors (including international real estate funds, Mexican CKDs and FIBRAs), on the legal and regulatory aspects of investments in real estate for industrial, retail, commercial and tourism purposes. At of counsel level, key contacts include D&I director Valentina Villa and Alejandro Castelló, both of whom focus on real estate and environmental matters; Carlos Yamamoto (real estate and transactional matters); and Alfonso Pulido, who is seen by one client as ‘one of the best real estate lawyers in Mexico’ and is well-versed in the acquisition and sale of industrial and commercial real estate portfolios. Senior associate Brenda Elizondo is also noted.

Mexico > Tax Tier 1

Admired by clients for its ‘excellent technical knowledge and good communication skills’, the tax department at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. regularly assists with the tax elements of many of the major transactions in the Mexican market. The department is particularly renowned for its prowess in the capital markets arena where complex tax issues are involved. The firm has an extensive client base across numerous sectors and industries but is especially strong in the private equity space; Blackrock is among those that look to the firm for tax advice. Alejandro Santoyo heads the team and has a strong client base of finance sector clients, and Jorge Correa is another market-leading tax expert with strengths in capital markets and financial products. Omar Zúñiga‘s practice has an emphasis on international tax, advising multinational companies operating in Mexico and Mexican companies with business abroad; while Luis Vázquez is the most senior contact for litigation and other contentious tax matters. Talented younger partner Eduardo Brandt focuses on corporate and international tax in relation to financial, capital markets and M&A transactions; and counsel Luis Salinas supports the tax controversy practice.

Mexico > Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 2

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. has a good reputation in the bankruptcy sector and is known for advising on insolvency proceedings, workouts, the liquidation of distressed companies and the restructuring of existing credit facilities. Its client roster is dominated by local and international banks and financial institutions. The practice is co-led by Carlos Aiza, who is particularly noted for his involvement in workouts, capital markets and corporate finance transactions; and Rodrigo Castelazo, who represents both debtors and creditors in insolvency proceedings. Of counsel Thomas Heather is noted for his contributions on restructuring and associated arbitration matters, and senior associate Christian Dorantes offers support across the board.

Mexico > Compliance Tier 2

The ‘experienced’ team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. focuses its efforts on providing counsel regarding anticorruption and investigations, designing and implementing corporate compliance programmes, and preventing criminal corporate liability for clients. It is regularly instructed by multinationals from a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, energy, automotive and IT. Practice head Leonel Pereznieto is highly experienced at conducting compliance investigations, and is recognised for his ‘technical skill and good communication with clients’. ‘Experienced and skilled’ senior associate Santiago Acosta provides clients with preventative compliance counsel and assists on investigations; associate Ana Olivares, in turn, assists with the design of corporate compliance programmes. Following the September 2022 departure of counsel Eduardo Apáez, the practice was strengthened by the arrival of senior associate Iván Saavedra in January 2023.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 2

As part of a broad dispute resolution practice that plays an integral role in the firm’s assistance with cross-border transactions and projects, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. fields an arbitration team of practitioners with plentiful experience handling a full array of arbitration types under the diverse arbitration rules of domestic and international institutions. The Mexican government’s stricter rulings and regulations for foreign companies operating and investing in Mexico has generated a host of matters for the team, whose clients include major international players in the corporate, financial, and energy and natural resources' sectors, among others. Practice head Elsa Ortega has experience acting as party counsel, arbitrator and chair of arbitral tribunals in numerous domestic and international cases, and is well-versed in matters ranging from M&A and shareholder disputes to construction agreement claims. Ortega and Sofía Gómez Ruano - a former Secretary General and Council of the Arbitration Center of Mexico (CAM), who has a strong reputation for the administration of arbitration proceedings - arrived from their own boutique in June 2022, substantially bolstering the practice. The group can also call on profoundly experienced of counsel Bernardo Sepúlveda, a senior figure who is also regularly sought out to presides over arbitral tribunals and arbitral award annulment proceedings; while additional strength-in-depth is provided by experienced counsels Luis Jardón and Héctor Anaya Mondragón. Former counsel Carlos Martínez Betanzos left the firm in June 2022. Since publication, Anaya Mondragón has moved to Gritwood Dispute Resolution S.C. - effective as of February 2024.

Mexico > Labour and employment Tier 2

One client of Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. credits its practice head Francisco Peniche’s ‘great experience and leadership’ with making its labour and employment group ‘an incredible team’. The department is a key component of the firm’s full-service offering and advises on all relevant issues that result from the transactional work handled by its market-leading corporate and M&A practice. The department houses specialists in union matters, harassment and discrimination, and social security, raising it above being a simple support team. Peniche is an experienced advisor to multinational companies and covers matters ranging from employment compliance, restructurings and hiring structures, to collective bargaining agreements and investigations. Julio Álvarez has a focus on the labour aspects of M&A, reorganisations, and both employee and executive compensation. The partners are ably supported by senior associates María Fernanda Pariente, who specialises in conflict resolution, and Rodrigo Espíritu Santo, an experienced counsel to finance and oil-and-gas clients. At the firm’s Monterrey office, senior associate Alicia Abúndez heads the sub-group dedicated to social security matters.

Mexico > Life sciences Tier 2

The September-2022 hire of senior associate David Campos -formerly at Baker Mckenzie- marked a notable step in the consolidation of the practice group at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.; in addition to ten years private practice experience (and a six-month secondment as in house counsel at Sanofi Pasteur), Campos also has an LLM in Global Health law. He joins a team that is primarily focused on providing regulatory and transactional advice (in the pharma, healthcare, medical device, biotech, and food and beverage industries), on matters such as compliance with sanitary regulations, labelling requirements, and the obtaining of registrations and authorisations, as well as transactional advice and -increasingly- contentious matters. It is also active in relation to the chemical industry, notably as regards the manufacture, import and marketing of toxic and hazardous substances, pesticides, and plant nutrients; and has seen an uptick in specialised administrative litigation related to COFEPRIS’ procedures and verification visits. The practice is co-led by senior regulatory and insurance partner Leonel Pereznieto and counsel Guillermo Govela, a former adviser to the Federal Commissioner at COFEPRIS and legal coordinator at Mexico’s Ministry for Health. Additional associate support is provided by semi-senior Rebeca Díaz (who has a focus on food and non-alcoholic beverage regulation), and Andrés Urbano (whose practice is centred on tobacco and alcoholic beverage regulation); both of them are also key to the firm’s ability to handle the due diligence processes of M&A transactions with a health care/life sciences component. On the contentious front, the team can call on the capabilities of counsel and administrative litigation specialist Héctor Anaya. Recent matters have seen the team particularly active with regard to regulatory reviews, analysis and opinions, while on the healthcare side, it has been engaged in a number of transactions in the private health segment (involving hospitals and clinics), as well as M&A involving laboratories.

Mexico > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

‘Unconditional focus on the client’s needs and market intelligence’ are the calling cards of Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.’s nine-strong practice, which is known for its expertise in developing and financing infrastructure projects in the oil-and-gas, renewables, telecoms, transport (including airports, railroads and toll roads), water and waste management sectors. The group is regularly instructed by international and domestic sponsors, developers, engineering and construction companies, investors and financiers, as well as Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). The practice is co-led by partners Santiago Sepúlveda, who handles the structuring, development and financing of infrastructure projects, along with M&A and private equity investments; and José Ignacio Segura, who focuses on the electricity and natural gas industries from both regulatory and transactional perspectives. Counsel Vanessa Gimenez and senior associate Ana Irma Amado major on energy and infrastructure transactions, while associate Juan Carlos Luna R supports on matters relating to oil-and-gas, infrastructure, project finance and PPPs. Since publication, Luna has been promoted to counsel - effective as of January 2024.

Mexico > Energy and natural resources Tier 3

As -arguably- the leading full-service firm in Mexico, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. inevitably has a robust offering across the country’s key energy and natural resources space. Since the opening of the market to private investment two decades ago, the firm has acted for clients on both transactional and regulatory matters within the oil and gas, petrochemicals, power, mining and water industries. Its familiarity with the market and regulatory landscape, combined with broader corporate and M&A strength, means the practice continues to be a destination for companies conducting transactions in these sectors. Project development and financing expert Santiago Sepúlveda leads the team in conjunction with José Ignacio Segura, who has a wealth of experience advising clients in the electricity generation and natural gas industries, especially on project finance matters. Experienced associate Juan Carlos Luna -a former Deputy General Director of the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH)- has experience across oil and gas, power generation, infrastructure, project finance and public private partnerships.

Mexico > TMT Tier 3

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.’s TMT department houses ‘stand-out lawyers in their practice’, has a tradition of strength in transactional and antitrust matters but today demonstrates increasing prowess on the regulatory side of the practice. In that capacity, the team has had a particular focus on structuring operations for new entrants in emerging technology markets. Practice head Jorge Kargl is an expert in merger control filings and investigations, with experience in the TMT space in that respect, as well as in regulatory matters and constitutional appeals. Litigator Sara Gutiérrez has particular niche expertise in matters that fall between the competing jurisdictions of the country’s antitrust authority and its TMT regulatory body. Counsel Gaby Finkel is a key figure in IP matters and the firm’s ESG practice; while at associate level, Jessica González supports on TMT-specific antitrust and competition work, and Dafne Méndez has expertise in the impact of new legislation against cultural appropriation.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4

Full service powerhouse Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. supplements its market leading transactional offering with a steadily-developing litigation department that is praised as being ‘wonderful to work with’. The practice group excels in administrative litigation - a key contentious segment during the current administration- and has increasingly built out its constitutional litigation expertise. Indeed, the firm's contentious capabilities (in all areas bar IP and tax) were reorganised in 2022 to form a single 12-strong core group that handles a broad array of litigation, including competition cases and those with an economic component. The department is led by 20-years disputes' veteran Sara Gutiérrez who was raised to the partnership in January 2023 and is especially well-known for administrative litigation and cases involving economic factors and/or anti-competitive practices. She is seconded by counsel Héctor Anaya Mondragón (‘one of the best lawyers in the firm’), whose broad disputes practice encompasses litigation and arbitration. Associate Rafael Morales Alaniz is also a noted team member, with expertise in administrative litigation across various industries, as well as amparo cases and contentious antitrust matters.

Mexico > Intellectual property Tier 4

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. maintains a robust intellectual property offering that regularly assists clients with filing and prosecution of applications to obtain, maintain, and renew its intellectual property rights and protection. The team is equipped to handle the full array of intangible assets, including patents, trade marks, utility models, industrial designs, slogans and copyrights. Counsel Gaby Finkel heads the department and draws on considerable experience in an in-house position that gives her and the team a strong commercial aspect. Associate Sofía Castañón assists on the full range of matters.