Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. > Mexico City, Mexico > Firm Profile

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Mexico > Banking and finance Tier 1

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. houses a strong banking and finance practice that is counsel of choice for a host of global banks, issuers, private equity firms and multilaterals seeking support with financing and collateral agreements. The ‘robust’ group garners praise from one client for its ‘proven experience and a strong track record in financing’, while another appreciates its ‘exceptional service that combines experience, ethics and dedication’. A recent standout matter saw the team advise a consortium of banks, as administrative and collateral agents and senior lenders, on the $280m increase of a credit facility originally granted for the acquisition of a one third participation in the Los Ramones natural gas pipelines project. Leadership of the department is shared between Jean Paul Farah Chajín, whose practice encompasses banking and finance, capital markets, corporate restructurings and M&A; and Pablo Perezalonso Eguía, who handles international banking and securities transactions, derivatives, capital markets, M&A, data protection and fintech regulatory matters. Additional key contacts include Luis A Nicolau Gutiérrez (banking and finance, capital markets, M&A, insolvency); Gabriel del Valle Mendiola (banking and finance, capital markets, energy, infrastructure); and Gabriel Robles Beistegui and Eric Silberstein Lerner - both of whom specialise in banking and finance, capital markets and M&A. Names to note at associate level include Daniela Solis (energy and infrastructure development and project finance); and Salvador Torres (banking and finance, energy and infrastructure).

Mexico > Capital markets Tier 1

Noted for its ‘extensive experience’ in capital markets and ‘experience in all types of financing structures’, the team at Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. covers an array of capital markets mandates. Key areas of expertise include equity, debt and structured securities offerings; CKDs, CERPIs, FIBRAs and FIBRAs-E; and bank capitalization notes. The group is well-versed in assisting issuers, international and local broker-dealers and investment banks. Practice co-head Luis Nicolau is recognised for his ‘great market reputation’ and specialises in M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions, and banking and finance. Fellow co-head Gabriel del Valle Mendiola majors on private and public offerings of debt and equity, the establishment of private equity funds, and the structuring of infrastructure projects. Additional names to note include banking, finance and capital markets specialists Pablo Perezalonso Eguía, Jean Paul Farah Chajín, and younger partners Gabriel Robles Beistegui and Eric Silberstein Lerner. Senior associate Ernesto Talamás supports the partners across the range of banking and finance and capital markets mandates.

Mexico > Real estate Tier 1

The ‘large, highly capable and experienced’ group at Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. is, for one client, ‘one of the best real estate teams in the country’. The team is equipped to take care of a range of transactional matters that includes financings and refinancings, the formation of private and public real estate funds, and assisting with associated tax and regulatory issues. Recent work highlights demonstrate strength across commercial, industrial, hospitality, and residential segments and include a standout matter which involved assisting PGIM Real Estate with the acquisition of an industrial portfolio consisting of seven industrial buildings located in Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Estado de México and Chihuahua. The practice group is co-directed by Javier Domínguez Torrado and Jean Paul Farah Chajín. Domínguez Torrado handles financings and capital markets matters in the sector, with his real estate experience encompassing the development and management of assets, along with assisting real estate investment funds and other investors regarding property acquisitions, leasings and disposals. For his part, Farah Chajín handles banking and finance, capital markets, energy and infrastructure projects and real estate finance. Santiago Carrillo Cattori, lauded as the ‘embodiment of availability and client service’, is an additional key contact and takes care of financings, acquisitions and developments involving industrial and hospitality assets. Associate Alfonso Alberto Vargas left the firm, effective December 2023.

Mexico > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

According to one client, the ‘business-oriented’ team at Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. stands out for its ‘availability, dedication, and understanding’. The focus of the practice group’s work lies in assisting domestic and international companies with M&A transactions, private equity fund management, divestments, negotiations, due diligence, and regulatory compliance. It is frequently instructed by corporate clients working in the infrastructure, energy, real estate, pharmaceutical, healthcare and financial services sectors, and a recent work highlight saw the group assist Chilean human capital asset platform Rankmi with its merger with Mexican technology consulting and software agency Volanto RH. Luis Nicolau steers the department and specialises in finance, corporate and capital markets mandates, for which he is frequently called upon by foreign and domestic private equity funds and international financial entities. Eduardo Triulzi (banking and finance, M&A); market mainstay Jean Paul Farah (capital markets, energy and infrastructure projects, restructurings, and M&A); Gabriel Robles (banking and finance, M&A, capital markets); Héctor Cárdenas Ortega (M&A and Real Estate); and Eric Silberstein (capital markets and M&A) are additional key department figures. Following the June 2023 departure of Daniel Kuri Breña R, Eduardo Aiza Vaudrecourt is the name to note at associate level.

Mexico > Tax Tier 2

Clients of Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C.‘s tax department view it as ‘the best ally in transactions‘ and the team is particularly well versed in tax matters (particularly structuring) in connection with some of the biggest deals in the Mexican market. In this respect it has a truly notable reputation in the real estate and energy spheres, while in capital markets-related tax work, the team also acts for a number of private equity groups and other finance sector entities. On the contentious side, the team assists with tax authority negotiations regarding audits, mediation procedures, and litigation, including before the Supreme Court. Three lawyers share leadership of the practice: Oscar López Velarde, a veteran of numerous contentious tax procedures; Santiago Llano Zapatero, who is a go-to tax advisor in the energy sector; and Juan José Paullada, an upcoming name in tax controversy. At associate level, former senior Eric Humberto Palacios left the firm in August 2024. However, the practice was substantially boosted the following month with the arrival of high-profile practitioner Alejandro Santoyo, formerly head of the tax practice at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C..

Mexico > Bankruptcy and restructuring Tier 3

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C.'s bankruptcy and restructuring practice group is regularly involved in major corporate restructurings, with a particular track record in the finance, mining, satellite communications, real estate, and telecoms segments. Team members have experience acting as insolvency administrators, foreign representatives and liquidators in bankruptcy proceedings. Leadership of the practice is shared between Jean Paul Farah Chajín and Pablo Perezalonso Eguía. Farah’s broad practice takes in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate restructurings, and M&A; while Perezalonso is well-versed in the structuring and restructuring of secured and unsecured credit facilities for Mexican private and public-sector borrowers. Additional key contacts include finance, corporate, and capital markets practitioner Luis Nicolau Gutiérrez; and Adriana Padilla Rivas, who specialises in arbitration and insolvency mandates, and is lauded for providing solutions that are ‘tailored to the client’s best interests’.

Mexico > Competition and antitrust Tier 3

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. maintains a robust offering to companies seeking advice on their dealings with Cofece and the IFT, be it in merger control filings or representation in investigations into a clients' respective industry sectors. The competition and antitrust department is overseen by transactional specialist Octavio Olivo Villa and competition and M&A counsel James Ritch, the latter a long-time specialist in anti-trust and competition matters. Further experience is provided by senior associate Marta Loubet, who focuses on the energy, transport, financial services, consumer goods and TMT sectors and has a dedicated competition and antitrust practice; and intermediates Julia Fuentes and Montserrat Quintana.

Mexico > Energy and natural resources Tier 3

As part of its broader projects practice, Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. represents a client base of national and international lenders, investors, developers and contractors on the financing and development of energy and infrastructure projects. The energy practice is jointly overseen by experienced transactional lawyer Federico Santacruz González, and Jorge Oria y Anaya, whose broad practice includes financing, M&A and dispute resolution. Thomas Mueller-Gastell  is a veteran contact to note, while Alejandra Echeverría and Asaf Jiménez are both younger finance and transactional partners with a healthy participation in energy and infrastructure work.

Mexico > Environment Tier 3

The ‘complete’ team at Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. demonstrates advisory, regulatory, and transactional capabilities in the environmental arena. Core areas of expertise include water and wastewater, waste management, air emissions, land use, and environmental due diligence. Recent work has included an environmental and regulatory due diligence review for Baja Aqua Farms, a Baja California-based company engaged in the production and distribution of bluefin tuna. The environmental and ESG-focused Brenda Rogel steers the practice and is noted for her advisory, regulatory and contentious strength; her practice has particular focus on the management of contaminated sites and environmental emergencies, as well as the formulation of sustainability and climate change strategies for corporations. Additional key contacts include senior associates Estuardo Anaya, lauded as ‘up-to-date’ and primarily concerned with consulting, litigation and the development of environmental management and compliance systems; Javier Camacho (environmental impact and risk, national waters use, wastewater discharge, air emissions); and Ana Paulina Arenas (regulatory and environmental compliance reviews for infrastructure projects).

Mexico > Projects and infrastructure Tier 3

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C.'s projects capabilities centre on assisting local and international banks (acting as both lenders and sponsors), as well as energy companies, with the development, financing and acquisition of infrastructure projects. In addition, the group is equipped to advise a range of investors on the acquisition of projects. The practice group is co-directed by Federico Santacruz González, who is well-versed in the construction of renewable and non-renewable power plants, and project-related M&A, as well as associated due diligence. Fellow practice co-head Jorge Oria y Anaya primarily assists sponsors, lenders, and equity investors with power, oil-and-gas, and water-related transactions. Additional key partners include Gabriel Del Valle (project finance, structured finance and capital markets transactions); Asaf Jimenez Adorno, who majors on assisting developers, investors and financial institutions with the financing of electricity and infrastructure projects; and Alejandra Echeverría González (banking and finance, projects, and energy). Former senior associate Marco Portillo - who focused on energy matters - left the firm in October 2023.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 4

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C.'s arbitration practice 'demonstrates an excellent ability to handle complex and sensitive cases', particularly in the energy and infrastructure space, in which the firm has a well-established client base; recent mandates for the 'young team' - which nevertheless has 'great experience in the Mexican market' and 'a lot of enthusiasm and capacity for work' - include a number of renewable energy-related mandates. 'An excellent lawyer who has a very good knowledge of cases [and] their management', practice head Adriana Padilla has experience as both counsel and arbitrator, and handles both commercial and investment protection arbitration; clients note that 'she soaks up the case' and is 'particularly effective and incisive in her cross-examinations'. Senior associate Sara Hardy 'stands out for her versatility; immediate availability and attention to detail'; she provides primary support across the firm’s dispute resolution offering and is building a strong practice in cross-border contentious matters.