Francisco Udave > Santamarina y Steta > Mexico City, Mexico > Lawyer Profile

The labour and employment department at Santamarina y Steta is one of the top destinations in Mexico for for corporate clients requiring collective bargaining advice and union negotiation strategies. Unfair dismissal litigation is a further area in which the practice is recognised as a leader, including for high-level terminations. The firm’s client roster includes major corporations from both the domestic and international markets, for which it has an estabished track record as regards representation before the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the local labour ministries in various Mexican states. On the non-contentious side, the firm’s transactional departments are close collaborators with the labour team. Andrés Rodríguez, praised by clients for his ‘excellent knowledge‘ in collective matters, is one of the leading all-rounders in the market; he co-leads the offering with veteran Monterrey-based managing partner Juan Carlos de la Vega. Employment law litigator Francisco Udave is also an integral part of the leadership team, as is counsel María Elena Abraham, the key contact for immigration matters. Fellow counsel Jaime Vázquez is noted for investigations and litigation.

Santamarina y Steta has forged a formidable reputation in the Monterrey market, housing capabilities in banking and finance, corporate, capital markets, labour and employment, dispute resolution, real estate, antitrust, insurance and projects, among other sectors. Although a portion of the team’s recent workload has stemmed from assisting new arrivals with the consolidation of their operations in Mexico, the group also handles major M&A transactions, both independently and in conjunction with the firm’s Mexico City and Querétaro offices. Recent matters of note have included assisting Grupo Industrial Saltillo with the sale of its ceramic tile business to US company Mohawk Industries; and representing Ironcast in a strike process filed by the National Mining Union. Office managing partner César Cruz focuses on corporate, M&A, banking and finance, and data protection mandates; his transactional expertise includes international and domestic joint ventures, share and asset deals, corporate restructuring and financings. Firm managing partner Juan Carlos de la Vega is also stationed at the Monterrey office and brings extensive experience in individual and collective labour matters to the table. Additional partners of note include Heriberto Garza, whose broad practice takes in environmental, corporate, real estate and wealth management; Carlos Brehm, who handles civil and commercial litigation, commercial arbitration and restructuring; employment litigation specialist Francisco Udave; and Guillermo Moreno, who majors on corporate law, M&A, government procurement and project finance. Of counsel Jorge Barrero has significant experience in M&A, joint ventures, securities, antitrust and estate planning. Associates Ana Paula Ibarra and Daniela Flores specialise in corporate matters, M&A and joint ventures. Corporate partner Carlos Argüelles left the firm in August 2023.