Greenberg Traurig, S.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Mexico > Banking and finance Tier 1

International full-service powerhouse, Greenberg Traurig, S.C., houses a robust, 25-strong banking and finance practice in Mexico, which handles the full array of secured and unsecured financing transactions for a wide range of national clients, as well as US and other international players doing business in the country. The team -which is active representing a mix of both lenders and borrowers across the private and public sectors, particularly in corporate, project and real estate finance- is co-led by seasoned practitioner, managing partner José Raz Guzmán; and Juan Manuel González Bernal, who boasts notable expertise handling complex project finance transactions. Additional partner-level input and engagement comes from Rodrigo Orozco Waters, who has proven expertise in large sub-sovereign-debt restructurings and re-financings (working with both banks and states); Miguel Moisés, who is frequently sought out for structured financings, bilateral and syndicated loans, and the financing of industrial, commercial and residential real estate projects; and José Antonio Butrón, whose practice encompasses M&A, banking, project finance, capital markets, structured finance and securitisations. Senior associates David Argueta and Ana Acosta are other names to note.

Mexico > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

Greenberg Traurig, S.C. houses a ‘highly knowledgeable’  10-strong department, which advises on the competition and antitrust aspects of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, including handling complex,  multi-jurisdictional merger-control filings, for both national and international clients. It is a regular advisor, in particular, to clients from the transportation industry, including the railways sector, airport-related matters, taxi services, private transportation applications and maritime transportation, and has recently represented Mexico City’s International Airport in a series of landmark antitrust cases, including the first-ever investigation conducted by COFECE under its power to investigate and regulate essential facilities. The team, which can also call on an impressive contentious capability, is co-led by partners Victor Manuel Frías and Miguel Flores Bernés (the latter a former commissioner of the Federal Competition Commission).

Mexico > Compliance Tier 1

With ‘unique experience derived from having had to deal with and resolve some of the most relevant issues that have occurred in the country’, Greenberg Traurig, S.C.'s Mexico City office fields a nine-strong practice. The group has a comprehensive understanding of anti-money laundering investigations, fraud and anti-corruption compliance programs and particularly white-collar defence. The practice is led by partner Hugo López-Coll, who has recently advised on FCPA and UK Bribery Act matters, and on the OECD and UN conventions against corruption, as well as on Mexico's local National Anti-Corruption System; he also undertakes internal (frequently multi-jurisdictional) investigations, risk and compliance assessments and program implementation. Indeed, López-Coll's international experience ‘allows him to give an advanced approach to a subject that is not fully developed in Mexico so far’, according to one client. Key support comes from experienced mid-level associate Héctor Sánchez, who advises on regulatory and compliance matters regarding regulated activities, particularly in relation to energy and gaming, as well as anti-corruption due diligence, corruption risk analysis and training.

Mexico > Real estate Tier 1

International firm Greenberg Traurig, S.C., garners praise for its ‘extensive knowledge of everything related to the legal framework of the real estate sector’, thanks to its sturdy 11-strong practice, which has the capacity to serve a healthy range of market-segments in the sector, such as residential, industrial, commercial, mixed-use, and hotels – where the team has gained a particularly strong client roster. Department head Antonio Diez de Bonilla is a fully-fledged real estate specialist, who is particularly active in M&A, joint ventures, real estate financings and development transactions across various industries (including hospitality and retail); while fellow partner Gerardo Carrillo provides wide-ranging knowledge of residential, commercial, industrial, and hospitality projects. Senior associates Roberto Guerrero and Julio Sardina are other highlighted members of the Mexico City office team, which is backed by the firm’s international network. The department’s strong client base also includes property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, operators, sovereign wealth funds, international developers, and private owners.

Mexico > Capital markets Tier 2

Greenberg Traurig, S.C., highlighted by a client as ‘a fast-paced, result-oriented law firm that will take you from point A to point B until a transaction is closed’, houses a renowned capital markets practice, which regularly advises both issuers and underwriters on the gamut of equity and debt mandates, including CKDs and CERPIs. A securities expert and reference in the market, José Raz Guzmán heads the department together with fellow partner Juan Manuel González Bernal, who is highly experienced in project finance transactions, particularly in the domestic and cross-border securities market. José Antonio Butrón, who garners praise for working ‘around the clock protecting at every step the client's interests’; and senior associate David Argueta, who offers ‘unparalleled personalised attention’, are other noted members of the 19-strong team.

Mexico > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Led by office managing partner José Raz Guzmán, a finance and corporate expert, Greenberg Traurig, S.C.'s experienced Mexican corporate practice sits within a firm with a remarkable international reach; indeed, the sizeable team frequently works in conjunction with colleagues from the firm's Miami and New York offices (in particular), and is regularly sought out by public and privately held companies to handle cross-border mandates, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital investments, as well as joint ventures. Bringing their expertise to the practice group are key figures: Miguel Yturbe Redo (M&A, general corporate and financings); seasoned practitioner Juan Manuel González Bernal; José Antonio Butrón, who is experienced in project finance; Carlos Garduño (M&A, securities, corporate and project finance); and ‘rockstar’ practitioner Luis Cortés (corporate and TMT). Associates Gabriela Palomino (real estate and infrastructure) and Rocío Olea Salgado (corporate and competition), provide key, second-line support.

Mexico > Energy and natural resources Tier 2

Housing a 15-strong team with a ‘high degree of expertise’, Greenberg Traurig, S.C. 's energy practice is a constant presence in midstream mandates - having also carved out a niche for itself in the renewables segment - and is more and more involved in major power and oil-and-gas projects and transactions. The practice, which draws expertise from other areas of the firm, includes noted practitioners Fernando Orrantia Dworak, who focuses on real estate, corporate and environmental aspects of infrastructure, energy and petrochemical projects; Erick Hernández Gallego and of counsel Pedro Reséndez, both of whom are highly experienced in hydrocarbons and renewables, with Hernández also boasting expertise in regulatory and transactional matters, public tenders and financing operations. Key support comes from senior associate Rodrigo Vazquez del Mercado-Rivera (who is also qualified in Texas), and has a close-focus on up-, mid- and downstream oil and gas, government procurement and energy M&A; Luis Jorge Akle and Adriana Garcia Cuellar.

Mexico > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

An ‘outstanding firm’ with a sizeable 20-strong projects practice that knows ‘how to be creative in the search for solutions’, Greenberg Traurig, S.C. advises lenders and sponsors at every stage of the project cycle; the team has a special focus on the real estate and infrastructure sectors. Department-head Juan Manuel González Bernal offers notable capabilities in project finance, public procurement and PPP experience across all relevant industry sectors. He is closely supported by additional ‘great experts in the field’ including José Antonio Butrón and experienced associate Gabriela Palomino. Butrón's practice encompasses M&A, banking, project finance, capital markets, structured finance and securitisations, while Palomino focuses on real estate law and infrastructure projects.

Mexico > Environment Tier 4

Ever since the arrival of partner Erick Hernández Gallego, Greenberg Traurig, S.C. has been establishing a solid presence in the Mexican environmental sphere, particularly in relation to the energy sector and associated project development. Gallego, who heads the five-strong department, has a proven track record advising on the environmental aspects of project mandates, in addition to urban development, soil contamination, emissions reductions, climate change, green project finance and the management of hazardous materials, among other areas. Senior associate Luis Jorge Akle is another active member of the practice.

Mexico > TMT Tier 4

Greenberg Traurig, S.C. has notably seized on the momentum generated by the 2018 arrival of practice-head Edgar Olvera Jiménez, bolstering its TMT offering, which was already active in transactional matters, to increase its participation on regulatory mandates. Olvera, who garners praise from clients for always being ‘one step ahead of everyone else’, is a former Undersecretary of Communications for the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transportation. He leads an eight-strong practice group, which of late has handled infrastructure deployment projects, regulatory matters and permits before the IFT, negotiations to obtain contracts with the CFE, cable and satellite television-network regulatory analysis, advice on cable services, pay-per-view and/or OTT platforms, as well as regulatory and corporate advice to operate as Mobile Virtual Operators (MVOs) in Mexico. Fellow partners Miguel Yturbe and Luis Cortés both have a strong telecoms aspect to their practices, while Carmina Mogollón is firmly focused on global data protection and privacy issues.

Mexico > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 5

Greenberg Traurig, S.C.'s Mexican litigation practice offers solid expertise in administrative, tax and amparo trials and is backed by the firm's global office network. The ‘well trained and knowledgeable’ four-strong team led by Joselino Morales Lopez is predominantly engaged in disputes related to the infrastructure, construction and real estate sectors, as well as in regulated markets such as telecoms and energy, along with public works and government procurement-related matters. It also has profile for competition and anti-trust litigation and handles contentious IP matters.  Mid-level associate Hugo E Hernández is another name to note.

Latin America: International firms > Projects and energy

Greenberg Traurig LLP's longstanding commitment to Latin America comes in large part through its Miami office, where Robert Downing is constantly engaged in a range of renewables and hydrocarbon projects, FPSO contracts, energy trading matters and petrochemicals developments. The firm's sizeable Mexico City office is also well placed in the market to land big-ticket mandates, including power, renewables and oil and gas projects. It advised BP on the first midstream system in Mexico composed of two storage terminals (Veracruz and Hidalgo) linked by an oil products transportation pipeline. Erick Hernández Gallego and Fernando Orrantia Dworak are key names in Mexico City. Los Angeles' Jeffrey Chester, global co-head of energy project finance, has a lengthy history of advising on renewable energy projects in Mexico.