Firm Profile > Greenberg Traurig, S.C. > Mexico City, Mexico

Banking and finance Tier 1

International full-service giant Greenberg Traurig, S.C. has a renowned Mexican banking and finance practice, co-led by José Raz Guzmán, who also co-heads the firm's Latin America practice, and Juan Manuel González, who is particularly strong handling complex project finance transactions. The sizeable team was further reinforced in October 2019 with the absorption of Orozco Waters Abogados, bringing aboard Rodrigo Orozco Waters and a team of four associates with experience in large sub-sovereign-debt restructurings and refinancings, working with both banks and states. Other key practitioners include Miguel Moisés, who advises lenders and borrowers on structured financings, bilateral and syndicated loans, and in the financing of industrial, commercial and housing real estate projects; José Antonio Butrón, who is praised by clients for his ‘good attitude’; and Carlos Garduño, who focuses on domestic and cross-border securities offerings, as well as corporate, acquisition and project finance matters in Mexico and Latin America.

Capital markets Tier 1

Greenberg Traurig, S.C. significantly strengthened its practice in October 2019 with the incorporation of Rodrigo Orozco (and four associates) from his former boutique. Formerly at White & Case S.C. for 20 years, Orozco is particularly experienced in advising on sub-sovereign debt issues, and recently advised Mexico City's Ministry of Finance on its annual MXN$1.5bn debt issuance; he also has niche expertise in catastrophe bonds. More broadly, the now 19-strong team (including seven partners) is led by José Raz Guzmán and Juan Manuel González Bernal, both deeply experienced well-known market figures. Market reference Raz Guzman's recent mandates include advising the underwriters and initial purchasers on a series of sizeable offerings by América Móvil, while González has over 20 years’ experience handling complex project finance transactions, many in the domestic and cross-border securities market; he and Carlos Garduño manged the liquidation of GACM's MXN$34bn FIBRA-E trust, originally intended for the development of Mexico City's new international airport. The team is particularly recommended for structured securities work such as CKDs and CERPIs, with a particular focus on the real estate and infrastructure sectors. Other key practice figures include Miguel Moisés and young partner José Antonio Butrón – elected shareholder in 2018, he 'presents work with relentless quality, but also with great speed'. Highly experienced senior associate David Argueta provides key support and associate Gabriela Palomino is noted in relation to real estate and project-side finance matters.

Competition and antitrust Tier 1

Compliance Tier 2

Greenberg Traurig, S.C.'s Mexico City office fields an eight-strong 'white-collar and special investigations team', encompassing compliance, that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of anti-money laundering investigations, fraud and anti-corruption compliance programs and particularly white-collar defense. Practice head Hugo López-Coll advises on FCPA and UK Bribery Act matters, on the OECD and UN conventions against corruption, as well as Mexico's local National Anti-Corruption System; he also undertakes internal – frequently multi-jurisdictional – investigations, risk and compliance assessments and program implementation. Recent matters have centered primarily on internal investigations, FCPA infringement, white-collar litigation, matters arising from OFAC listings and criminal defense, as well as anti-corruption matters related to market entry and cyber-fraud. Key support comes from experienced 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.

Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Managing partner of the Mexico City office and co-chair of the firm's Latin America practice, well-known market figure José Raz Guzmán (M&A, capital markets, banking, and real estate transactions) heads the 27-strong corporate and M&A department at the full-service, Miami-headquartered, Greenberg Traurig, S.C. The group has considerable experience and high-level expertise advising a broad range of national and international corporates on transactional matters, particularly in the infrastructure, natural resources, manufacturing and financial services sectors; a recent case in point being its representation of Colombia's Keralty in a $120m joint venture with AXA Seguros. Key members of the practice include Miguel Yturbe Redo (M&A, general corporate advisory), Arturo Pérez Estrada (corporate, financial regulation, privacy and corporate finance), José Antonio Butrón (M&A, banking, structured and project finance, capital markets and securitization), and Carlos Garduño (M&A, securities, corporate and project finance). Elected shareholder (partner) in January 2020, Luis Cortés (corporate, commercial and finance law), is also noted. Additional senior partners who also undertake corporate matters include Juan Manuel González Bernal, Hugo López-Coll, Victor Manuel Frías and Antonio Robles Hüe.

Energy and natural resources Tier 2

Despite having been especially active in midstream matters, and also participating in the renewables segment, the sizeable 15-strong team at Greenberg Traurig, S.C. also has an ever-growing profile in major power and oil-and-gas projects and transactions. The senior team comprises practice head Juan Manuel González Bernal (project finance, energy and capital markets); Fernando Orrantia Dworak (real estate, corporate and environmental aspects of infrastructure, energy and petrochemical projects), and younger shareholder Erick Hernández Gallego (hydrocarbons and renewables, environmental law, regulation, projects and M&A); along with experienced of counsel Pedro Reséndez; he and González paired-up to lead on industry-significant disputes on behalf of IEnova and Fermaca against the CFE. Other recent mandates include purchase, supply, transportation and commercialization agreements; transactions in the wind-power segment, petrochemicals projects, financings and compliance, among other matters. Corporate, finance and transactional partner Hugo López-Coll, along with administrative litigation specialist Joselino Morales Lopez also participate in the sector as required. At senior associate level, Rodrigo Vazquez del Mercado-Rivera, who is also qualified in Texas, has a close focus on up-, mid- and downstream oil and gas, government procurement and energy M&A; Luis Jorge Akle handles environmental compliance and renewable energy projects; and Adriana Garcia Cuellar (corporate, finance, energy and infrastructure).

Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

‘With a unique knowledge of structured products in Mexico, including CKDs and CERPIs’ the 20-strong practice at Greenberg Traurig, S.C. advises lenders and sponsors at every stage of the project cycle, with a special focus on the real estate and infrastructure sectors. The team is led by managing partner José Raz Guzmán and Juan Manuel González Bernal, who has extensive project finance, public procurement and PPP experience across all relevant industry sectors. Increasingly active as lead partner for the likes of MXT and Mexico Infrastructure Partners, José Antonio Butrón's practice encompasses M&A, banking, project finance, capital markets, structured finance and securitizations. Fernando Orrantia Dworak (infrastructure, real estate, commercial and corporate law); Carlos Garduño (domestic and cross-border transactional and regulatory financial matters, including project finance), who frequently teams up with González, and Miguel Yturbe (Mexican and Latin American infrastructure projects, banking and finance, capital markets, and general corporate matters) also participate in the sector. Key associate Gabriela Palomino focuses on real estate law and infrastructure projects, but former associate Diego Robles Cuevas moved in house in November 2019.

Real estate Tier 2

For some clients, Greenberg Traurig, S.C.'s real estate practice offers the ‘best service’ in Mexico. Supported by the rest of the firm's international offices, the 11-strong team covers property acquisition and investment, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring and sale of all real estate segments and asset classes, including commercial, recreational, and residential real estate, structured equity, structured debt and hybrid structures. Their client list includes property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, operators, joint ventures, sovereign wealth funds, international developers, and private owners. Department head Antonio Diez de Bonilla Martinez is a fully-fledged real estate specialist, active particularly in M&A, joint ventures and development transactions across various industries (including hospitality and retail); while fellow partner Gerardo Carrillo brings wide-ranging knowledge of residential, commercial, industrial, and hospitality projects. Senior associates Roberto Guerrero and Julio Sardina are other highlighted members of the ‘ethical, responsible and compliant’ team in the Mexico City office.

Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4

The ongoing growth and development of the Mexican office of Greenberg Traurig, S.C. continues with its arrival in the litigation rankings this year. The small, four-strong team demonstrates ‘outstanding aptitude and attitude’ as well as the ‘capacity to tackle different fronts with broad legislative frameworks’. Designated the "amparo trial and tax & administrative litigation" practice (and reflecting the firm's wider caseload), the team is predominantly engaged in disputes in the infrastructure, construction and real estate sectors, and 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. Practice head Joselino Morales Lopez has over twenty years' high-end litigation expertise, and most recently led the representation of O'Donnell in four amparo proceedings brought by groups of neighbours from the Axotlan community in opposition to construction licenses granted to develop a real estate project. Support comes from mid-level associates Hugo E Hernández (administrative litigation and regulatory law); and Perla I Salgado (administrative and tax litigation).

Environment Tier 4

The five-strong practice at international full-service firm, Greenberg Traurig, S.C., has an ever-growing presence in the environmental arena, particularly in relation to the energy sector and associated project development. The department is led by partner Erick Hernández Gallego, who has over 15 years' experience advising on the environmental aspects of project matters, along with land use, urban development, corporate environmental regularization, environmental impact and risk matters, soil contamination, emissions reductions, climate change, green project finance and the management of hazardous materials. Senior associate Luis Jorge Akle provides key specialist support; and associate Nancy Guillén Espinosa is also noted.