Rodrigo Rojas Robleda > Gonzalez Calvillo > Mexico City, Mexico > Lawyer Profile

The ‘highly sophisticated’ and ‘extremely responsive’ team at Gonzalez Calvillo is noted by one client for its ‘significant infrastructure expertise’, which encompasses a range of transactional, regulatory and dispute resolution work relating to infrastructure and project finance. The group has a strong track record assisting financial institutions, government entities, local and international development banks, multilateral entities, suppliers, contractors, and sponsors in connection with project development and financing transactions in various segments – including power, oil-and-gas, water, roads, airports, ports, railways and telecoms. The team’s six partners head up the department on an equal partnership basis: name partner Enrique Gonzalez Calvillo specialises in cross-border transactions involving energy and power generation, as well as M&A, joint ventures and project finance; Jorge Cervantes Trejo majors on M&A, project finance, private equity, energy and infrastructure. Rodrigo Rojas Robleda advises on project finance, lending and power generation projects, while Oscar Moreno Silva regularly represents clients on the regulatory and contractual components required for project development. Hernando Becerra de Cima advises developers and banks on infrastructure financing transactions; and Diana Pineda Esteban handles private and public tenders, oil-and-gas and infrastructure projects, and completes the senior team. Of counsel Antonio de Lisi is noted for his participation in financings, energy and infrastructure development transactions, joint ventures and M&A. Julia González, promoted to of counsel in January 2022, is active on the development of infrastructure projects, dispute resolution and risk prevention matters. Since publication, Pineda Esteban has left the firm – effective as of April 2024.

The ‘unfailingly commercial and collaborative’ team at Gonzalez Calvillo is praised for ‘consistently providing highly sophisticated advice’ in corporate and M&A matters. Corporate restructurings, shareholders’ agreements, domestic and cross-border M&A, and corporate governance are core areas of expertise and the firm fields a deep partner-level bench with profound transactional know-how. While long best known for handling M&A deals in the energy sector, the practice has demonstrated its adaptability during the current downturn in that sector, migrating its focus to pick up a healthy flow of work in the technology, fintech, automotive and science-related sectors over the last few years. A recent case in point saw the team represent the management of leading Mexican tech company, KIO Networks, on the $1bn sale of all its assets to global infrastructure fund Isquared Capital. Co-managing partner José Ignacio Rivero Andere focuses primarily on corporate finance and cross-border M&A; and banking and finance specialist José Victor Torres Gómez is also frequently active in major cross border transactions. Additional key partners include Rodrigo Rojas Robleda, who has particular experience in project finance, infrastructure, foreign investment and energy matters; Jorge Cervantes Trejo, who advises sponsors, developers, investors, and lenders on M&A, dispositions, and joint ventures; and Hernando Becerra de Cima, who routinely advises clients on mergers in the renewables space. Co-manging partner Jorge Mondragón (who was recently appointed the new chair of global law firm alliance Multilaw) heads up the firm’s franchising and licensing practice and is hence also frequently active in corporate and commercial matters – such as his advice to Diltex on its joint venture with Etam. Of counsel Rosa Elena Coto is regularly instructed by Mexican and foreign entities, startups, and capital investment funds for her transactional expertise; and senior Jacinto Ávalos is the name to note at associate level. Since publication, both Torres Gómez and Coto have left the firm (effective April 2024), subsequent to which the firm has announced an agreement to merge into Spain’s Pérez-Llorca.

The energy practice is a key pillar of Gonzalez Calvillo’s broad service offering and the team places particular emphasis on projects work, from structuring and development, to financing and operation. Clients are supported through the full life-cycle of their projects, from inception, through fundraising and development, to operation, with the team also well equipped to handle potential disputes – it is particularly capable in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Five lawyers share leadership of the broad practice group: founding partner Enrique González Calvillo is a regular lead partner on transactions and financing in the sector; Jorge Cervantes Trejo is a go-to figure for power project finance, but also has a strong practice in ADR in the sector; Rodrigo Rojas Robleda is another seasoned financing expert; Oscar Moreno Silva handles infrastructure projects and regulatory matters; and Diana Pineda Esteban is an expert on the development side of energy projects work. At counsel level, Antonio de Lisi has assisted sponsors, investors, financial institutions and governments with cross-border and domestic financings, as well as project development; while Julia González focuses on infrastructure projects and designs strategies spanning regulatory, dispute resolution and risk prevention matters. Associate Jeronimo Ramos assists with infrastructure and energy project finance, structured finance, real estate transactions and M&A. Since publication, Pineda Esteban has left the firm (effective April 2024), subsequent to which the firm has announced an agreement to merge into Spain’s Pérez-Llorca.