Firm Profile > CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow > Mexico City, Mexico
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow Offices
PASEO DE LA REFORMA 115, 15TH FLOOR
COL. LOMAS DE CHAPULTEPEC
CP 11000, MEXICO
Mexico
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow > The Legal 500 Rankings
Projects and infrastructure Tier 1
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow is a leading market player for major infrastructure projects and is praised for its 'availability, out of the box thinking and great follow-up'. The practice, which provides 'excellent service' to a broad mix of public and private sector clients, is co-led by founding partner Enrique Lorente Ludlow and the up-and-coming César Lechuga. Name partner Derek Woodhouse is also noted for his expertise in energy-related projects. Recent highlights include advising the Mexico City government on the MXN$5.3bn development of the Taxqueña Transport Hub, which includes a subway and intercity bus link, and mixed-use development with retail, office and hotel facilities. Private sector clients include Termow WTE, Grupo Danhos, and BlackRock Mexico.
Energy and natural resources Tier 2
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow is highly experienced in the power and renewables sector, regularly advising across a broad range of transactional, projects and regulatory issues. In recent work, the team advised EDF Rnewables on its participation in Mexico's long-term electricity auctions, including on several solar and wind projects. The practice also advised Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and CKD Infraestructura México on their $2.6bn acquisition of an 80% stake in Enel Green Power's 1.75GW renewables portfolio comprising solar parks and wind farms. The highly respected Derek Woodhouse leads the team alongside Luis Fernández Lagunas. Other clients include Corporación Inmobiliaria Vesta, Zuma Energía, and Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE).
Real estate Tier 3
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow has gained loyalty from its clients by ‘adapting to the changes that there have been in the real estate market in Mexico in a very professional way’. The core team of four is small but the practice -long one of the pillars of the office- is thoroughly integrated with sibling practices including infrastructure and projects. It advises on the purchase and development of commercial, residential, office, industrial and mixed-use real estate projects; on structuring joint ventures for the development of real estate; on the lease of commercial, industrial and logistics real estate properties; land use rights and rights of way for real estate, infrastructure projects and private and agrarian properties; and on day-to-day issues, including the leasing and administration of real estate portfolios. Headline mandates included assisting key client Cinépolis with a joint venture for the development of a MXN$126.7bn shopping centre in Oaxaca; and on a joint venture with Grupo Sordo Madaleno and other institutional investors for the development of a MXN$4bn shopping centre, this one in Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma. The team also continued to advise Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and CKD Infraestructura México (CKD IM) on the due diligence of more than 300 agrarian plots and private properties located in different states of Mexico where eight different solar and wind power generation projects are being operated or in construction. In other work the group assists Union Investment with day-to-day leasing and administration of the client’s €500m real estate portfolio in Mexico; as well as Deka Immobilien with day-to-day real estate legal management of the Terret, PWC and Torre de los Parques buildings, the day-to-day leasing and administration of the client’s $500m real estate portfolio, and with large asset purchases and general corporate matters, such as corporate real estate structures. The team is co-led by Enrique Lorente Ludlow and César Lechuga; Lorente Ludlow ‘is the backbone of the legal team from day one. One of his biggest strengths is that you can always rely on him to resolve problems without escalating the situation. He is someone you want on your team rather than on the other side’; associate María José Estrada is another active team member. Other clients include Opera Desarrolladora and Solar Century.
Banking and finance Tier 5
Clients value the CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow banking and finance team for its specialisation in public-private partnerships, ‘knowledge of public institutions and ever-changing regulation, and its dedication to be the most informed, helpful and aware of the regulatory environment’, as well as its breadth of expertise in this area. Moreover, the lawyers are ‘mindful of clients' budget and objectives' and are 'approachable, available and hands-on’. The compact team of seven lawyers advises lenders and borrowers, including federal and local governments, private developers, national and international banks and other financial institutions, on obtaining all types of loans necessary to implement projects, especially infrastructure ones. Increasingly, following recent expansion, it is also benefitting from the firm’s international network. Working for a small roster of key clients, recent work highlights included advising Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and CKD Infraestructura México (CKD IM) on obtaining project-risk financing for solar projects, including Villanueva Solar and Parque Solar Villanueva Tres in Coahuila, Parque Solar Don José in Guanajuato and Project Kino (a portfolio of four wind and four solar projects) - all part of the 1.75GW renewables portfolio acquired from Enel Green Power. The team also assisted Concesionaria Cua with the financing of the Cuapiaxtla Cuacnopalan highway concession granted by the state of Puebla through decentralised public entity Carreteras de Cuota Puebla. Enrique Lorente Ludlow and Cesar Lechuga Perezanta co-head the practice. According to one client, Lechuga Perezanta ‘demonstrates ample experience in financial law - namely concerning infrastructure projects. He shows great skills in structuring the development of projects, with leadership and order’. Senior associate Giancarlo Schievenini is also a key contact while associate Ernesto Castañeda has a ‘breadth of experience in financing infrastructure projects’.
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow > Firm Profile
CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow, S.C. is a law firm comprising of a team of specialists with ample experience in energy, infrastructure, real estate and climate change.
Since 2013, WLL has worked as CMS Cameron McKenna’s local office in Mexico.
CMS is a leading global law firm in the energy and projects sectors. WLL is primarily known for its participation in large-scale and innovative projects, advising government agencies on the design and implementation of new legal and regulatory frameworks; advising sponsors and other developers on the promotion, participation and development of pathfinder projects; and advising lenders and other investors on the financing of those projects.
Types of work undertaken
WLL’s team of experts is the most complete and prepared in Mexico in the electricity sector, and through its association with CMS Cameron McKenna, WLL offers the most qualified international expertise in Mexico in electricity, as well as in exploration and production of deepwater hydrocarbons. Together with CMS, part of the WLL team is currently advising the Energy Ministry on the implementation of the wholesale electricity market, and the restructuring of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), including the drafting of the Electricity Market Bases and Business Practice Manuals. Likewise, the IADB has engaged WLL to assist the Energy Ministry on drafting the geothermal energy law and its regulations. Another part of the firm’s team is advising some of the largest worldwide and local companies in the sector.
WLL’s projects/infrastructure practice is a market leader in Mexico. Its lawyers specialize in all aspects required for an exemplary infrastructure practice, from the design and preparation of constitutional, legislative and regulatory reforms to the financing and execution of infrastructure projects, including their structuring and allocation, as well as dispute resolution. Having actively participated in the promotion and improvement of public-private partnership (PPP) programs for the development of public infrastructure and services, WLL’s lawyers are among the most experienced and knowledgeable in Mexico regarding PPP projects. They have advised the Mexican Federal Government and local governments throughout Mexico on amending the existing legal framework and issuing new regulations to incorporate various forms of PPP, including the PPS, and have also advised on the implementation of pathfinder PPP projects such as the Federal Prisons Program and various local prisons, roads and hospitals.
WLL’s real estate practice has over 20 years of experience collaborating with developers, institutional investors and lenders to guarantee the completion of real estate projects, including commercial real estate and financing. Projects include industrial, residential, tourism, office buildings, transportation hubs and mixed-use buildings.
Our attorneys are in direct and constant contact with corporate and administrative law matters, and have broad experience advising on the incorporation of companies with foreign investment, international businesses, international trade, structuring and negotiation of commercial agreements, transformation and dissolution of commercial entities, corporate finance programs, trusts, incorporation of special purpose entities and representation of foreign companies in Mexico.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and administrative | Derek Woodhouse E: derek.woodhouse@cms-wll.com | ||
| Energy | Luis Fernández E: luis.fernandez@cms-wll.com | ||
| Projects/Infrastructure, corporate and real estate | Enrique Lorente Ludlow E: enrique.lorente@cms-wll.com | ||
| Projects/Infrastructure | Marcia Santomé E: marcia.santome@cms-wll.com | ||
| Real estate | César Lechuga E: cesar.lechuga@cms-wll.com | ||
| Healthcare & Life Science | Mauricio Gómez Guerrero: mauricio.guerrero@cms-wll.com | ||
| Real estate | María José Estrada: maria.estrada@cms-wll.com | ||
| Energy and Antitrust | Ana Sofía Taracena: sofia.taracena@cms-wll.com | ||
| Environmental law and climate change | Gabriela Merla E: gabriela.merla@cms-wll.com | ||
| Corporate | Giancarlo Schievenini E: giancarlo.schievenini@cms-wll.com | ||
| Corporate | Sofía Reyes: sofia.reyes@cms-wll.com | ||
| Environmental law and climate change | Alejandra Sosa: alejandra.sosa@cms-wll.com | ||
| Projects/Infrastructure | Alejandro Mata: alejandro.mata@cms-wll.com | ||
| TMT, Fintech and Corporate | Adam Beach: adam.beach@cms-wll.com | ||
| Real estate, Energy and corporate | Alberto Lezama: alberto.lezama@cms-wll.com | ||
| Corporate and Projects/Infrastructure | Eduardo Revilla: eduardo.revilla@cms-wll.com | ||
| Projects/Infrastructure | Ernesto Castañeda: ernesto.castaneda@cms-wll.com | ||
| Corporate, Antitrust, Energy Projects/Infrastructure | Gabriel Salinas: gabriel.salinas@cms-wll.com | ||
| Corporate and M&A | Jimena de la Vega: jimena.vega@cms-wll.com | ||
| TMT and Fintech | Juan Ramón Hernáiz: juan.hernaiz@cms-wll.com | ||
| Real estate | Luis Mora: luis.moran@cms-wll.com |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Mr Ernesto Castañeda | View Profile | |
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Ms Jimena De La Vega | View Profile | |
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Ms María José Estrada Suárez | View Profile | |
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Mr Jorge Fernández | View Profile | |
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Mr Luis Fernández Lagunas | View Profile | |
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Mr Manuel Ferrara Ibarra | View Profile | |
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Mr Cesar Lechuga Perezanta | View Profile | |
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Mr Alberto Lezama Gutiérrez | View Profile | |
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Mr Enrique Lorente Ludlow | View Profile | |
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Mr Luis Mora y Medrano | View Profile | |
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Mr Gabriel Salinas Ruiz | View Profile | |
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Ms Marcia Santomé Sánchez | View Profile | |
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Mr Giancarlo Schievenini | View Profile | |
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Ms Ana Sofía Taracena Ortíz | View Profile | |
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Ms Karime Vázquez Hernández | View Profile | |
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Mr Derek Woodhouse | View Profile |