Mexico: Competition
Recent changes to the Mexican competition law, which became effective in May 2011, considerably increased the power of the commission, allowing it to impose higher fines and conduct unannounced dawn raids. In this new regulatory landscape, companies are in need of legal expertise to help them navigate the changes and implement compliance programmes. Our research identifies 18 of the leading lawyers in this field who are well suited to fulfilling such a task.
Barrera Siqueiros y Torres Landa SC sees three of its lawyers selected to appear in this chapter. The firm has a strong antitrust practice with experience including merger notification and proceedings before the Federal Competition Commission (FCC) and federal courts. Luis Guerrero Rodríguez is a “great talent” in the competition field and Bernardo Ledesma is “highly recommended” for antitrust work. Ricardo Pons Mestre is “first class” for economic competition matters.
Two lawyers feature from Castañeda y Asociados. The firm’s founder Gabriel Castañeda has a “long-standing reputation” in the field and is a former member of the Mexican Competition Commission. His partner Ricardo Hernández also receives recognition and is a “well-informed” lawyer. The boutique firm lists high-profile clients including Merck and Fiat.
SAI Law & Economics is an interdisciplinary firm and two outstanding lawyers are listed in the following pages. Luis Aziz Checa is the firm’s founding partner and is noted as one of the leading competition lawyers in the jurisdiction. His notable work includes leading the team that rendered antitrust reports to the FCC on the practices of the two leading airlines in Mexico. Lucía Ojeda Cárdenas is “a prominent figure” in the competition and antitrust field and represents both clients that initiate cases for anti-competitive conduct and clients that are the subject of antitrust investigations.
Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez SC fields two lawyers including the “excellent” Luis Gerardo Garcia Santos Coy, praised for representing Brown Forman in relation to its pre-merger notification to the FCC of the acquisition of Casa Tequila Herradura. Jose Ruiz Lopez specialises in economic competition and is considered “first rate” for his work pertaining to abuse of dominance and cartels.
Rafael Valdés Abascal at Valdés Abascal y Brito Anderson SC is “highly respected” and is a former executive secretary of the FCC. Also at the firm, León Ricardo Elizondo is a former general counsel of the FCC and is “very well known” in the field.
At Larena Trevilla Fernandez & De La Torre two lawyers are selected for their abilities in this sector. Martin Moguel Gloria is “highly proficient” and has been actively involved in reform of the federal law of economic competition. Miguel Fabregas Rodriguez is a former director of legal affairs at the FCC and is experienced in competition related to the telecommunications sector.
Head of the antitrust practice at Basham Ringe y Correa SC, Amilcar Peredo Rivera receives praise for his “recognition in the marketplace” and “vast knowledge” of the practice sector.
Luis Santos of Santos y Rios is “excellent” and recently represented Pernod Ricard before the FCC in relation to its acquisition of Allied Domecq’s business.
Francisco Fuentes has been a partner at Mijares Angoitia Cortés y Fuentes SC since its inception in 1994 and is a “resourceful lawyer” with experience in advising clients on antitrust compliance matters.
Christian Lippert at Galicia Abogados SC specialises in antitrust matters and in particular concentration notifications before the FCC and is “greatly admired” for his expertise.
The “highly praised” Iker Arriola Peñalosa at White & Case LLP is a “clear favourite with clients” and has experience of acting as counsel in a wide variety of M&A cases spanning several industries.