At the start of 2011 new regulations were published on commercial arbitrations in Mexico, clarifying referral procedures, enforcement of interim measures and proceedings relating to arbitral awards. Lawyers explained that the reform has created more demand for specialist advice on dispute resolution options for clients, particularly regarding challenging and enforcing awards. The result has been more work for disputes lawyers and the trend is expected to continue for the next 12 to 18 months as clients seek guidance on the new rules. This year we feature 21 lawyers: an increase of 19 per cent on the number of experts listed last year.

Mexico’s banking sector has proven its resilience, with high capitalisation and areas showing growth such as the credit market and wealth management for high net worth individuals. In this rapidly developing field we select 30 leading individuals who look set to see increasingly diverse work over the next few years.

The federal government has introduced numerous anti-corruption measures in recent years, aimed at eliminating non-transparent practices and bribery. A major recent development was the decree initiative to establish a framework of sanctions to be used against companies engaging in irregular conduct during government contracting or international commercial transactions. For the four outstanding business crime defence lawyers we list below, these are busy and challenging times and the value of the services they can offer is at a premium.

Capital markets work in Mexico has grown significantly in the past year: in the previous edition of this guide we featured only 12 lawyers in this area, and this year we feature 25. The increase in refinancing, particularly in real estate and the energy industry, has fuelled activity for lawyers and prompted more specialisation in this field, which is expected to continue into the next year while new money deals appear to be thin on the ground.

This year there are 17 lawyers in this chapter, a slight fall in listings from last year. The financial crisis saw a shift away from traditional litigation work as lawyers diversified into arbitration and insolvency. They reported that clients look to quicker forms of conflict resolution, and need bankruptcy expertise to facilitate asset and corporate reduction.

According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the mobile subscriber market in Mexico is forecasted to reach 107 million subscribers by the end of 2015. As connectivity across the country continues to grow, the telecoms and e-commerce bars are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Our research identifies 14 experts who lead the field for their work in relation to communications, internet and e-commerce.

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.

Our research identifies 13 individuals for their expertise in providing guidance to corporate clients on regulatory and governance matters.

These are times of plenty for Mexican immigration lawyers – a new immigration law passed in May has brought about an increase in advisory work and multinational companies have continued their expansion into the Mexican market. We identify five lawyers as leaders in this developing sector.

President Calderon recently approved the extension of an executive order providing tax incentives to the Mexico-based assembly plants of foreign manufacturers in an effort to attract more investment to the country and boost the job market. Part of a broader strategy aimed at stimulating the national economy and allowing companies to develop projects more efficiently, the tax benefits will now extend to 2013. Lawyers specialising in corporate taxation matters in Mexico are playing a key role in the country’s ongoing economic development and reported an “extremely busy” year. The following 19 names are the leading players in this marketplace.

Mexico appears to be on track to elevate its renewable power capacity to 7.5 per cent (from 3.3 per cent) in 2012. With an abundance of natural resources, environmental law is a prominent feature in the Mexican legal market place. We profile the 11 leading lawyers in this practice area.

Franchising continues to play an increasingly important role in the Mexican legal market, with activity diversifying to encompass a range of industries from hospitality to health and beauty. Our research identifies six exceptional franchise lawyers.

Mexico has not been completely immune to the impact of the global financial crisis, in part due to its strong ties with the US. Consequently insolvency and restructuring lawyers have remained busy and our research identifies 11 of Mexico’s leading practitioners in this sector.

The increasing cultural awareness of the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in Mexico over the last 10 years has lead to an astonishing level of growth in the volume of work in this practice area for trademark, patent and litigation lawyers. In this chapter we recognise 28 leading individuals.

The local economic conditions have resulted in a varied diet for Mexican labour lawyers, with most firms seeing a mixture of M&A work and employment litigation. Moreover, with the unions’ party, the PRI, striving to win back power at the upcoming presidential elections, things look set to get even busier. We identify 20 exceptional lawyers.

Our research reveals a trend towards fragmentation among law firms in the Mexican corporate bar, with a high number of partners setting up their own practices As US companies expand their presence in the country through trade and investment, Mexico is forecasted to experience four per cent growth for 2011-2012. However, a general slowdown is expected by the end of this year, so lawyers expect restructurings to continue providing the bread and butter work. This year we feature 45 lawyers in the chapter.

The Mexican energy sector is developing rapidly, with Pemex recently launching a new private contracting regime for mature oil fields. The past year has also seen increased activity in the waste disposal, water treatment and renewable energy sectors. We identify 20 lawyers at the forefront of this exciting market.

As Mexico grapples with its declining oil reserves, a number of the lawyers we spoke to noted an increase in renewable energy sector projects. Wind projects have taken off in particular, with President Calderón pledging that Mexico will be producing 2,500 megawatts of wind energy by the time his term ends in 2012. In this sector we recognise 20 talented lawyers with the necessary complement of skills to handle these vast projects.

Commercial real estate – particularly in the industrial sector – has grown dramatically in Mexico in recent years according to the lawyers we consulted, with several large high rise builds currently under construction in the country’s major cities. Further to this, the real estate sector was recognised as a key contributor to the year-on-year growth of the national services industry by Mexico’s Census and Geography Agency in its most recent report on economic activity. The following 28 professionals are the leading providers of legal counsel to clients in this rapidly expanding marketplace.

With a series of anti-dumping cases over the past year, work in this sector shows no sign of slowing down and lawyers reported a definite upward trend in the number of trade remedy cases. In this growing sector we feature 13 of the country’s leading names.

Established in 1984, Barrera Siqueiros y Torres Landa SC has built upon its earlier areas of expertise in foreign investment, technology transfer and labour law and is now one of Mexico’s most “prestigious” law firms with an “impressive” reputation across all practice sectors. The firm is built upon a commitment to providing an excellent service and the achievement of this pledge is demonstrated by our research, where the firm secures 14 listings across seven chapters.

With a history dating back to 1912, Basham Ringe y Correa SC is one of the oldest and largest law firms in Mexico. With three offices throughout the country, the firm is able to provide exceptional client service across its full range of practice areas. We include 18 listings over nine legal sectors.

Established in 1936, Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez SC has grown from a four lawyer team to a full service corporate law firm with a legal staff of more than 90 professionals. With a reputation for excellence, Creel’s lawyers regularly appear on the country’s most high profile deals.

Established in 1994, Galicia Abogados SC is a corporate firm best known for its outstanding transactional work. The firm prides itself on its excellent client service made possible by the active participation of its partners in all cases. The firm is recognised in 20 listings across seven of the following chapters.

In the 24 years since it opened, González Calvillo SC has formed a notable reputation in the franchise, IP, real estate and M&A markets. The firm provides full business services to publicly listed companies and private international entities, as well as Mexican government agencies. This year we feature 17 listings across 10 practice areas – an increase of three chapters and three lawyer listings over the previous edition.

With 75 years’ experience, the evolution of Goodrich Riquelme y Asociados reflects the evolution of Mexico itself. After World War II, when Mexico began a dramatic industrialisation process, the firm grew substantially by handling the rising tide of direct foreign joint ventures. In the 1950s and 1960s it helped to usher Mexico into the aviation industry.

Established in 1994, Mijares Angoitia Cortés y Fuentes SC has become one of Mexico’s top transactional firms. With a much admired M&A and capital markets practice, it also boasts an impressive client list including the likes of the Ford Motor Company and Continental Airlines. The firm is represented by 22 listings across nine practice areas.

Established in 2011 after breaking away from Jáuregui Navarrete y Nader SC, Nader Hayaux & Goebel SC draws on the talent and the reputation of its founding partners, who have more than 20 years experience working together. The firm is a corporate boutique specialising in M&A, project finance and banking, and has most of its listings in the latter practice area. Thirteen listings feature in total.

Since its formation in 1975, Ritch Mueller SC has concentrated on delivering an “exceptional” service in focused areas including banking, capital markets and M&A. In these sectors the firm clearly “stands out” as a market leader with 18 listings recognised across six practice areas, with five lawyers identified in both the banking and capital markets sections.

Established in 1947, Santamarina y Steta SC is a well known favourite among Mexican’s full service law firms on account of its strong relationships with local corporates. The firm consists of around 90 lawyers and 24 partners across its offices in Mexico City, Monterray and Tijuana ensuring the firm is capable of handling complex and geographically diverse matters. Santamarina y Steta SC appears in more chapters than any other firm in our research – a testament to the firm’s breadth of talent. The firm receives 21 listings across 13 practice areas.

Established in Mexico City in 1991 and with an office in Monterrey since 2002, White & Case SC takes pride in its excellent relationships with Mexican financial institutions and regulatory officials, which enable it to provide a high quality, client-focused service. The firm enjoys a worldwide reputation for cross border M&A and finance work; a reputation it has built upon with its extensive multijurisdictional work in Mexico. It has successfully combined its international expertise with experience and knowledge of the local market to establish itself as a leading Mexican law firm – an accolade that is supported by the findings of our research.