A longstanding presence in the city, global firm Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. was an early arrival to the Monterrey market. Today, its local headcount stands at over twenty lawyers and the group constitutes a key component of the firm’s Mexican network, which comprises five offices across the country – Mexico City, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana. The team’s capabilities encompass corporate and M&A, litigation and arbitration, labour and employment, international trade, real estate and tax, and the office has a particularly strong track record assisting manufacturers seeking to expand their operations in northeastern Mexico; it has also developed an impressive client roster to match. Recent standout matters include advising BIC on the acquisition and development of its manufacturing facilities in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila. On the labour front, team members recently handled negotiations with the National Railroad Union on behalf of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Mexico. Key contacts include national employment practice group lead Ricardo Castro Garza, who regularly handles strategic labour planning and employment-related litigation for maquila clients. José González Elizondo's practice takes in corporate, M&A, banking, and restructuring; Alfonso Cortez Fernández deals with arbitration and litigation, and has a particular focus on administrative litigation involving the energy segment. Juan Bernardo García chairs both the firm’s global real estate practice group and the Mexican national department; he focuses his practice on the development and structuring of retail, industrial, commercial and residential projects. Additional names to note include Alfonso García Lozano (labour and employment); tax partners Roxana Gómez Orta and Jorge Salazar Cebrian; Javier Jaime González (dispute resolution); Javier Navarro Treviño and Fernando Treviño Martínez (litigation and arbitration); and Rodrigo Montemayor Villarreal (corporate and commercial law, M&A and project finance). Noted associates include senior Gabriela Saucedo (real estate), and Alexandra Cavazos de la Rosa (corporate and M&A). International trade-focused partner Hugo López Miranda joined the office in August 2024.

Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C., a longtime player in the Monterrey market, is regularly engaged in advising international clients seeking to establish manufacturing operations across northern Mexico. The team’s expertise takes in corporate and M&A, real estate, labour, tax, and foreign trade, among other related areas. The group is supported by teams based in Mexico City, Querétaro, and Guanajuato, thus covering areas of strategic importance to capitalise on the nearshoring phenomenon. Carlos Velázquez de León, who is the Monterrey office’s corporate lead, specialises in matters of foreign investment, M&A, and real estate. David Puente Tostado handles collective and individual labour matters and has notable experience in collective bargaining and social security litigation. Rodrigo Gardner completes the group of partners and covers matters of foreign investment, international transactions, corporate, M&A, and regulatory compliance. Recent work of note for the practice has included advising Mohawk Industries on the acquisition of Mexican ceramic tile maker Vitromex; advising Trelleborg on the acquisition of the Mexican subsidiary of Minnesota Rubber; and advising Tenova’s Mexican subsidiaries on their merger as a result of a corporate restructuring of the group. On the real estate front, the team has assisted automotive parts manufacturer Autoliv Mexico with a land purchase agreement for the development of a plant in Aguascalientes. Roberto Serralde left the firm in September 2023.

The team at Monterrey-based boutique Canales is equipped to advise domestic and international banks, real estate developers and private equity funds, along with corporations based in Monterrey and beyond, on matters ranging from finance, corporate and M&A, wealth management and real estate, to energy, aviation, and infrastructure. Recent mandates of note have seen the team structure a joint venture with DELTACK and American Industries for the development of a new industrial park in Chihuahua; and advise Silica Desarrollos on a MXN $750m loan facility negotiated and executed with Banregio to fund the development of a new mixed used building for the Arboleda complex in Monterrey. Key contact Bernardo Canales has focused his practice on corporate law, M&A, finance and corporate restructuring, along with real estate and aviation law. For her part, Ana de la Paz handles corporate matters, M&A, financing and real estate transactions, as well as project development mandates. Emilio Sáenz, who draws on significant in-house experience at CEMEX and Bancomer, specialises in M&A, restructuring, and the financing and development of energy projects. Banking and finance, capital markets, and M&A all-rounder Sergio Dávila also handles real estate transactions, as does Mauricio Montes Sepúlveda, who is well-versed in advising on public offerings through the Mexican Stock Exchange, syndicated refinancing transactions, and real estate transactions such as leases, purchases and sales. Aldo Álvarez completes the group of partners and undertakes aviation transactions, M&A and real estate.

The team at local boutique CEM Abogados is known first and foremost for its work advising automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, construction and real estate-sector clients on financial and M&A transactions, corporate mandates and matters of foreign investment. The group is also equipped to assist with real estate mandates and provide wealth management advice to private clients. The key names to note are corporate specialist Tomás Cantú González; Luis Gerardo Martínez González, who draws on almost two decades’ experience in house at Banorte and handles finance, corporate, M&A, real estate and wealth management matters; Arturo Lozano Guerrero, who specialises in corporate law, M&A transactions, and corporate restructuring; and Francisco José Palau Govela, who advises domestic and international clients on financial, M&A and real estate transactions, as well as corporate matters.

While the practice at Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa is particular known for its tax consulting and litigation expertise, it is also equipped to offer support on labour, compliance, real estate and wealth management matters. Key contacts include Ramón Orendain, who specialises in tax litigation and is well-versed in the defence of domestic and international clients before state and federal courts; and Rodrigo Troncoso, whose broad practice takes in tax consulting and litigation, as well as corporate and commercial matters and real estate transactions. Luis Manuel Ramírez and Marcela Villarreal also take care of tax consulting mandates, including the handling of tax authority audits. Litigator César Meraz, for his part, is routinely engaged in tax, administrative and amparo litigation. Miguel Ángel Cantú co-heads the national labour and employment practice group and has experience of a range of related matters, including the establishment and closure of businesses, as well as collective bargaining agreements. The office is also home to compliance co-head Jorge Luis Díaz, who majors on anti-corruption and AML matters, as well as administrative and tax litigation. José Alberto Mesta deals with tax consulting work in the context of divestitures, M&A, and corporate restructurings, and also provides wealth management advice. Additional key contacts include tax consulting and planning specialists Aurelio Aguilar and Marco de la Fuente, the latter of whom was promoted to the partnership in January 2023. A recent highlight saw the team assist convenience store chain Oxxo with the formulation of a labour strategy for the launch of its new business venture, Oxxo Delivery.

The team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.’s Monterrey office works in conjunction with its peers in Mexico City to advise real estate funds, banks, and domestic and international corporations on a range of real estate development and financing mandates. The group has a track record working on projects that span all asset class, including industrial, retail, commercial, residential and hospitality. Real estate specialist Francisco Montalvo leads the Monterrey office and has substantial experience assisting multinationals and domestic conglomerates with property and portfolio acquisitions and site development matters, along with the acquisition and divestiture of assets located in northern Mexico. Montalvo recently acted as counsel to Finsa-Walton CKD in connection with the sale of the $662m Zeus Industrial Assets portfolio, which is composed of 46 properties. Badir Treviño-Mohamed is an additional key contact and specialises in advising developers, administrators, and investors on transactions involving industrial, retail, commercial, tourist, and residential real estate. Recent matters of note have seen the team advise Greenfield Partners on the corporate restructuring of one of its Mexican special purpose vehicles and the purchase of a decommissioned industrial facility in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas; and assist PGIM Real Estate Mexico with the acquisition of a portfolio of industrial buildings in Tijuana, Baja California and Toluca, State of Mexico.

Dentons López Velarde‘s Monterrey office is directed by managing partner Gregorio Canales, whose broad practice takes in M&A and financing transactions, corporate and international trade mandates, real estate and energy work. Canales can draw on extensive experience advising foreign companies seeking to do business in northeastern Mexico, in particular those from the Far East – he currently serves as South Korea’s Honorary Consul in northern Mexico. The group benefits from Dentons‘ worldwide footprint – including its relationship with Chinese giant Dacheng Law Offices – as well as its close collaboration with the firm’s Mexico City office. Also noted is senior associate Mercedes Espinoza, who majors on labour, employment, and social security matters, included related litigation.

EC Rubio‘s extensive network of Mexican offices (Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico City, Irapuato, León, Puebla and Querétaro) grew to include Monterrey in April 2024 following its merger with local firm Fegamo & Vasaf. The group has significant experience assisting automotive and electronics manufacturers, as well as real estate developers. The key contacts are Juan Salvador Vázquez Silveyra, whose broad practice takes in real estate transactions, infrastructure projects, regulatory compliance, and corporate and labour matters; Ricardo Morales Barrón, who majors on corporate law and corporate governance, banking and finance, and M&A transactions; and corporate/commercial and regulatory specialist Salvador Garza Montemayor. Completing the group of partners: David Ken Fujii regularly provides corporate, commercial, real estate, and immigration counsel to automotive and electronics industry clients; Miguel Ángel Ferriz Martínez deals with banking, finance, and corporate matters; and Raúl Lara Maiz, who specialises in all manner of labour and immigration mandates.

Galicia Abogados S.C. has quickly made a name for itself as a relevant player in the local market since its arrival in 2016. The practice routinely advises a roster of Monterrey-based companies, international corporations with operations in Nuevo León, investment funds, and major financial institutions on work spanning banking and finance, corporate and M&A, bankruptcy and restructuring, real estate, international trade, tax and dispute resolution. The key contacts are office co-leads Eugenio Sepúlveda, who also co-heads the firm’s national bankruptcy and restructuring group; and Rosemarie McLaren, who garners client praise for her ‘practical and timely advice’ . Sepúlveda has focused his practice on banking, M&A, project finance, and restructuring mandates, while McLaren specialises in banking and finance work, handling a mix of local and cross border, bilateral and syndicated loans, as well as commercial real estate and general corporate financing mandates. Names to note at associate level include seniors Andrés Caro de la Fuente, who deals with bankruptcy and restructuring matters; tax disputes specialist Alejandro Madero; Mariana Islas (M&A and real estate transactions); and associate Andrés Muñiz Cordova (international trade and customs). The firm’s associate rotation programme also allows lawyers to divide their time between its Mexico City and Monterrey offices. Recent work highlights have seen team members advise a consortium of domestic banks on the granting of a loan to Destino Xcaret to fund the construction of a new hotel on the Riviera Maya; and represent The Nearshore Company in litigation proceedings against the Tax Administration Service.

The Monterrey team at Hogan Lovells is well-regarded for its handling of banking and finance, corporate and M&A, litigation, real estate, project finance and tax work. On the banking and finance front – one of its core strengths – the group is regularly called upon by lenders and borrowers alike, as well as assisting Mexican states and municipalities with sub-sovereign financing mandates. Domestic and international companies working in the heavy industry, healthcare, food and beverage, and financial services' sectors also look to the group for assistance with corporate matters and M&A transactions. Recent mandates of note have also seen the practice group active on real estate transactions, such as the acquisition of an industrial facility in Matamoros, Tamaulipas; and the negotiation of a lease agreement for an industrial park in Escobedo, Nuevo León. Key contacts include René Arce Lozano, who is lauded by one client as ‘generating great added value with his ideas’ and is well-versed in structured financing operations, securitizations, project finance and PPPs. Guillermo González Frankenberger's broad practice takes in M&A, real estate, corporate governance and finance matters; he has notable knowledge of the maquiladora and automotive sectors. Jaime Espinosa de los Monteros advises clients on state and federal tax matters, M&A and project finance, as well as representing them in constitutional and administrative litigation. Alejandro García González focuses on commercial, civil and administrative litigation, as well as arbitration. Counsel Ana Catalina Decanini is noted for her handling of financing, real estate, and commercial transactions; while tax-focused associate David Esquivel garners client praise for his ‘extraordinary tax and administrative understanding’. Mario Jorge Yáñez left the firm in October 2023.

August 2021 saw Holland & Knight land in Monterrey following its merger with Thompson & Knight, whose local office it took on. Since then, the group has grown substantially, most notably in April 2023, when it brought in six partners, a senior counsel, and a number of associates from Sánchez Devanny. The key new arrivals to note are partners Gerardo Prado Hernández, Francisco Andrés Gámez Garza, José Ricardo Ibarra Córdova, Humberto Morales Barrón, Jaime Israel Moreno Treviño, and Oscar Alejandro Quiroz Chávez, as well as corporate/commercial-focused senior counsel Rogelio Azcárraga. Prado Hernández, who was previously energy practice co-head at his former firm, is noted for his handling of renewable energy projects, as well as corporate, M&A and regulatory compliance matters. Gámez Garza's practice is centred on corporate and M&A, real estate transactions and environmental permitting matters. Ibarra Córdova deals with tax consulting and litigation, while Morales Barrón, Moreno Treviño, and Quiroz Chávez all handle corporate and M&A work. Gabriel Ruiz acts as office executive partner and specialises in corporate, energy, real estate and financing matters; he has particular expertise in the development of oil, gas and energy projects. Rounding out the group of partners, Alejandro Sánchez Mújica's practice focuses on M&A, finance and IP. The team was further strengthened with the September 2023 hire of senior counsel Glafira Mercado, who previously worked at developer Grupo Delta, and focuses on real estate transactions, joint ventures, and development and construction mandates. In July 2024, David Alberto Zavala also joined the office as senior counsel – he is well-versed in corporate matters, including the entry of foreign corporations into the Mexican market. Recent mandates of note for the team include assisting artificial grass manufacturer CCGrass with the acquisition of an industrial property in Nuevo León to establish their operations locally; and carrying out an audit of Bodenheim’s environmental permits in Santa Catarina, Nuevo León.

Sánchez Devanny opened its Monterrey office in 2001, since when the group has built a strong reputation in a range of practices including banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, labour, real estate, tax and wealth management. The team is routinely instructed by automotive, retail, manufacturing and real estate-sector clients. Office managing partner Ernesto Silvas Medina also co-heads the firm’s corporate and project finance practice groups, and has substantial experience advising international and domestic corporate clients, institutional investors and private equity funds on corporate and financial transactions, including commercial loans, stock and asset acquisitions and joint ventures. Rafael Villamar Ramos co-leads the firm’s real estate practice and has substantial experience in transactions involving the industrial, commercial, hospitality and residential segments, in addition to construction, development and financing. On the tax front, names to note include national practice co-head Ricardo León Santacruz, whose transactional tax practice is focused on tax optimization and transfer pricing; and Arturo Garza Mátar, who was promoted to the partnership in January 2024 and specialises in tax planning. Alfredo Villarreal Hansmann is active on real estate and infrastructure transactions. Senior associate-level contacts of note include arbitration and litigation specialist Verónica Esquivel Patiño; labour and social security-focused Hugo Gutiérrez; and Lourdes González, who deals with wealth management and estate planning mandates. Partners Gerardo Prado Hernández, Francisco Andrés Gámez Garza , Ricardo Ibarra and Humberto Morales Barrón left the firm in April 2023, as did senior associates Jaime Israel Moreno Treviño, Oscar Quiroz and Rogelio Azcárraga. September 2023 saw the arrival of Roberto Serralde – who specialises in international trade, customs and tax matters – from Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C.. Significantly, the firm is currently in a merger process that would see it merge with Garrigues Mexico.

Santamarina y Steta has forged a formidable reputation in the Monterrey market, housing capabilities in banking and finance, corporate, capital markets, labour and employment, dispute resolution, real estate, antitrust, insurance and projects, among other sectors. Although a portion of the team’s recent workload has stemmed from assisting new arrivals with the consolidation of their operations in Mexico, the group also handles major M&A transactions, both independently and in conjunction with the firm’s Mexico City and Querétaro offices. Recent matters of note have included assisting Grupo Industrial Saltillo with the sale of its ceramic tile business to US company Mohawk Industries; and representing Ironcast in a strike process filed by the National Mining Union. Office managing partner César Cruz focuses on corporate, M&A, banking and finance, and data protection mandates; his transactional expertise includes international and domestic joint ventures, share and asset deals, corporate restructuring and financings. Firm managing partner Juan Carlos de la Vega is also stationed at the Monterrey office and brings extensive experience in individual and collective labour matters to the table. Additional partners of note include Heriberto Garza, whose broad practice takes in environmental, corporate, real estate and wealth management; Carlos Brehm, who handles civil and commercial litigation, commercial arbitration and restructuring; employment litigation specialist Francisco Udave; and Guillermo Moreno, who majors on corporate law, M&A, government procurement and project finance. Of counsel Jorge Barrero has significant experience in M&A, joint ventures, securities, antitrust and estate planning. Associates Ana Paula Ibarra and Daniela Flores specialise in corporate matters, M&A and joint ventures. Corporate partner Carlos Argüelles left the firm in August 2023.

Local powerhouse Santos Elizondo S.C.’s storied history dates back to 1965, and the decades since have seen it grow into a more than 50-strong group with a broad legal offering that encompasses corporate, M&A, banking and finance, dispute resolution, energy, real estate, and tax. A popular choice for Monterrey-based and foreign corporations alike, the firm’s client roster often features private equity funds and real estate developers, along with mining, energy and construction companies. The team has recently acted on substantial corporate mandates that include advising the shareholders of Risoul y Cia on the sale of 100% of their shares to Allied Electronics & Automation; and advising H.I.G. Capital on its acquisition of Transportes Centroamericanos del Futuro. On the energy front, recent work of note includes assisting Brío Suministradora Energética with the design and implementation of an electric infrastructure project to provide a long-term power supply to an international client’s industrial parks in Nuevo León. Key contacts include Guillermo Cantú Treviño, who has focused his practice on corporate law, M&A and estate planning, and has significant experience advising domestic and international corporate clients on the sale and purchase of assets; Mario Zambrano Ábrego, whose broad practice takes in corporate and regulatory matters, real estate, project finance, foreign investment mandates and litigation; and senior partner Jorge Alberto Arrambide Montemayor, who specialises in energy, administrative and corporate law, and is well-versed in litigation before federal, state and municipal authorities. Managing partner Eduardo Botello Adame covers corporate law, M&A, commercial and real estate transactions, and commercial litigation. Senior partner Ramiro Villarreal de la Garza has a strong transactional practice as well as experience advising public entities, among them the municipal government of Monterrey and the state government of Nuevo León. Veteran practitioner Luis Santos Theriot is highly specialised in tax and estate planning and the provision of general corporate and commercial advice. Also noted are Eduardo Manuel Garza Etienne (corporate, restructuring, real estate) and Gerardo Guajardo (corporate, M&A, capital markets).

Banking and finance, corporate and M&A, compliance, capital markets, real estate and wealth management are all core areas of strength for Villarreal VGF, a firm established by ex-Kuri Breña, Sánchez Ugarte y Aznar lawyers Alejandro Villarreal Santos, Luis García Campuzano, and Felipe Fernández Peña in January 2016. In the years since, the group has added partners Alfredo Gómez Pérez (banking and securities transactions, refinancings and restructurings, M&A) and Francisco Torres (M&A, insurance, antitrust), as well as a cohort of associates. Villarreal Santos specialises in corporate, M&A, capital markets, and wealth management; García Campuzano majors on corporate law, M&A transactions and compliance, and has recent experience assisting CEMEX, FEMSA and Arca Continental with compliance and corporate governance mandates. Fernández Peña is well-versed in advising banks, sofomes, and private equity funds (as lenders), and corporations (as borrowers), on corporate and financing transactions. Also noted are of counsel Ramiro Villarreal Morales and counsel Carlos Aldrete Ancira, who draw on substantial experience at CEMEX and FEMSA, respectively.