The comprehensive labour and employment offering at Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. is one of the premier choices in the market for major companies undergoing significant workforce reorganisations across jurisdictions. The extensive international network of the firm helps facilitate this, as do the firms multiple office locations in Mexico, covering the central industrial hubs for the full range of key sectors. Beyond restructurings and their corresponding negotiations, the team also handles transactional labour mandates, collective bargaining agreements, labour litigation and employee transfers, among other issues. Based in Monterrey, practice head Ricardo Castro works closely with the M&A department and excels in complex transactional labour matters. Also in Monterrey, Alfonso García Lozano is similarly well versed in transactional work, as well as being one of the key labour litigation contacts. At the Mexico City office, Manuel Calderón's broad experience includes complex individual and collective litigation, as well as call-to-strike procedures; he heads the labour litigation department. Javiera Medina-Reza has a strong focus on employee transfers, while also advising on litigation; and Rosario Lombero Gonzalez who 'stands out for her openness and willingness to understand the needs of the company', focuses on compensation, benefits, pension plans, labour and social security matters, and outsourcing. Clients of collective bargaiing specialist Salvador Pasquel-Villegas appreciate his 'great command of labour, union and current issues', and more junior partners Liliana Hernández-Salgado and Gabriel Ortiz-Aguilar are further key contacts in Mexico City. In Guadalajara, María José Casillas González (immigration and labour advisory) is the name to note at partner level, while Humberto Ruiz Correa is a key associate at the Monterrey office.

Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. has longstanding strength in labour and employment advice, holding it as a key component of its broad offering to clients in the management of their operations in Mexico. Clients are drawn from both the public and private sectors and the department is well versed in union negotiations and collective bargaining processes across a broad range of the most prominent industries in the country. A host of Fortune 500 companies look to the firm for their day-to-day labour law advice; while on the contentious side of the practice, the team is a strong choice for the full suite of dispute matters. A trio of lawyers jointly coordinate the department: Jorge de Presno, a veteran of the discipline and specialist in both collective and individual labour, employment and social security law; David Puente, who has a similarly broad practice and is the lead contact at the firm’s office in Monterrey; and Luis Álvarez, who was raised to the partnership in July 2023 and is particularly strong on contentious matters, including labour audits related to individual and collective relations. Senior associate Alejandro Hernández is a further contact to note for labour litigation.

De la Vega & Martínez Rojas, S.C.‘s 'highly trained team of experts in the field' of labour and employment law makes for a stellar choice across the range of complex matters in the Mexican market. Multinationals from a wide spectrum of industries look to the specialist boutique for assistance with collective bargaining agreements, as well as negotiations with unions. Furthering its ability to assist clients based in different industrial hubs across the country, and those based in the US, the firm opened a new office in Monterrey in February 2024. Enrique García Conde is the lead contact at the new location and has 30 years’ experience in labour advisory and litigation. Leading the broader practice at the firm are its two founding partners Oscar de la Vega Gómez and Ricardo Martínez Rojas, both among the foremost figures in the Mexican market. Héctor de la Cruz is a younger partner who undertakes litigation and collective bargaining, with a niche specialism in the aviation sector. Collective negotiation specialist José María Galindo is an additional key partner. Jimena Adriana Sánchez Argoytia left the firm in April 2024. Associate Oscar de la Vega Castillo assists the partners and has recently acted in a number of high-profile litigations.

Specialist labour law boutique Marván, González Graf y González Larrazolo, S.C. (MGGL)'s enduring expertise in the field stands the firm in good stead as Mexico’s employment law market becomes more complex and competitive. The team advises on the full range of union negotiations and has recent experience on matters in which US unions have funded their Mexican counterparts. The labour aspects of corporate mergers are routinely handled by the department, but it particularly differentiates itself from it competitors in labour litigation, where is a trusted counsel on some of the most complex cases in the country. Three lawyers coordinate leadership of the team: Héctor González Graf, one of the market’s best respected figures and the counsel of choice for a number of leaders in the insurance, financial services, retail and consumer goods sectors; Santiago Marván Urquiza, who is strong across the spectrum of non-contentious matters, along with employment litigation; and Nelson Guerrero Robles, who has a similarly broad practice but maintains a special focus acting for clients in every stage of complex litigation. Emilio Israel Garzón Juárez is a notable younger partner with knowledge of the pharmaceutical, health and retail industries; and Cristian Jésus Lamas Peregrina focuses on labour litigation. Oscar Bojorge was raised to the partnership in January 2024 and José Genaro Pérez Velázquez rounds out the group of junior partners. Paulina Mendietta stands out as a senior associate, assisting across the full range of work.

The labour and employment department at Santamarina y Steta is one of the top destinations in Mexico for for corporate clients requiring collective bargaining advice and union negotiation strategies. Unfair dismissal litigation is a further area in which the practice is recognised as a leader, including for high-level terminations. The firm’s client roster includes major corporations from both the domestic and international markets, for which it has an estabished track record as regards representation before the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the local labour ministries in various Mexican states. On the non-contentious side, the firm’s transactional departments are close collaborators with the labour team. Andrés Rodríguez, praised by clients for his 'excellent knowledge' in collective matters, is one of the leading all-rounders in the market; he co-leads the offering with veteran Monterrey-based managing partner Juan Carlos de la Vega. Employment law litigator Francisco Udave is also an integral part of the leadership team, as is counsel María Elena Abraham, the key contact for immigration matters. Fellow counsel Jaime Vázquez is noted for investigations and litigation.

As one of the most recognised full-service firms in Mexico, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. maintains a labour and employment law practice populated by ‘lawyers with high expertise‘ that coordinate with the firm’s offering across business law to mitigate risk and handle complex union and collective negotiations. Among the dedicated labour and employment law professionals at the firm are specialists in union matters, harassment and discrimination, along with social security, all being coordinated by practice head Francisco Peniche. He ‘undoubtedly makes the difference‘, according to one client; and is a deeply experienced advisor to multinational companies across compliance, restructurings and hiring structures, collective bargaining and investigations. Reorganisations, labour aspects of M&A, and both employee and executive compensation are the focuses of Julio Álvarez‘s practice; while Rodrigo Espíritu Santo (promoted to counsel in July 2023) can draw on over 25 years’ experience as internal and external counsel in the public and private sectors. At senior associate level, Alicia Abúndez and María Fernanda Pariente are the names to note.

The labour and employment offering at Hogan Lovells 'has resources and knowledge to resolve a wide variety of problems' and serves as a key pillar of the firms support to businesses across North America. Its broad workload on the advisory side includes ESG compliance, hiring strategies, employee transfer, terminations and benefit plans; while in union negotiations and contentious work the practice is well versed in collective bargaining and litigation. Three lawyers co-lead the practice: senior counsel Luis Ruiz Gutiérrez, who can draw on a wealth of labour disputes experience; Hugo Hernández-Ojeda, also a senior figure and who focuses on labour and employment, pensions, investigations and social security law; and younger partner Mary Carmen Fuertes, whose practice centres on the labour aspects of corporate deals, investigations, compliance, employee moves and restructuring. Counsel Luis Adrián Rosas Ortega stands out in labour litigation; while senior associates Oswaldo Chávez Uribe and Regina Torrero reflect the team’s strength in depth.

Labour law boutique Pizá Abogados is a robust choice for clients whether requiring consultancy or litigation counsel in the area. The firm places an emphasis on its provision of experts in both of these areas with each managed as its own sub-department. Enrique Ballesteros Alvarado heads the consultancy side, where internal audits, employment document reviews, compliance evaluation and risk prevention are all key strengths. He has a notable client list in the finance and insurance segments but acts for a broader client base. For dispute resolution, managing partner Gabriel Pizá is co-leader of the team, a specialist in individual and collective high-risk litigation and one of the most recognised practitioners of such in the market. His fellow ligigation co-head is Alejandro Díaz, an expert in amparo trials and their procedures before collegiate courts and the Supreme Court. Risk prevention and human resources are areas of strength for more junior partner Pamela Bello Zárate; while Susana Flores Verlón‘s broad consulting experience includes expatriate employment, labour benefits, compliance systems, transfer of employees and employees’ inspections.

EC Rubio is praised by clients for its 'professionalism and punctual service' in labour and employment matters wherein it has a stellar client list among companies operating in the industrial, manufacturing, mining and maquiladora spheres. One of the areas at the front of clients' minds in those areas recently has been compliance with USMCA labour regulations, and the group is a strong choice for such counsel. On the contentious side, the team is adept in litigation, while placing emphasis on conflict avoidance where possible. Javier Canseco, an experienced advisor to Fortune 500 companies, is especially strong on investigations and compliance. He co-leads the department with Ana María Becerra, who focuses on risk prevention; and Perla Arreola, a veteran of both contentious and advisory matters across the practice area. Roberto Alvarez-Malo frequently performs labour due diligence and prepares labour infrastructure for clients, and a further key contact is March 2024 partner promotion Alma Oviedo, who is focused on prevention of individual and collective litigation. Furthermore, in July 2024 the firm hired Reynold González Villarreal as a counsel at its Ciudad Juárez office; he handles both labour advisory and litigation as part of a broader corporate practice that also takes in compliance matters.

Labour law boutique Ferran Martinez Abogados receives considerable acclaim from clients, who appreciate its 'great specialists in labour issues' and the 'modern leadership' of a 'diverse, sophisticated, robust firm'. Since its inception in 2020, the firm has emphasised a technology-led support to companies' labour law requirements, particularly as regards the duration of restructuring projects, from putting together the initial plans through to potential litigation and union negotiations. Managing and founding partner Carlos Ferran Martínez is singled out by one client as 'the dream lawyer for any company'. He is a reference in the market for multinational companies looking for labour and employment consultancy, as well as advice on restructuring, compliance and social security matters. The team’s other key contact is José Alberto Sánchez Medina a younger partner who is forging a strong practice in work regulations, the management of business closures, collective contract negotiations, litigation, and high-stakes terminations.

Fisher Phillips established its Mexico City office in July 2023 and with it a robust labour and employment department composed of several partners that joined the firm from Deloitte Legal. ‘Expert in the field‘, Germán de la Garza de Vecchi previously led the Deloitte team and impresses clients with his ‘impeccable track record’. He is one of a leadership group of five, alongside: Octavio Novaro Holguin, a labour generalist with a multinational client base from diverse sectors that include automotives, tech, pharmaceuticals and insurance; Victor Manuel Avila Estudillo, who has recently worked with de la Garza de Vecchi advising The Walt Disney Company; Andrea Brizio, a young partner with a specialism in labour advice to pharmaceutical clients; and Héctor Cuevas, whose labour and corporate law work in the oil and gas sector stands out.

Greenberg Traurig, S.C. makes for an experienced and high-end choice of labour litigation counsel in Mexico, and also stands out for its thorough support on labour and employment issues connected with M&A and other transactions. Its wide-ranging client base includes domestic heavyweights at the top of their respective markets and operating in multiple locations across the country, as well as a number of multinationals requiring Mexican counsel as regards their local workforces. Marité Villanueva, a 'very committed' of counsel, co-leads the practice group and has experience in developing labour structures, increasing efficiency in M&A projects, team integration and human resources process design. Her fellow co-head, Leslie Palma, is praised by clients for her 'attention to detail' and 'innovative solutions'. Associates Karla Copka and Daniel Maldonado add further depth in corporate labour and employment advisory.

Alfredo Kupfer Dominguez leads the labour and employment department at the multi-office, broad service offering firm, Sánchez Devanny. A well regarded counsel for complex matters at the intersection of corporate and labour law, Kupfer-Dominguez works closely with the firm’s M&A team on such matters, but also has a wealth of experience in core labour and employment work. The practice has developed strong relationships with the in-house legal and human resources departments of major domestic and international clients, and in addition to its advisory and corporate-related strengths, it also has a robust litigation offering. Immigration matters are a further capability. The firm’s office in Queretaro is the base of Kupfer-Dominguez’s senior associate team: Fermin Lecumberri-Cano and Sebastian Rosales-Ortega, both of whom act for both national and foreign clients. Rosales-Ortega is also in charge of individual and collective litigation in the Bajio region. Notably, the firm is currently in discussion to merger with Garrigues‘ Mexico office.

Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC is a reliable destination for companies requiring labour and employment advice, particularly as applied to major transactional matters. Restructuring of work forces due to M&A, divestitures, joint ventures, and spin-offs are routinely handled and the practice is experienced in such matters for some of the key multinationals from various industries operating in Mexico. The team also has capabilities in collective bargaining agreements, handling recent mandates in the retail, cosmetics and automotive industries, as well as further depth in labour litigation and social security issues, along with anti-corruption compliance. Rafael Vallejo c0-leads the department and is one of the country’s best-recognised advisors to domestic and foreign companies across labour, social security and benefits matters. Alongside him, Rodolfo Trampe  is an experienced figure in assisting Fortune 500 companies with their expansions into the Mexican market. Counsel Adrián Castillo is a key name for labour dispute resolution, while associate Alejandra Arizpe provides standout support across the full range of work. Since publication we sadly have to report that Rodolfo Trampe passed on in early November 2024.

Clients appreciate the 'strategic, technical and tactical knowledge' of Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa's labour and employment group, which stands out for its work in restructurings and organising foreign companies’ operations in Mexico. Practitioners in the firm’s international trade and tax departments collaborate closely with the labour team to ensure a comprehensive offering to clients regarding their staff organisation in the country. Mayeli Cabral is a labour risk management expert and the key contact in Mexico City. She co-leads the practice group with Monterrey-based Miguel Ángel Cantú; and Juan José Soto, who divides his time between Mexico City and Queretaro, where he is the lead labour law contact. Associate Gabriela Farias is accomplished support, with experience in the food and beverage, and energy sectors, among others.

Gerardo Valencia 'leads this area excellently' for Cuesta Campos y Asociados S.C., whose Guadalajara office is the base of operations for its labour and employment offering. Recent areas of activity have included compliance with trade agreements involving Mexico, due diligence regarding transactional activities, collective negotiations with national unions, and regulatory compliance in a range of industries. The IT sector has been a source of multiple new clients in recent times, and the practice also has strong experience working with manufacturing companies. Valencia leads the full range of matters, with associates Erick Sastré and Sandra Chávez also receiving client recommendation.

Maillard Abogados Laborales stands out in the market for its presence in the sports and entertainment sectors, in which it counsels major companies on a range of complex labour and employment issues. The practice is well versed in labour litigation across a broad range of other industry sectors and has experience acting for plaintiffs and defendants in complex matters following dismissals. On the advisory side of the practice the team has notable capabilities in compliance and union negotiations, as well as acting in a large number of hygiene and safety inspections at clients’ premises. Senior lawyer and founding partner César Maillard Canudas co-leads the practice with César Maillard Cárdenas. Evelyn Palma is a key contact for labour inspection procedures and conflict prevention; and Ary Argumedo manages the litigation and amparo proceedings sub-groups.

Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes S.C.'s 'combination of practicality with a deep knowledge of labour law' underpins a department that excels in the full range of transactional labour and employment matters, but also provides robust support in general labour litigation and amparo cases. As a full-service firm, clients are drawn from its multitude of established departments, but the group also operates as a stand alone practice receiving direct instructions. The department works closely with its M&A counterparts on transactional matters and also has strong relationships with US law firms making enquiries about Mexican labour law on their clients’ behalf. The practice is co-led by Claudio Jiménez de León and Rodrigo del Valle: the former is an experienced advisor to national, foreign, public and private companies in this field; while del Valle frequently assists with workforce restructuring, high-level executives’ compensation, compliance strategy, collective dispute resolution and employee transfers. At associate level, Francisco Cisneros is an experienced labour litigator of note.

Monsalvo Duclaud fields an impressive labour and employment team that is admired by clients for being 'well informed about new theses, jurisprudence and criteria in their area of ​​expertise'. Its client base includes an array of domestic and multinational clients and is particularly impressive in the tech and automotive industries. The department is adept in the full range of advisory and contentious matters, and has a strong offering in social security matters. Key contacts include: the 'pragmatic and always proactive' co-managing partner Luis Monsalvo Álvarez, who excels in labour and employment compliance, and has experience advising in connection with major transactions; fellow managing partner Alan Duclaud Ampudia, who is the main contact for social security matters; head of the consulting sub-group Isabel Pizarro Guevara; Luis Monsalvo Valderrama, a specialist in high-risk collective and individual conflicts; and inspections and social security expert Andrés Cámara Pérez. Alexia Bravo Jiménez coordinates the litigation team, and Lidia Monsalvo Álvarez is the name to note for constitutional appeals.

Cross-border US-Mexican labour and employment matters are a particular strength of the team at Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton. Domestic and US companies in a range of sectors look to the practice for advice that covers collective bargaining agreements, day-to-day compliance and labour litigation, among other issues. A trio oversees leadership of the group: Pablo Sáenz, a veteran with three decades’ consulting and litigating experience in relation to both individual and collective labour law; Francisco Peña, who focuses on representing US-based clients; and Javier Zapata, in the Tijuana office, who is strong on labour litigation.

With a particularly notable presence in the real estate and retail sectors, the labour and employment law department at Cannizzo, Ortiz y Asociados SC keeps its clients abreast of the changing regulatory landscape in Mexico, and supports on employee termination strategies and union negotiations. Stefano Amato 's practice has a transactional focus, especially as regards real estate; he co-leads the practice group with Mauricio Moreno, who often assists with collective bargaining and other union-related issues. Anahí Serrano and Andrea Sopranzetti are the associate-level contacts to note.

DeForest Abogados has offices across Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City, Puebla & Queretaro) and fields a labour law compliance department that assists a variety of businesses across many of the key industry hubs in the country. The practice is especially strong in labour lawsuits and the management of company-wide layoffs. Practice head Eduardo Garduño is one of the founding partners of the firm and has over 25 years' experience in the practice area, as well as having held various public positions in Puebla. Mexico City-based Jaime Bustamante is a compliance and labour law expert, while the experienced Atzin Vallejo and Edgar Barreto are additional names to note.

Established in 2010, Grepe, Lavin & Zavaleta, SC is a strong choice for labour counsel in both an advisory and contentious capacity. It has built a client base that features a number of heavyweight multinationals in some of Mexico’s key industries, and its recent work includes assistance with audits, large-scale redundancies and employment litigation. Andrew Grepe has a diverse client base, with notable strengths in the sports and aeronautical sectors; Maria Alejandra Gomez excels in employee termination procedures; and Jorge Eduardo Zenteno is the standout labour litigator at the firm. The three jointly coordinate the department.

Jaime Rodriguez Eguiarte leads the labour and employment department at Ibarra, del Paso y Gallego, working closely with the firm’s transactional lawyers to provide a rounded service for a broad international and domestic client base. Rodriguez Eguiarte is a seasoned litigator, as well as being a strong choice for risk mitigation in relation to M&A. At associate level, Rodrigo Diaz Martínez is the to note.

Following its July 2024 merger, Pérez-Llorca inherits the legacy team from González Calvillo, whose varied list of clients for labour and employment services has a distinct focus on compliance and contentious matters. Risk assessments and internal investigations are also regular constituents of the team’s workload, with key matters all led by practice head Luis Enrique Cervantes. Cervantes has over 15 years' experience in labour law, social security and benefits advice, and is supported at associate level by senior Luis Guillermo Vázquez and Mauricio Contel.

The 'agile, punctual and precise' labour and employment team at Sainz Abogados provides day-to-day labour and employment law counsel to a broad spectrum of domestic and international clients operating in Mexico. Its practitioners are equipped to handle advisory, transactional and litigation matters in the field, and the group is led by the 'undoubtedly outstanding' Alejandro Nila. Support on contentious matters comes from associates Marcela Bojorge and Omar Zayas.