The ‘creative’ competition and antitrust team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. ‘has an exceptional degree of specialisation’ and is counsel of choice for a host of major multinationals operating in Mexico. It takes a considerable share of the merger control cases before COFECE and is also a regular in acting for major clients that are subject to sector investigations; recent mandates include matters in the jet fuel and liquid petroleum gas markets. Department head Carlos Mena is one of the go-to advisors in the market when it comes to competition law litigation and investigations, where he has experience on the other side of the table having been head of the investigative authority and general director of investigations of cartels. He and Jorge Kargl are praised by clients for their ‘experience in the sector, together with the attitude of service and commitment to the client’, and Kargl is especially noted in the TMT space. For one client, Luis Gerardo García ‘makes the difference‘’ and he is the founder of the firm’s practice in this area. Another experienced antitrust and competition specialist is Mauricio Serralde, who acts on the full range of competition of matters; while Sara Gutiérrez is rapidly establishing a strong practice in administrative litigation and antitrust, and was promoted to the partnership in January 2023. Senior associate Edgar Martín Padilla has a practice focused on assisting national and international companies with pre-merger authorisations, cartel investigations and procedures before regulatory entities. Since publication, Padilla has moved to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's Brussels office as a foreign associate.

Galicia Abogados S.C.’s ‘top-notch’ practice is a key component of its overall offering to major companies undertaking deals at the very top of the corporate market in Mexico. The group includes not only dedicated professionals in the competition and antitrust field but also experts in a variety of the country’s major industries, giving the team a robust offering when it comes to navigating the respective regulatory challenges in different sectors, as well as counsel experienced in dealing with the competition authority. The practice is led by co-managing partner of the firm Christian Lippert, one of the best known experts in this area in Mexico. Fellow practice co-head Carlos Chávez is also a recognised antitrust expert in the market; he advises a number of major companies on day-to-day compliance, and has an especially strong client base in the telecoms sector. The practice also houses one of the market’s next generation partners in Juan Carlos Burgos; in recent years he has regularly come up against the competition authority in some of its most significant sectoral-investigations. Counsel Gerardo Rodríguez supports on complex merger control applications, while senior associate Maite Celorio strengthens the practice group’s regulatory offering.

‘Great team and great leadership’ is the assessment of Gonzalez Calvillo’s competition and antitrust team by clients familiar with the practice, with group head Cristina Massa being singled out as ‘an extremely professional lawyer… with in-depth knowledge of economic competition’ matters; she can draw on relevant professional experience at both the Mexican antitrust commission and various other public sector posts. Massa primarily acts for major companies and investment funds in Mexico, particularly in the highly regulated sectors of telecoms, energy and financial services. More broadly, she and her team handle merger control procedures, the design and implementation of strategy, and the representation of clients in investigation proceedings before competition agencies. The merger-control side of the wider practice is led by counsel Patricio Martínez Osorio; he assists both domestic and multinational companies particularly as regards pre-merger filings in Mexico. Associate Daniel González Contreras is also an active member of the practice group. Since publication, Massa has left the firm - effective as of April 2024.

Clients of Greenberg Traurig, S.C. particularly value the firm's ‘highly specialised’ competition and antitrust team due to its members’ professional experience at the competition commission. The group regularly acts for major players in a variety of industries when COFECE undertakes investigations into their sector of operation, and the department also saw a rise in activity for its pre-merger filing practice during the course of 2022. The practice is co-led by Victor Manuel Frías, an expert in transaction-related competition law matters; and Miguel Flores Bernés (a former Commissioner at what was then the Comisión Federal de Competencia) who is well-versed in government merger reviews, investigations into anti-competitive conduct, litigation and general compliance counsel. At associate level, both Abel Rivera Pedroza and Valery Dayne García Zavala are recommended by clients, while Rocío Olea Salgado has played a key role in handling the aforementioned boom in pre-merger filing mandates.

‘One of the strongest specialties of Hogan Lovells’ according to clients, competition and antitrust is an area in which the firm’s Mexico office is frequently engaged in investigations work, as well as handling complex merger control issues, often in relation to major global M&A. In 2022, the team was part of a multi-jurisdictional group of counsel that advised Mondelez International on its $1.3bn acquisition of Ricolino, with coordinated filings in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Ukraine; the team secured unconditional approval in Mexico. ‘First-class lawyers’ Ricardo Pons and Omar Guerrero co-lead the practice: Pons focusing on merger control and investigations, while experienced litigator Guerrero is accustomed to handling matters before competition tribunals, federal courts and the Supreme Court. The ‘performance and knowledge’ of counsel Alan Ramírez Casazza is also highlighted by clients, and senior associate Martín Michaus-Fernández is a further name to note. Since publication, Ramírez has been raised to the partnership – effective as of January 2024.

SAI Derecho & Economía S.C receives enthusiastic endorsement from its clients for its ‘excellent service and technical and business knowledge‘ in the field of competition and antitrust. Practitioners have extensive expertise in representation and advice regarding mergers, investigations of potential monopolies, applications to the immunity program, and advice on favourable navigation of the country’s competition regulations. Lucía Ojeda and her ‘deep understanding of clients’ needs‘ come highly recommended by a client base that includes well-known names operating in Mexico’s most strictly regulated sectors. She co-leads the practice with José Ángel Santiago, who has a broad practice in contentious administrative law matters. At senior associate level, Felipe García Cuevas has broad compliance experience, Ernesto Álvarez Castillo assists with major mergers, and Bruno Puerto Salazar specialises in amparo proceedings.

For antitrust investigations carried out in Mexico, Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC makes for reliable and seasoned counsel. Recent scrutiny by COFECE in the banking and beer making industries have both been sources of work for the practice, which is headed by Fernando Carreño, one of the market’s most renowned lawyers for investigations in this area. He is also an experienced transaction lawyer when it comes to merger and pre-merger filings. The practice was significantly bolstered in January 2023 with the hire of Sergio López as a partner after some seven years at COFECE where he had held a number of senior positions including Director General of Contentious Affairs, Head of the Technical Secretariat and Head of the Investigative Authority. Counsel César Martínez supports on litigation cases, mainly regarding investigations into alleged illegal behaviour; while among a strong crop of associates, experienced seniors Mónica Cabeza de Vaca and Michel Llorens are two names to note. Since publication, Llorens has been raised to counsel - effective as of January 2024.

Following the retirement of former practice co-head Pilar Mata in April 2022, the competition law department at Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes S.C. is co-led by Francisco Fuentes and Carlos Orcí. The team is a crucial cog in the firm’s wider offering for heavyweight transactions in Mexico, with the group frequently engaged in some of the biggest M&A and joint ventures that require complex advice on gaining approval from the Mexican competition authority. Clients also benefit from the team’s specialised group of antitrust litigators, assisting with all stages of monopolistic practice procedures and contentious defence. Fuentes is one such litigator, as well as acting on merger analysis and day-to-day compliance. Orcí is an expert in dealing with the antitrust authorities and regulatory bodies in various sectors. Associate Patricio Rivas provides key practice support.

‘Experts in economic competition’, boutique firm Valdés Abascal Abogados, S.C. is specialised in the sector and reliable counsel across the gamut of matters, from merger-control filings, to investigations and competition law litigation proceedings. The firm has over 25 years' market experience and has accrued deep experience counselling companies in leading and dominant positions in their respective industries. Rafael Valdés is one of the best regarded lawyers in the competition and antitrust scenario in Mexico; he co-leads the group with Fabiola Quezada, who draws on 18 years' experience in-house at a major pharmaceutical company to assist with competition and antitrust, corporate law, data privacy, and compliance and anticorruption matters; and Enrique de la Peña, a January 2023 partner appointment and key merger control advisor at the firm. Former senior associate Agustín Aguilar departed in November 2022 but the firm hired associate Artemio Espinosa to the team in December 2022.

As the Mexican market saw an increase in M&A activity, White & Case S.C.’s competition and antitrust department has been particularly active in unconditional merger-clearances and related transactional issues, notably in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The practice is also adept at assisting its clients with investigations by the competition authority and with antitrust lawsuits. The team is led by Henri Capin Gally, who has a lengthy track-record and has participated in some of Mexico’s most significant transactions and complex competition investigations. The November 2022 promotion of Román González Melo to the partnership means the firm fields three partners for this practice, with Fernando García Gómez the contact to note for constitutional and administrative disputes. At associate level, Germán Macías and Diego Mendoza provide support across the full range of matters.

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. operates a multi-jurisdictional merger control practice for its clients with operations in Mexico, and is also part of the firm’s global offering regarding cartels and as compliance counsel. Practice head and managing partner of the firm’s Mexico offices, Raymundo Enriquez is well-versed in merger control, cartel investigations, antitrust compliance and competition litigation. He is supported by Luis Amado, who is particularly strong on investigations related to potential monopolies; and associate Alina de la Luz, formerly at COFECE for over seven years, and who has particular expertise in abuse-of-market-dominance cases and the analysis of competition conditions.

Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. has a strong track record in high-profile and complex antitrust investigations, and is also a regular presence in the market’s merger control landscape. Cartel matters are a particular forte, including investigations and leniency applications, and infrastructure antitrust issues related to public bidding procedures is another niche strength. Department head Amílcar Peredo has broad experience in representing national and international clients on all areas of competition and antitrust, and is well known as a reference in the market. Associate León Jiménez provides primary support across the full range of sector matters; however, counsel Fernanda Garza departed in March 2023.

Jones Day’s competition and antitrust department is characterised by the high volume of merger control filings it handles in the country, as part of the firm's multi-jurisdictional antitrust work on high-profile transactions. The practice also represents major companies in a variety of sectors on investigations by COFECE concerning cartels, abuse of dominance and collusion agreements. All matters are all led by department head and of counsel, Gabriel Altamirano, who has some two decades' antitrust experience in Mexico handling both domestic and cross-border merger matters and investigations work.

Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. was boosted by the return to its competition practice of senior associate Marta Loubet in January 2023, nine months after she had left to join White & Case S.C.. Her broad experience and sector focus on energy, transport, financial services, consumer goods and TMT, rejuvenate a practice that has steadily grown its merger control offering recently, particularly in the fintech sector which the Mexican authority has identified as a target for additional scrutiny. Transactional lawyers Octavio Olivo Villa and counsel James Ritch co-lead the department; moreover, in addition to Loubet’s return, the team has seen the arrival of further additions in associates Montserrat Quintana (who joined from an in-house position in June 2022), and Julia Fuentes (a November 2022 arrival from Pérez-Llorca in Spain).

As one of the oldest full-service firms in the Mexican market, Santamarina y Steta has a longstanding practice in competition and antitrust, and assists a disparate range of clients with both contentious and advisory matters in the area. It regularly handles merger control and pre-merger filings, and is also well-equipped for investigations work, including those addressing cartels and monopolistic practices. Practice head Vicente Grau is an experienced transactional lawyer in various sectors and therefor familiar with navigating companies’ interactions with COFECE, as well as sector specific regulators. Senior associate Ivan Szymanski assists across the full range of competition matters. Since publication, Szymanski has left the firm to open the new competitoin department at Vázquez Tercero & Zepeda - effective as of December 2023

Competition and antitrust has been a focus of growth for DLA Piper Mexico in recent years and the team now handles a share of COFECE’s sector investigations, as well as being a valuable asset for the firm’s corporate and M&A practice. Illustrative of that link, corporate partner Jorge Benejam co-heads the department; he is especially familiar with the technical and regulatory aspects of the life-sciences, telecoms and technology sectors, as well as analysing potential antitrust issues for M&A transactions. His partner in leading the team is Antonio Cárdenas, a litigator with increasing involvement in antitrust and competition matters. At the associate level, Ana Marietta Rivero is also involved in a contentious capacity, while Regina Esparza, hired from Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. in September 2022, is an antitrust advisory specialist.

Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC’s offering for competition and antitrust is appreciated for its ‘great command of the subject’ by a client base it has added to significantly in recent years; the practice group now acts for major banks and some of the market-leading multinationals operating in Mexico. A recent example of the department’s development saw the team acting for Bank of America before COFECE regarding a cartel investigation into the governmental securities market. Practice head Alejandro Mendiola led this matter (and does so on the majority of instructions), while of counsel Gabriel González Aragón is well-versed in merger control but focuses on investigations.

Jáuregui y Del Valle, S.C. is valued by clients for its ‘excellent attention to detail’ regarding antitrust advice, where it assesses the potential impact of corporate developments and M&A; the practice group also has capability in investigations. Department head David Hurtado leads on all matters for clients that include multinationals and market-leading domestic corporations. Associate Julia García De Acevedo focuses her practice on competition law and international trade.