Appreciated for its 'local and global expertise', Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C.'s energy and natural resources practice is one of the broadest in the Mexican market, representing stakeholders in projects across both oil-and-gas and renewable energy. It is as adept in major projects as it is in smaller, innovative undertakings, with the practice’s client base featuring owners and sponsors from around the world. Advice includes project development at every stage, regulatory compliance and operations; more recently the team has assisted clients with carbon offset matters. Benjamín Torres-Barrón heads the department and is also chair of the firm’s regional energy, mining and infrastructure group for Latin America. Marco Nieto-Vazquez has experience advising the private sector, the Mexican public sector, and international energy-related organisations; while the ‘deep expertise' of Daniel Sánchez is brought to bear in advice to developers and lenders on project design, implementation, collateralisation and development. Senior associate Carlos Maass-Porras 'always delivers' according to one client; with further support provided by associate Pamela Lemus and legal consultant Yuriria Mascott.

Galicia Abogados S.C. has a longstanding reputation in Mexico’s oil and gas industry, as well as being a heavyweight when it comes to advising clients across the mining sector. It has established itself as a go-to destination for precedent setting matters in those areas, as well as being a reliable choice for day-to-day regulatory assistance and support to clients involved in major M&A. More recently, it has also handled matters in the country’s nascent renewable energy industry, both on the regulatory front and with regard to M&A. One of the elder statesmen of the Mexican energy industry, Carlos de María y Campos continues to lead counsel on significant matters, particularly project finance matters. The department has further strength on that front in the figures of Antonio Borja, whose recent caseload has included contentious matters against Pemex; and younger partner Ernesto Partida, who is already well versed in cross-border financing, as well as project development. For mining matters, Héctor Kuri is the lead contact and a regular in that sector’s most significant transactions. Francisco Fernández Cueto is a senior partner with standout experience in the financing of renewable energy, conventional generation and natural gas projects; while the ongoing development of the practice is reflected by the appointment to the partnership of Florent Patoret in December 2023. Eduardo García-Travesi is another up-and-coming partner to note, and at senior associate level, Luis Manuel Rosendo stands out.

The Mexico City and Monterrey offices of Holland & Knight work in close conjunction to offer clients comprehensive counsel on energy sector matters. The team regularly advises on licensing, construction and development issues across the spectrum of energy matters, as well as on transactional mandates. Clients include project owners, sponsors and lenders of varying sizes, but including some of the biggest stakeholders in the Mexican market. At the helm of the practice, Carlos Ochoa has recently led counsel to a diverse range of clients on regulatory matters. He co-leads from Mexico City alongside Rodolfo Rueda, whose practice focuses on regulatory and government related matters, as well as transactions in the energy and natural resources space. At the Monterrey office it’s Gerardo Prado and Gabriel Ruiz who are the lead contacts. Ruiz assists with corporate matters and the operational design of oil-and-gas and other energy projects; while Prado’s focus is on transactional mandates. At senior counsel level, Regina Legorreta supports on energy project structuring, while Aldo González focuses on energy-related banking and finance matters.

Following the July 2024 merger with Gonzalez Calvillo, Pérez-Llorca inherits a group with a significant offering across the Mexican energy projects arena. The energy and natural resources department supports its clients through all stages of a project development, from the initial structuring and financing, to construction and operation. The firm also stands out for its ancillary offering in ADR resulting from energy projects, an area in which the market has seen a significant rise in (primarily administrative) contentious matters in recent years. Clients include major international investors, as well as domestic project owners, and the team has significant experience in traditional oil and gas, while also moving into renewables - as reflected by its advice to TPG Capital regarding solar power project investments. Key figures in the practice area include: founding partner Enrique González Calvillo, a senior figure who continues to advise on financing and arbitration in the energy space; M&A and finance expert Jorge Cervantes Trejo; transactional specialist Rodrigo Rojas; Oscar Moreno, one of the key contacts as regards regulatory advice; and Hernando Becerra, whose focus is on cross-border financing and M&A. Counsel Antonio De Lisi adds further financing depth; and fellow counsel Julia González has a focus on infrastructure development in the energy sector. Up-and-coming younger energy partner Diana Pineda was part of group that left the firm in April 2024.

The energy and natural resources group at CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow 'knows the regulatory framework like no one else' and has a notable history in advising government entities on an overhaul of the country’s electricity framework. It is counsel of choice in Mexico for a host of international energy companies and investors in the country’s energy and natural resources sectors, assisting them with both the commercial and regulatory advice required throughout the full life cycle of project development. 'An extraordinary lawyer expert in energy issues', co-leader of the practice and senior partner Derek Woodhouse is one of the most experienced figures in energy matters in Mexico, a dedicated specialist regarding power, infrastructure and PPPs. He coordinates the practice alongside Luis Fernández, who is the main contact for mining matters, as well as leading the transactional side of the energy and infrastructure department. The third of the leadership trio is Giancarlo Schievenini, whose practice focuses on oil and gas, and corporate and transactional matters in the energy and infrastructure segments. Raúl Zepeda is another experienced partner to note, and can draw on two decades' in-house experience in the energy industry; his practice also covers banking and finance matters. Senior associate Gabriel Salinas is especially noted for electricity sector work.

The Mexico City office of Greenberg Traurig, S.C. houses an energy and natural resources department whose expertise tales in the transactional, regulatory and contentious aspects of the sector. Electricity production  (both renewable and conventional), crude oil, natural gas and LNG, are all areas representated on the practice group’s client list, which has a healthy mix of project owners and sponsors, both domestic and international. Co-leader of the department Erick Hernández Gallego impresses clients with his 'technical and practical knowledge' and is lead advisor on transactional and financing matters in both the hydrocarbons and power generation sectors. Alongside him, of counsel Pedro Reséndez Bocanegra is an energy sector expert who primarily assists with regulatory matters and government relations in the area. The practice also frequently looks to tax and amparo trial lawyer Joselino Morales for matters in those areas; he is well versed in representing clients before Mexican federal and state courts. Senior associate Rodrigo Vázquez del Mercado-Rivera's practice has an emphasis on oil, gas and electricity, as well as government procurement and M&A; while the practice of fellow senior Luis Jorge Akle also demonstrates a strong energy law bent. Hugo Hernández and Perla Salgado support on tax-related issues, and Miguel Saiz adds depth on litigation.

Praised for its 'attention to detail and knowledge of regulations in Mexico', the energy practice at Hogan Lovells is one of the strongest choices for regulatory matters, licensing and permits throughout the sector. In oil and gas, the team continues to represent major project owners and investors on upstream, midstream and downstream activities; Equinor and Qatar Petroleum International being among those to instruct the team recently. A number of international energy companies also look to the team for advice on conventional and renewable power projects, with practice co-heads Carlos Ramos Miranda, Juan Francisco Torres Landa and Miguel Ángel Mateo Simón all leading counsel regarding high-end power projects. On the regulatory side the broad practice extends to mining, wherein senior associate Perla Díaz Taracena is the name to note. Further key contacts at senior associate level include transactional lawyer Mauricio Fuchs Tarlovsky; and the dual-qualified (Mexico / Venezuela) Víctor Barrientos, who has extensive experience in the oil, gas and petrochemicals arenas.

Leading global energy companies are among the clients of Jones Day's energy practice in Mexico, which advises on project development, financing and investment managment. The department also supports on regulatory issues throughout the sector. While the team has longstanding prowess in the sector, it has more recently developed its offering on conflict prevention strategies, as well as being equipped to handle high-stakes litigation should it arise. A trio of lawyers jointly lead the practice group: José Estandía, who has led advice on numerous M&A and financing deals in the Mexican energy market; infrastructure expert Alberto de la Parra, a veteran of numerous major energy developments in the country; and Alejandro Fleming, whose forte is electricity sector matters. Younger partner Arturo de la Parra is also strong on infrastructure and is particularly noted in the team for renewable energy projects. At associate level, senior Fernando Verdín advises on the regulatory scope of the Mexican power authority and the repealed electric power public service law; while semi-senior Andrés Barón supports on contractual law, M&A and corporate matters for international private sector companies with stakes in the Mexican energy sector.

Energy boutique MCM Abogados is best known for its 'extensive experience in oil and gas matters in Mexico' and is counsel of choice to some of the international heavyweights of the sector, including ExxonMobil, and domestic leaders such as Vista Energy. Cross-border oil-and-gas work, particularly involving the US and the UK, is something of a central pillar at the firm, while on the power generation front, it's practice is steadily growing, with Kino Energia added as a client for wind power in 2023. Three partners coordinate the department: Manuel Cervantes, firm founder and managing partner, who is regarded as one of the go-to lawyers in the market for complex financial and development structures; Mariana Hernandez, an expert in corporate and M&A work in the energy space; and younger partner Jorge Cabeza, who acts for oil companies, investors, traders and service providers. Primary support to the practice heads comes from Francisco Valencia, a senior associate with experience in the hydrocarbons and power sectors, on both regulatory and litigious matters.

Electricity and water matters are the standout strengths of the energy and natural resources department at Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC, one of the practices equipped to handle the broadest range of projects in the energy and natural resources. Recent work has included prominent exits from the Mexican electricity market, renewable energy acquisitions and financing natural gas supply projects. The team is also at the forefront of the water sector and the growing waste-to-energy projects niche, with co-head of the practice Vanessa Franyutti, and PPP expert Alejandro Rojas being the key partner contacts on such matters. Franyutti shares leadership of the wider energy and natural resources department with Javier Arreola, who is well versed in matters across the electricity sector, including renewables. Young partner Santiago Medina comes with strong recommendation from clients and is developing a notable practice in electricity PPP projects, handling structuring, bidding, acquisition, restructuring and financings. At associate level, Ana María Alpizar and Fernando Castillo are both experienced practitioners of note. The January 2024 hire of environmental law expert Marcela Ánimas from the now defunct Woods Ánimas considerably bolsters the firm’s offering in that area.

Leveraging the experience of many of its practitioners' previous experience at Pemex and the Mexican Ministry of Energy, the energy and natural resources department at Norton Rose Fulbright is a strong choice across hydrocarbons matters and one of the heavyweight transactional firms in the space. The practice also undertakes project development matters, as well as reaching in renewables as well as traditional oil-and-gas. In Mexico City, César Fernández Gomez and Hernán González are the lead contacts and they coordinate the group with New York based partner Raquel Bierswinsky, who is dual qualified in the US and Mexico. From a considerable pool of non-partner lawyers, Itzell Méndez (promoted to counsel in March 2024) and associate Angélica Álvarez receive client praise for their 'great capacity and knowledge'; senior associate José Luis Romo assists with oil and gas upstream and midstream projects, energy regulation and corporate transactions.

The energy and natural resources practice at White & Case S.C. stands out for its depth of knowledge across the range of work in the sector, and fields a 'group of experts in various matters that complement each other', with extensive expertise in energy regulatory issues, and transactional and contentious matters, in both the private and public sectors. The deartment's client base includes major players in various areas of the industry, as well as associations including Asolmex (solar energy) and Amexhi (hydrocarbons). Practice head Francisco de Rosenzweig has a particular focus on energy regulatory and transactional-related projects, and is the day-to-day advisor to a host of the leading energy companies operating in Mexico, as well as being counsel of choice for the aforementioned associations. Juan Ruenes comes with client praise for his 'deep knowledge in financial and commercial transactions in the energy sector', and corporate law partner Juan Carlos Llorens is a further contact of note in the practice group. Standout associate José Daniel Franco focuses on hydrocarbon and electricity regulatory work, project finance, and advice on the day-to-day operations of energy sector companies.

Full-service heavyweight Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. has deep experience working across all segments of the energy and natural resources sector in Mexico, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, traditional and alternative power (including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, waste-to-energy), mining, water and waste management. In addition to its transactional prowess, this know-how extends in to the full range of regulatory, licensing and compliance matters. Santiago Sepúlveda is one of two practice co-heads and handles the structuring and development of projects in the energy space (as well as elsewhere). Alongside him, José Ignacio Segura is coordinator of the energy group; his investment-focused practice sees him regularly acts for developers, owner-operators and fund investors, among others. Counsels Vanessa Gimenez, who focuses on energy and infrastructure transactions; and Juan Carlos Luna who additionally handles project finance matters, are further contacts to note.

The ‘robust and diverse‘ energy team at Dentons López Velarde fields ‘specialists in many subjects‘, and is as comfortable assisting with regulatory issues as it is on the transactional front. The team is well versed at advising international clients on contracts and projects awarded by the Mexican state in the upstream exploration and production (E&P) segment; while in midstream matters, development of pipelines and terminals, as well as trade of materials are regular sources of work. Clients see the ‘experience and leadership‘ of practice head Rogelio López-Velarde as a boon; he has been a stalwart of the hydrocarbons market since its opening up in the 1990s. He co-lleads the practice along with Jorge Jimenez, who is experienced in upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas matters, as well as in the power sector; and regulatory energy law expert Amanda Valdez. Key senior associate support is provided by administrative law specialist Alberto Esenaro; and the arbitration, competition and international trade-focused Imanol Ramírez.

Goodrich, Riquelme y Asociados' energy and natural resources offering has a notable history in the oil and gas space, with experience structuring a number of major projects around the country; while in energy transition and decarbonisation, the team has manoeuvred itself into a position to advise on opportunities that are expected to see a steady uptick during the new governmental administration. The department also has a mining law component, a segment in which it has recently been assisting a local government client. Hydrocarbons veteran David Enriquez co-leads the group in conjunction with finance expert Jorge Sandoval; and senior associate Erika Roldán, who provides key support across oil and gas and electricity matters, and has niche strength in energy sector arbitration.

Admired by clients as a team 'committed to excellence and creative problem solving', LHO's specialised energy department rapidly established itself as reliable counsel to international clients operating in the Mexican market. The firm is particularly active in guiding companies through permitting applications, and litigation and arbitration between private parties and state entities. Key names in the sizeable group include: managing partner Luis Miguel Ramírez Ruggeberg, an expert across the sector with standout experience acting for foreign companies in the Mexican oil and gas space; Erik del Rio, who takes a lead role in financing and project structuring matters for the firm; Luis Enrique Rangel de la Peza, who has a broad practice focus on natural resources, disruptive projects, investments, joint ventures and restructuring; December 2023 partner appointment. Jorge Alvarado, who handles litigation and arbitration in the energy sector; and associate Jimena Zubiaga, one of the notable support contacts for natural resources matters.

'A great team, always attentive to the deal', the energy group at Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes S.C. is especially strong in financing projects and assisting with acquisitions across a varied range of subsectors. Its recent activity has included farmout agreements in the hydrocarbons sector, and assisting with the development of a green hydrogen project in the state of Oaxaca. Practice co-head Horacio de Uriarte draws on extensive experience across the range of Mexico’s energy and infrastructure projects, handling both legal and regulatory aspects. His fellow co-lead, Patricio Trad, is a corporate finance all-rounder. With 15 years at the firm, Aisha Calderón is the key associate contact and is particularly well regarded for renewable energy and environmental law issues.

Ramos, Ripoll & Schuster's energy and infrastructure department is particularly well regarded in the electricity market, where it is notably active advising on market entrance, representation before regulatory bodies and operating agreements. The team has assisted with a variety of innovative power generation projects (including solar, wind, and geothermal plants), and is also capable of handling transactional and contentious matters in the power sector. Guadalupe Esparza co-leads the team and has established herself as one of the up-and-coming partners acting for national and international clients - including government entities and private sector companies - on all types of projects related to the new wholesale electricity market. Fellow co-head Alejandro Ripoll-González is an experienced figure across the projects arena, be it domestically or on foreign projects with Mexican stakeholders. Standout support comes from senior associate Diego Álvarez Ampudia, who handles the structuring, negotiation, financing and execution of infrastructure and energy projects.

As part of its broader projects practice, Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. represents a client base of national and international lenders, investors, developers and contractors on the financing and development of energy and infrastructure projects. The energy practice is jointly overseen by experienced transactional lawyer Federico Santacruz González, and Jorge Oria y Anaya, whose broad practice includes financing, M&A and dispute resolution. Thomas Mueller-Gastell  is a veteran contact to note, while Alejandra Echeverría and Asaf Jiménez are both younger finance and transactional partners with a healthy participation in energy and infrastructure work.

Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC has a robust offering in energy regulatory matters that combines effectively with the firm’s broader practice offering, most notably its corporate, finance, real estate, environment, and compliance capabilities. This breadth facilitates support throughout the full life cycle of projects, with the team able to field practitioners with experience in oil and gas, renewables, and other alternative power generation projects. Edmond Grieger is a project development expert with more than two decades' experience in power, oil, gas and mining. He co-leads the department with Ariel Garfio, who is also well versed in the full suite of energy and natural resource market segments, where he has particular expertise in agreements and bidding processes. M&A partners Luis Burgueño and Alberto Córdoba, as well as disputes expert Raymundo Soberanis, are also often involved in the firm’s key energy mandates.

Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. assists clients with sale and purchase of natural gas, petroleum products and other natural resources, as well as being an experienced counsel for M&A in the Mexican energy and mining sectors. While active in downstream, midstream, and upstream issues in oil and gas, the team has also established itself in the -currently- modest but growing Mexican market for renewable energy. Juan Carlos Serra co-heads the department and draws on extensive  corporate and transactional experience in relation to energy, infrastructure and mining projects. His fellow pratice co-heads are: contractual law expert Amilcar Garcia, and fellow corporate and M&A advisor Jesús Colunga. Diana Rangel, leader of the firm’s administrative, environmental, and constitutional law departments, who joined the firm as a counsel in January 2023, is an aditional figure of note. and at associate level, Pablo Nosti supports across the board.

The Mexican office of Spanish firm Cuatrecasas is a reliable choice for international companies needing energy sector regulatory advice in Mexico, with the firm supporting on a range of transactions in hydrocarbons as well as renewable energy. Marco Antonio de la Peña co-leads the department and is the key contact for regulatory issues; he can draw on extensive professional experience in the public sector. Fellow co-head Juan Pablo Rico advises clients through the financing and implementation stages of infrastructure and energy projects and decarbonisation initiatives. At senior associate level, Elías Gallardo has particular expertise regarding the infrastructure elements of energy projects, while Rafael Rodríguez has a broad focus on oil-and-gas and electricity matters.

Mayer Brown Mexico, S.C.'s Mexico City office is an integral location for its firm-wide energy and natural resources offering that frequently acts on cross-border operations spanning the range of power and oil-and-gas matters with a Mexican aspect. Ariel Ramos chairs the practice group and has particular prowess in banking and finance matters. His energy and infrastructure also encompasses structuring, implementation of projects, risk assessment, regulatory advice, and project contracts. His main support in Mexico City comes from associate Claudia Ramos, whose practice has a particular emphasis on transactions in the energy sector. The office works closely with its counterparts in the US, primarily its Houston and Washington DC. Gabriel Salinas in Houston is a key collaborator when it comes to cross-border US-Mexican matters.

Ontier México draws on its global network and worldwide experience assisting energy companies to advise clients operating in the Mexican market. It has a diverse client base in renewable and alternative power generation, and a caseload that spans project development, litigation against the government, and energy-related capital markets matters, including assisting Cox Energy America with becoming the first Mexican company to be listed on both the Mexican and Spanish stock exchanges. Practice head Lorenzo Hernández Allones's 'contact with the rest of the industry is outstanding'; key support is provided by senior associate Regina Noriega Morales, particularly as regard assisting clients with soft-landing processes in Mexico, in both corporate and transactional work.

With the April 2024 addition of Diana Pineda from the former Pérez-Llorca, Sainz Abogados further boosted a burgeoning energy department that is best regarded for its advice on contract negotiations with state-entities Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) in the oil-and-gas sector, and Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in the power sector. The team also assists clients with the development and construction of natural gas, power, fuels and oil projects, as well as structuring investment and development vehicles for such projects. Pineda joins a department that is co-led by Francisco Valdés, who acts for national and foreign clients in all types of regulatory affairs and in the development of infrastructure projects; and Daniel Díaz, a dispute resolution specialist with notable experience in the energy sector and recent activity in conflicts with the Mexican state. Adrián Villagómez is also a disputes expert well versed in energy sector matters; while at associate level, Mario Rodríguez, Daniel Pardo and Santiago Hernández are the contacts to note.

Sánchez Devanny is a robust choice for Mexican counsel in the energy sector, particularly as regards regulatory advice and assistance with power purchase agreements. The practice’s client base of international players in the electricity, oil and gas, and mining sectors, strikes a balance between those that have longstanding relationships with the firm, and newer clients seeing legal orientation as to operating in Mexico. Practice head José Antonio Postigo-Uribe is a corporate and M&A expert with extensive experience assisting energy and natural resources clients with both regulatory and transactional matters. Senior associate Max Ernesto Hernández-Ernult is a further contact to note and avises clients on regulatory and transacctional matters across the gas, oil and power segements. Notably, the firm is currently in discussions regarding a merger with Garrigues.

For clients needing to secure permits and operations agreements in Mexico's energy sector, Clyde & Co makes for a strong choice and is particularly experience in the offshore oil and gas segment. Drilling companies regularly look to the team for Mexican counsel regarding offshore international public tenders and contracts with private and state-owned companies, as well as day-to-day operational issues. Practice head Enrique Garza Ruiz has expertise in advising on CNH contracts and offshore operations for production facilities. Associate Enrique Garza Tello Jr. regularly assists with day-to-day compliance and contract administration matters for oil and gas operators.

DLA Piper Mexico‘s work in the energy sector includes the full range of corporate matters in the oil and gas industry, as well as power generation project development for clients both domestic and multinational. Its experience in the hydrocarbons area includes incorporations in Mexico, upstream natural gas licensing (both onshore and offshore), and significant project financing. The team is jointly led by Roberto Ríos, a financing expert; and Mexico City office co-director, Edgar Romo, whose practice is focused on project financing and the corporate law aspects of energy sector mandates. Former co-leader of the department Marcelo Paramo left the firm in January 2024 for an in-house position.

Managing partner and tax expert Luis Gerardo del Valle and securities and finance law partner Alberto Balderas Fernández co-head the energy offering at Jáuregui y Del Valle, S.C., which acts for the Mexican government as well as a selection of domestic energy companies on varied permitting, financing, transactional, and procurement-and-bidding related matters across the energy sector. Corporate law and financing partner (as of January 2024) Luis Rodolfo Flores Licona is a further key contact for energy clients; as is August 2023 hire, senior associate Victor Vázquez Maulén who arrived from Galca Energy.

Santamarina y Steta's practice in the energy sector has recently involved advising numerous domestic and regional stakeholders in the industry seeking regulatory and contractual advice on their relationships with Pemex and other state entities. Led by Juan Carlos Machorro, who is well versed in corporate, M&A and financing law, the practice has capabilities across oil and gas, as well as alternative and renewable power. At senior associate level, Norma Álvarez is the key contact; adept in energy, regulation, ESG, climate change and environment issues, she can draw on professional experience in the public sector - notably at Mexico's energy regulatory body (the CRE) and the enironmental Ministry (SEMARNAT).

Based in Monterrey, Santos Elizondo S.C. has a longstanding energy and natural resources practice that is particularly strong in the electricity space. The department advises private and public clients on the negotiation of power purchase agreements, and also acts for generators, marketers and suppliers on structuring large projects for the generation and sale of electricity - including both conventional and renewably-sourced projects. Practice head Jorge Alberto Arrambide has broad regulatory and litigation expertise, and receives support from more junior partners Carlos Chávez-Pereda (corporate and M&A, compliance, banking & finance, and energy & infrastructure projects), and Jose Antonio Tellez (energy sector regulation and transactions, along with associated legal matters including real estate, financing and litigation).

SMPS Legal is a reliable choice for regulatory advice in the hydrocarbons sector, with a strong track record guiding companies through compliance for major projects in Mexico. The team is also experienced in structuring and funding electricity projects, and obtaining permits from the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), and also has experience assisting with mining projects. Eduardo Pizarro Suárez is the practice head in Mexico City, with Calgary (Canada) based partner Carlos Solórzano also a key contact who evidences a strong focus on ol and gas.