Lauded as the ‘smartest, most creative, hardest working’ and the ‘best real estate practice in Mexico’, the team at Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C. is a strong choice for all manner of real estate mandates. Key areas of expertise for the group include the acquisition, leasing, and transfer of real estate assets located in Mexico; the development, management and operation of real estate projects; and the regulatory aspects of direct and structured investment in industrial, retail, commercial, residential, and hospitality real estate properties. The team is also equipped to handle permitting and zoning mandates, as well as joint ventures and fund formation for real estate funds. Local and multinational developers, investors, tourism and hospitality companies, along with CKDs, CERPIs and FIBRAs, routinely feature on the group’s client roster. Mexico City-based practice co-head Carlos de Icaza has significant experience providing hospitality players with environmental, real estate and transactional support. Monterrey office head Francisco Montalvo also co-leads and is well-versed in hospitality and industrial projects in northeastern Mexico and beyond. Badir Treviño-Mohamed is an additional key contact in Monterrey and handles transactional and regulatory aspects for developers, administrators and investors. Also noted in Mexico City are Carlos del Río (M&A, private equity and real estate transactions), and counsels Valentina Villa and Alejandro Castelló, both of whom take care of real estate and environmental matters. Counsel Carlos Yamamoto focuses on real estate transactions, including the acquisition and sale of portfolios; while senior associate Brenda Elizondo supports across the gamut of transactions. Counsel Alfonso Pulido left the firm in March 2024.

Praised as ‘a strategic ally that understands all the variables of a transaction’ and keeps ‘the client’s best interests in mind’, the team at Greenberg Traurig, S.C. is regularly called upon by developers, lenders, REITS, investment managers and private equity funds seeking real estate advice. The group’s expertise covers all asset classes and takes in property acquisitions and investments, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring, and dispositions. Recent mandates have seen the team advise real estate funds on joint ventures and the development of residential, mixed use and industrial projects in Mexico. Practice co-head Antonio Diez De Bonilla Martinez specialises in M&A, joint ventures, development and management transactions; alongside him, Gerardo Carrillo Valadez has particular expertise with regard to mixed-use and multifamily properties and M&A transactions. Additional key contacts include Eduardo Medina Zapata, who focuses his practice on tax consulting and the structuring of private and public real estate investment funds and joint ventures; Roberto Guerrero C, who was promoted to shareholder in January 2024 and handles financing mandates, corporate matters and M&A; and all-rounder Julio Sardina. Associate Tony Centurión provides across-the-board support and is highlighted as an ‘exceptional lawyer’ and a ‘strategic partner’.

Boasting a ‘very diligent team with a lot of technical and practical knowledge’, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes S.C. is a strong choice for real estate work. The team is routinely called upon by investors, hotel shareholders, owners and managers, along with developers, REITs and construction companies for its transactional, regulatory and financing expertise. The group has experience advising on commercial, industrial, residential and tourist developments alike. A recent highlight saw the group assist with the sale of a private seventeenth century hacienda, located in Yucatán, to Belmond Hotels. Leadership of the practice is shared between Lorenza Langarica and Eugenio Macouzet. Langarica specialises in structured finance, corporate law, M&A, real estate and energy matters; while Macouzet, for his part, frequently advises investors on real estate investments in the commercial, residential, hospitality and industrial sectors. Additional contacts include Ignacio Armida, who handles general corporate matters, M&A and real estate finance; and Carlos Jiménez Cantú, who has a track record participating in portfolio acquisitions and cross-border financing transactions. Armando Elsharkawy brings substantial tax consultancy expertise to the table and is regularly involved in real estate and infrastructure projects.

Highlighted for its ‘extraordinary’ team, which is ‘highly committed to the client’, Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC is well-placed to handle a range of real estate mandates that includes purchase, lease, and sale agreements; financings, joint ventures and the creation of foreign investment trusts; and related due diligence work. Banks, hotel groups, FIBRAs and SOFOMES regularly look to the group for support, as illustrated by recent work highlight representing Banorte (as lender), on the secured financing for the acquisition of the Hilton Cancún Mar Caribe hotel, in Quintana Roo. Seasoned partners Michell Nader and Vanessa Franyutti share leadership of the practice. Nader is well-known for handling banking, finance, M&A and capital markets work, in addition to his strong transactional real estate practice. Franyutti, for her part, regularly participates in real estate finance and investment deals involving retail, hospitality, residential and industrial assets. Alejandro Rojas, who is praised for his ‘loyalty to his clients’, takes care of matters involving corporate law, financings and real estate acquisitions in the hospitality and industrial segments. Of counsel Federico Vergara primarily focuses on real estate, infrastructure, project finance and antitrust matters. Eduardo Villanueva Ortiz left the firm in December 2023.

The ‘large, highly capable and experienced’ group at Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. is, for one client, ‘one of the best real estate teams in the country’. The team is equipped to take care of a range of transactional matters that includes financings and refinancings, the formation of private and public real estate funds, and assisting with associated tax and regulatory issues. Recent work highlights demonstrate strength across commercial, industrial, hospitality, and residential segments and include a standout matter which involved assisting PGIM Real Estate with the acquisition of an industrial portfolio consisting of seven industrial buildings located in Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Estado de México and Chihuahua. The practice group is co-directed by Javier Domínguez Torrado and Jean Paul Farah Chajín. Domínguez Torrado handles financings and capital markets matters in the sector, with his real estate experience encompassing the development and management of assets, along with assisting real estate investment funds and other investors regarding property acquisitions, leasings and disposals. For his part, Farah Chajín handles banking and finance, capital markets, energy and infrastructure projects and real estate finance. Santiago Carrillo Cattori, lauded as the ‘embodiment of availability and client service’, is an additional key contact and takes care of financings, acquisitions and developments involving industrial and hospitality assets. Associate Alfonso Alberto Vargas left the firm, effective December 2023.

Baker McKenzie Abogados, S.C. is home to a well-regarded real estate group which operates from five strategic locations across the country – Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexico City – and is equipped to handle the full range of advisory and transactional mandates. Key areas of expertise include sales and acquisitions, purchase and lease agreements, financings and joint ventures, structuring and securitisations, as well as related due diligence. The group’s client roster regularly features notable foreign corporations such as H&M, Prada, and Hitachi. Three partners co-lead the department: Juan Bernardo García, who is based in Monterrey, chairs both the firm’s global real estate practice group and the local Mexican department; his practice is focused on transactions involving real estate development and construction. Managing partner José (Pepe) Larroque in the Tijuana office is well-versed in the structuring of cross-border real estate transactions for the acquisition, development and financing of real estate and infrastructure projects across Mexico and Latin America. While in Guadalajara, Fabián Monsalve leads the firm’s North America real estate practice and majors on matters of foreign investment, real estate, and M&A. Also in Guadalajara, Juan Carlos Guerra-Gascon is noted for his transactional real estate and projects practice. Key names to note at associate level include senior Gabriela Saucedo and Alexandra Cavazos de la Rosa (both in Monterrey), and Alejandra Muriel Vizcaino in Guadalajara.

The team at Cannizzo, Ortiz y Asociados SC is noted for its real estate capabilities, being well-placed to assist with real estate finance, acquisitions, dispositions, developments and workouts. The group has particular expertise with regards to hotel, residential, and commercial projects and is routinely instructed by major investment funds, real estate funds, hospitality and leisure companies, REITs, commercial and industrial developers and governmental agencies. The team demonstrates additional expertise in matters relating to planning and zoning, environmental quality, property taxation matters and the drafting of construction contracts. Leadership is shared between Carlo Cannizzo, who specialises in real estate, construction, the structuring of urban development plans, and M&A transactions; and Mauricio Moreno-Rey, who is well-versed in the sale of hotel chains and large retail spaces, and frequently acts for shopping centres, entertainment companies, and luxury fashion companies. Additional key contacts include Roberto Cannizzo, Marco Cannizzo and Stefano Amato, who are all active on real estate and corporate mandates, as well as M&A transactions; Enrique García has further expertise in construction deals and contracts work. Associate Emiliano Quiroz focuses on corporate and compliance mandates, as well as the financing, acquisition and sale of real estate developments.

Highlighted as a ‘reference in Mexican law’ and praised for its ‘extraordinary knowledge’, the team at Galicia Abogados S.C. is regularly instructed by banks, real estate developers, hotel groups, and public and private companies seeking support with real estate matters across all asset classes. Particular areas of expertise include land acquisitions, leases, and sales, financings, joint ventures, and environmental and regulatory mandates. A recent work highlight saw the group advise RLD on the development of a new Six Senses hotel in Costa Alegre, Jalisco. An experienced duo shares leadership of the practice group: Ramiro Sandoval, who is praised for his ‘knowledge, commitment and speed’, and Rodrigo Rivera, lauded for his ‘outstanding … human value and availability’. Sandoval frequently advises estate developers and investors on transactional hospitality mandates; Rivera majors on banking, financial transactions, and real estate finance. The key senior associate-level contacts are Roxana Schäfer (real estate transactions, M&A); and Mariana Islas (real estate development, leasings, M&A).

The ‘knowledgeable’ team at Santamarina y Steta is deeply experienced in handling a range of real estate mandates, including agrarian and urban development matters, land acquisitions, leases and sales, financings, and related due diligence for transactions involving residential, industrial, and hospitality real estate. The group’s client roster regularly features domestic and international companies working in the logistics, retail, food, energy and financial services segments. Mexico City-based Vicente Grau steers the practice group and specialises in real estate acquisition, leasing, development, construction and sale transactions, as well as in the structuring of financings. Claudia Rodríguez's core areas of expertise include real estate, environmental, agrarian and indigenous consulting law. Over in Monterrey, Heriberto Garza and César Cruz are key contacts and take care of real estate, corporate, M&A and restructuring mandates. Associate Yakov Kobets is noted for his focus on real estate and project finance, renewable energy projects, and due diligence work involved in the acquisition or sale of assets.

In the words of one client, the team at SMPS Legal distinguishes itself for being ‘very focused’ and ‘very methodical’ in the services it provides to developers, creditors and investors seeking assistance with real estate matters. Core areas of expertise for the practice group include land purchases, leases and sales, as well as financing, development, construction and related due diligence work. A recent standout matter saw the group advise Mexican real estate company Grupo Frondoso on the creation of an investment fund (through a trust) to finance the construction of a residential development in Acapulco, Guerrero. Four partners share leadership of the practice: María Teresa Paillés specialises in banking, project finance, M&A, corporate and real estate transactions involving all asset classes. Andrés Pizarro Suárez and Eduardo Pizarro Suárez are noted for their experience in M&A, joint venture, and real estate investments; and María Esther Rey takes care of M&A, loan agreements, and project finance structures. The key senior associate contacts are Andrés González (real estate, corporate and financial transactions); and Nadiezhda Vázquez Careaga (corporate, M&A and real estate), who is noted for her ‘great preparation’.

The real estate group at CMS Woodhouse Lorente Ludlow is praised for the ‘professional, up-to-date and personalised’ service it offers. The team is frequently instructed by developers, institutional investors, and lenders seeking support with matters including the purchase, leasing, and sale of land, the structuring of financing, and the administration of real estate portfolios. The practice group is also well-positioned to structuring joint ventures for the development of real estate, draft the necessary documents for obtaining land use rights and rights of way, and conduct related due diligence. The ‘up-to-date’ and ‘outstanding lawyer’ César Armando Lechuga directs the department and majors on the development of real estate projects, transactional mandates, and the drafting, negotiation and implementation of transfer of rights contracts, focusing particularly on the industrial and commercial segments. Infrastructure specialist Enrique Lorente Ludlow is an additional key contact. At associate level, Luis Mora y Medrano garners praise for being ‘decisive and very proactive in negotiations’ and has noted expertise with regards to real estate and energy matters.

Noted for its ‘great experience and presence in the market’, the practice at Hogan Lovells regularly supports international real estate developers and companies in the automotive, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing segments with a range of real estate mandates. Core areas of expertise include real estate due diligence, the sale, leasing, and acquisition of real estate, the operation and management of real estate developments, construction and litigation. Three partners share leadership of the department: Juan Francisco Torres Landa specialises in corporate law, M&A, real estate, and project finance and is based at the Mexico City office, as is Ángel Domínguez De Pedro, who majors on corporate law, M&A, competition law and real estate. Up in Monterrey, Guillermo González Frankenberger completes the leadership trio and is lauded as a ‘very experienced lawyer with great capacity for analysis and practicality’; his practice takes in M&A, real estate and corporate governance matters. Counsel Fernando Medina Luna is noted for his contributions on corporate, real estate, and urban development mandates. Senior associate Ana Lucía Gutiérrez Fernández handles a range of real estate transactions.

The practice at Holland & Knight LLP, which stands out for its ‘timely and efficient responses’, is well-placed to assist with the planning, development and financing of real estate projects across all asset classes, namely hospitality, industrial, commercial, retail and residential. Additional core areas of expertise include related tax structuring work and the formation of REITS, CKDs and private investment funds. The practice is co-directed by Adrián Gay Lasa and Guillermo Uribe from Mexico City, in conjunction with Francisco Andrés Gámez Garza in the Monterrey office. Gay Lasa has strong knowledge of domestic and cross-border asset-backed securitisations and Mexican REITs; Uribe, for his part, focuses on real estate acquisitions, capital markets transactions, and structured finance. Gámez Garza, who arrived at the firm in April 2023 following his departure from Sánchez Devanny, specialises in corporate, M&A, joint ventures, real estate transactions and environmental permitting matters. The team was further consolidated with the September 2023 hire of senior counsel Glafira Mercado, who was previously at developer Grupo Delta.

The real estate team at Ibarra, del Paso y Gallego specialises in advising domestic and foreign developers, constructors, and funds on the development, acquisition, disposition, financing and leasing of all manner of real estate assets in Mexico. The group has supplementary expertise in due diligence, permits, and real estate and infrastructure-related joint venture and M&A. Founding partner Carlos Ibarra Fernández steers the practice and has notable experience advising foreign investors on real estate transactions involving industrial, residential, commercial, and hospitality properties. Gerardo Gallego, also one of the firm’s founding partners, focuses on stock and asset purchase and sale agreements, joint ventures, M&A, and contracts work. Ex-practice co-head Rodrigo de los Ríos left the firm in March 2023, as did Alejandra Gutiérrez in April 2024. The same month, however, Alfonso Pulido O joined as a practice co-head from Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., where he worked as counsel and focused on financing and transactional mandates in the sector.

Lauded as ‘experts in various areas: negotiation, contractual, and regulatory’, and ‘a valuable ally of its clients’, the group at Sánchez Devanny is regularly instructed by private equity funds and international retail companies seeking support with a range of real estate matters. Areas of expertise include the acquisition, lease, and sale of industrial and retail properties, purchase and construction agreements, permitting matters, and the structuring and incorporation of real estate investment vehicles. The practice group is co-directed by Monterrey office managing partner Rafael Villamar-Ramos, who handles industrial, commercial and residential real estate acquisition and leasing matters; and the Querétaro-based Diego Gómez-Haro, a ‘great negotiator’ who focuses on the structuring of investment vehicles, the leasing, acquisition and sale of real estate, projects development, financing mandates and due diligence. Key names to note at senior associate level include the Monterrey-based Alfredo Villarreal Hansmann, who is noted for his ‘great contractual and industry knowledge’; and Querétaro-based José Miguel Ortiz Otero. Villarreal Hansmann handles commercial and hospitality real estate mandates, as well as energy projects; Ortiz Otero deals with antitrust, corporate, project finance, and real estate work. Jaime Israel Moreno-Treviño left the practice in April 2023. Significantly, the firm is currently in the process of completing a merger process (begun July 2024), that will see it combine with Garrigues Mexico.

The team at Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. is equipped to handle the purchase, sale, lease, and financing of commercial, industrial, hospitality, and residential real estate developments. Core areas of expertise include land use and zoning issues, water supply and wastewater discharge authorisations, along with the reclassification of ejidal land. Leadership of the group is shared between partners based in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Querétaro. Key Mexico City-based contacts include Juan José López de Silanes, Juan Carlos Serra, Jesus Colunga, and Gerson Vaca (corporate, M&A, real estate).

The ‘solid’ practice at the former González Calvillo, which is now - following their April 2024 merger - the Mexican office of Pérez-Llorca, specialises in a range of real estate and project development matters, including the purchase, leasing, and sale of assets, the management and operation of real estate portfolios, financing, and related due diligence. The group is frequently instructed by developers, lenders, investment banks, pension funds and real estate investment funds and it has particular expertise in residential, hospitality, and industrial real estate mandates. Alfredo Chávez Goyeneche steers the practice and focuses on corporate transactions, regulatory issues, real estate, and project development. The key senior associate-level contacts are Joaquín Alcalá Cuéllar (corporate, real estate) and Haydeé Montserrat González Tavira (real estate transactions, construction).

The practice at Sainz Abogados is equipped to handle a range of real estate matters, among them land lease and purchase agreements, joint ventures, and related due diligence work. Property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, real estate investment trusts, and private owners routinely feature on the group’s client roster. Daniel Saltzberg steers the practice group and specialises in developments, financing, and acquisitions, regularly assisting developers and private equity funds with real estate transactions and asset management. Ximena Hernández is the key associate-level contact and takes care of transactional real estate mandates, compliance and AML.

Areas of strength for Von Wobeser y Sierra, SC's real estate group include property acquisition, leasing, investment, and sale, development, financing, management, and the conversion of ejidal land into private property. The team draws on the firm’s wider corporate and M&A, finance, regulatory, litigation, tax, and environmental expertise. Practice head Pablo Saez handles transactional real estate matters, urban development, and M&A. Alejandro Orellana also takes care of real estate, corporate, and M&A mandates, and has experience advising domestic and foreign developers, lenders, and private equity investors in connection with real estate projects and their regulatory implications. Additional names to note include Raymundo Soberanis (real estate and dispute resolution); M&A, finance, and real estate specialist Javier Betancourt, who was promoted to the partnership in January 2024; and counsel Rodrigo de los Ríos (real estate, corporate, and M&A).