Baker McKenzie elects six partners, one counsel in Mexico

Baker McKenzie has elected six partners and one counsel in Mexico, part of a slew of 34 promotions across North America.

“Congratulations to these outstanding members of our team, who represent the future of our firm in North America,” Colin Murray, Baker McKenzie’s North America CEO, said. “Each has made significant contributions to our practices by demonstrating a deep understanding of our clients’ needs and delivering superior legal service,” he added.

The new partners in Mexico are Alfonso Curiel Valtierra, in the firm’s Mexico City office, who advises on litigation for civil, commercial, leasing, financial, administrative and amparo matters, among others. He has represented public and private companies, banks and individuals in multiple litigations before state and federal jurisdictions in Mexico, resulting in various types of legal actions. He also works with multiple companies from different sectors in amparo actions for official government actions deemed unconstitutional, as well as in administrative procedures before different authorities.

Carlos Dávila-Peniche, also in the Mexico City office, focusses on transactional IP and Litigation. His practice covers the drafting, review and enforcement of licensing and franchising agreements as well as technology and intangible assets transfer. He also counsels on clearance and litigation strategies locally and regionally, including Brand Enforcement. He represents clients from various fields and industries, such as heavy machinery, luxury and fashion goods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, entertainment, restaurants and hospitality, wine and spirits, toys, technology, banking and advertising.

Liliana Hernandez-Salgado has been elected as partner in Baker McKenzie’s Mexico City office. She provides transactional consultation in a broad range of employment matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, due diligence, transfer of employees and post-transaction integration. Moreover, she helps multinational companies set up operations in Mexico, design and draft required and best practice employment documents, and adapt and implement global policies on a local scale. Liliana advises clients on compensation analysis, restrictive covenants, equity-based programs, international assignments, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination trainings, compliance investigations, strategies for complex termination processes, collective dismissals, labor audits, modification and harmonization of labor benefits, workforce management including outsourcing, and collective bargaining and union negotiations, among other services.

Also in Mexico City, Marina Hurtado-Cruz now leads the firm’s patent practice. With more than a decade of experience handling sophisticated intellectual property matters, she advises on a broad range of areas including prosecution, licensing, and litigation of patents, utility models, industrial designs and trademarks. In addition to this, Marina has extensive experience in areas of health, advertising and consumer laws. In October 2019, Marina was appointed by the Secretary of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as ad honorem external adviser on intellectual property issues to collaborate in the development of IP public policies in Mexico.

Diana Juarez Martinez has been promoted to tax partner in Mexico City. She joined the tax practice group of Baker McKenzie’s Mexico City office in 2008 and she advises on general tax planning and international taxation. 

In the firm’s Monterrey office, Hector Gaspar Diaz Santana Iturrios has been promoted to partner, and whose practice focusses on the development of tax-related services including solving of consultations, tax planning, issuance of expert opinions for both private and public use, development of promotions before Mexican tax authorities, and obtaining tax stimuli benefits among other linked services for legal entities as well as individuals. He has vast experience in handling Mexican as well as international taxation topics addressed to several industry sectors including energy, naval, manufacturing, aeronautic, financial, real state, as well as other areas of practice of the firm such as corporate, real state, litigation, labour and banking.

And last but not least, Véronique Durand-Rettally has been elected as counsel in the firm’s Mexico City intellectual property practice, and is chair of the diversity and inclusion committee in Mexico. She has been working on IP matters since 2001, and joined Baker McKenzie in 2009.