Full-Service Law Firm in Mexico

Law Firm Overview

MC&U is a multi-practice law firm serving the needs of foreign businesses and individuals.

Our Real Estate Practice reflects the strength, diversity and sophistication of the firm. Our lawyers have years of experience in providing practical advice to foreign clients in both the simplest and the most complex real estate transactions. The Real Estate Practice is led by the former Deputy General Counsel of the largest real estate developer in Mexico in the 1990's (i.e. Grupo Situr).

Our service is responsive, our lawyers are accessible, and our approach focuses on cost efficient solutions. For more than 20 years, this has been our formula for success. In addition, our real estate lawyers work closely with lawyers throughout the firm's many other practice areas (such as our construction, creditors' rights, environmental and tax practices) to serve clients in a range of areas. Our firm was selected by the World Bank to participate on the "Doing Business in Mexico" project.

MC&U has also developed a meaningful corporate practice with an emphasis on assisting foreign companies doing business in Mexico. Our expertise spans over a wide array of practice areas including mergers & acquisitions, securities, real estate, international taxation, secured transactions, employment law and NAFTA, among many others. We have represented companies in the financial services, tourism, real estate, heavy industries, insurance, software, consumer products, manufacturing and services industries.

Our team provides clients a competitive advantage by focusing on their business objectives. We understand the business models of such diverse industries as multi-level marketing, information technology, entertainment, telecommunications, and healthcare. Our experience in more than 20 practice areas and extensive network of contacts, uniquely positions MC&U to help clients succeed in the Mexican marketplace.

Year this Office was Established: 2001

Languages: Spanish; English.

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: E-Business

Areas of Law Description

Mata, Casillas & Urrutia provides legal representation and services in the following areas of practice:

- Real Estate

Our Real Estate Practice reflects the strength, diversity and sophistication of the firm. Our lawyers have years of experience in providing practical advice to foreign clients in both the simplest and the most complex real estate transactions. The Real Estate Practice is led by the former Deputy General Counsel of the largest real estate developer in Mexico in the 1990's (i.e. Grupo Situr). Our real estate lawyers work closely with lawyers throughout the firm's many other practice areas (such as our construction, creditors' rights, environmental and tax practices) to serve clients in a range of areas.

* Hotel and Resorts/Golf Courses

MC&U has developed a reputation as one of the premier law firms in Mexico for all matters relating to the hospitality industry. With vast experience in both foreign and domestic hospitality-oriented transactions, MC&U attorneys are widely recognized for their creativity and problem solving expertise. MC&U represents the full spectrum of hospitality clients, including owners, developers, lenders, franchisees, operating companies and management companies. We represent clients in connection with the acquisition, entitlement, development and financing of hotels, resorts, golf courses and recreational facilities and continue to represent these clients in connection with the day-to-day matters including construction, environmental, labor, tax and litigation matters.

* Land Use/Entitlements

Our real estate attorneys are especially adept at negotiating the increasingly complex maze of land use restrictions that often impede the progress of new projects and the redevelopment of existing projects. We develop creative, economical and practical solutions to land use challenges for large, multi-phased projects. In addition, we have expertise in project planning, permitting, preparing, certifying and, if necessary, defending environmental clearances (including environmental impact reports) and obtaining entitlements.

* Construction

Our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the development and construction process provides the backdrop against which we negotiate construction agreements on behalf of owners, contractors, architects, and lenders designed to bring projects in on time and within budget. MC&U also draws upon this knowledge to anticipate and resolve issues during the construction phase of the project before they cause costly delays. MC&U has broad experience in the myriad of issues associated with construction including complex contracts, licensing, bonding and insurance, and labor issues, and we provide expert counsel on permit requirements and government regulations. We are skilled at resolving construction disputes whether they involve liens, indemnities, guarantees or claims for delays.

* Retail Development/Leasing/Asset Management

MC&U's retail attorneys have specialized knowledge of the unique issues associated with the sale, development, leasing and management of major regional shopping malls, and community and neighborhood shopping centers. National and local developers and retailers rely upon our expertise to guide them through each phase of the retail development process from land acquisition and entitlements, through financing, construction and property management to reciprocal easement agreements and leasing. We represent buyers and sellers in negotiating ground leases, sale leasebacks and joint ventures between major retail developers and corporate or individual owners.

* Office & Industrial Development/Leasing/Asset Management

MC&U represents many local, national, and international owners, developers, investors, lenders and asset managers in connection with the purchase and sale, development, financing, leasing and management of office and industrial projects in Mexico. We have unparalleled experience in representing the interests of major institutional landlords and tenants with multiple locations. Such asset management services are handled by an affiliate of MC&U, which is devoted full time to the representation of landlords and tenants. We work closely with our litigation department in assessing our clients’ enforcement of their rights in connection with various asset management issues, including landlord/tenant disputes and tenant audits.

* Residential

MC&U represents numerous residential developers, investors and lenders with respect to a wide variety of residential projects including master-planned communities and resorts, conventional residential subdivisions, premier projects, multi-family and apartment and condominiums. We are active in all aspects of residential projects including acquisitions, entitlements, finance, venture formation, tax planning, construction, and sale.

- Corporate & Finance

MC&U is a leading law firm in providing comprehensive corporate representation to companies in the technology, finance, banking, retail, manufacturing and services industries. Our corporate and finance practice is designed to meet the complex legal needs of our clients in an efficient manner by providing industry expertise in addition to practical legal advice. In order to enable us to provide our clients with the in-depth legal expertise that is necessary for the growth and success of their companies, we have supplemented our general corporate practice with specialty practice groups.

* General Corporate

We represent a large number of foreign companies with respect to all aspects of their businesses. These companies range from small joint ventures for which we handle the initial organizational matters to large international corporations for which we handle complex international transactions. Recognizing that our clients' corporate needs involve virtually every aspect of their businesses, we work closely with the other practice areas in our firm, including tax, litigation, real estate and labor to provide a balanced, thoughtful approach to our clients' requirements. We use a team approach to providing legal services and put at our clients' disposal the talent and resources of the entire firm no matter where they are located.

* Securities

Our Securities Practice Group provides advice regarding ongoing securities law compliance issues and handles all types of securities transactions, including public equity and debt offerings, venture capital transactions, private placements and other forms of private financing. We represent corporate issuers, underwriters, placement agents and purchasers in numerous private and public offerings of equity, debt and asset-backed securities.

* Corporate Finance

Our Corporate Finance Group regularly assists issuers, investors, lenders and borrowers in a wide variety of equity, debt, asset securitization and lease financing transactions. These transactions range from public and private offerings of common and preferred stock, convertible securities, options and debt instruments to equipment financings, asset securitizations and bank borrowings. Our attorneys have extensive experience in advising banks, commercial lenders, leasing companies and borrowers in structuring, documenting and negotiating all types of loan transactions, including permanent, revolving credit, and construction loans.

- Litigation

Our Litigation Practice Group serves corporate and individual clients in a broad range of litigated and other contested matters in both state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies. Like our clients, we recognize that the key to being effective is having the right people on a case, not having the most people on the case. The department's size and flexibility enable it to adapt to our clients' varying needs, from day-to-day breach of contract matters, up to international litigation and arbitration.

- Immigration

Our Immigration Practice Group guides our clients through the maze of immigration procedures and government processing constraints. Our lawyers understand that underlying the appropriate papers, visas, and related documentation is the impact on employees' lives. Not only are our client's employees relocating to a new work place, they are moving to a new country with their families — new home, new schools for their children and a new culture. Our lawyers are dedicated to making such a transition as seamless as possible. We recognize the urgency inherent in securing visas for foreign professionals. To insure a rapid turnaround, we have designed a state-of-the-art tracking software. It provides, among other pieces of information, the precise status of a visa application.

- Intellectual Property

Extensive experience in trademarks and other intellectual property matters enables us to offer the full range of protection and assistance that foreign companies and individuals require in the Mexican market place. We assist clients with a wide range of intellectual property matters including:

* Seek enforcement of intellectual property rights in order to effectively combat counterfeiting and piracy
* Patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation in federal courts nationwide and before administrative agencies
* Preparing and prosecuting trademark and service mark applications for registration by the Mexican PTO
* Preparing copyright applications for registration by the Mexican Copyright Office
* Prepare and file criminal actions against certain infringements of intellectual property rights

- International Trade and Customs

International trade law is one of the core areas of our firm. Particularly important is our expertise in handling NAFTA related matters. MC&U assists clients with a full range of importing and exporting activities. We are experts in helping foreign companies overcome barriers to entry in the Mexican marketplace. We have worked with every significant Mexican trade and customs statute and regulation. Experience includes: Maquiladora operations, Temporary imports or exports, Mexican technical standards (NOMs), Importation of hazardous substances, Complex customs law issues, Sanitary permits, Labeling requirements, and, International trade litigation.

- Labor and Employment

This practice group deals with the wide variety of legal problems related to the workplace, including advising clients on day-to-day employment issues, interfacing with governmental agencies and litigating claims in state and federal courts. MC&U represents a wide range of clients, including hotels, resorts, banks, construction firms, manufacturers, restaurants, retail chain merchandisers and service industries. MC&U’s Labor and Employment attorneys advise employers regarding individual employment rights, workplace safety issues, employee benefits, payroll taxes, and assistance with unions, collective bargaining, arbitration proceedings and labor-management dealings.

- Tax Law

MC&U has achieved a reputation as having one of the nation's leading tax practices. The tax group's unusually exciting and sophisticated practice stems from its client base. Our tax clients include Fortune International 500 companies. The Tax Practice Group at MC&U provides tax planning and advice to clients on federal, state, local and international tax matters, including assistance with tax rulings, tax audits and appeals to tax agencies and the courts. We work closely with clients and their accountants to reduce taxes associated with business activities and significant transactions, and in the areas of tax review, compliance, reporting and controversy.

- Regulatory and Administrative Law

Our firm has an established practice representing clients before all levels of state and federal administrative agencies and corresponding courts should matters be appealed to the judicial system. In addition, MC&U has particular experience in representing clients entering into contracts with the federal government or state-owned companies (i.e. government procurement).

- E-Business and Telecommunications

The E-Business and Telecommunications Practice Group assists clients with issues related to the selection of domain names, including trademark and related concerns, drafting and negotiation of website development agreements, the licensing of content and trademarks for use on websites, and point-and-click agreements. Attorneys in the group advise clients regarding electronic signatures and issues that they entail.

- Environmental

The Environmental Practice Group is engaged in a broad environmental practice, including environmental impact assessment and disclosure, land-use planning and development, regulation of hazardous and toxic substances, corporate compliance and environmental audits and all forms of environmental litigation. The firm's environmental attorneys work closely with our Real Estate Practice Group on due diligence and compliance matters.

- Franchise and Distribution

The Franchise and Distribution Group provides counsel on all aspects of franchise and distribution law. We represent companies on a national and international level, from first-time franchisors to multi-unit systems. The range of services we offer our franchise and distribution clients vary widely from development, operation and expansion to terminations, non-renewals and contractual disputes. The Franchise and Distribution Group, consisting primarily of transactional, corporate, litigation and real estate attorneys, provides the full range of services to our franchise clients. As part of a multi-discipline law firm, the attorneys in our Franchise and Distribution Group also represent franchise clients in related areas, such as employment, tax, real estate and corporate and litigation.

More Information on Mata, Casillas & Urrutia

Playa del Carmen, Mexico Real Estate Lawyers
Corporate Lawyer in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Playa del Carmen, Mexico E-Business Law Firm
Litigation Law Firm in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Playa del Carmen, Mexico Immigration Lawyers
Franchise Law Firm in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Playa del Carmen, Mexico Intellectual Property Lawyer
Mata, Casillas & Urrutia News and Publications

Office Locations

• Mexico - Cancun - Main Office
• Mexico - Guadalajara
• Mexico - Puerto Vallarta