LEGAL ADVICE AND SERVICES RESPECT THE LAW IN MEXICO
Our People.
Members of our team are highly skilled and proficient professionals with deep experience in several specialties of Mexican law including commercial, corporate, environmental, tax, government procurement, regulatory compliance, agrarian, land-tenure claims, criminal and constitutional law to provide a wide coverage that generates integral solutions to meet the needs of our clients. We are leaded by our Director Luis Guillermo (Memo) Cruz Rico who is the first Foreign Legal Consultant for Mexico certificated in Ontario by the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Luis Guillermo (Memo) Cruz Rico provides cross-cultural counsel in Mexico and Canada with strong knowledge in International Criminal and Humanitarian law and the relationship between both countries in several fields, including: CSR, Regulatory Compliance, Due Diligence, Mediation and ADR, and litigation in key industries in Mexico, including, mining, manufacturing, energy, oil & gas and real estate; and with extensive experience in training executives dealing with operations in Mexico.
Mr. Cruz Rico has successfully represented and defended Canadians in a variety of proceedings in Mexico. Some of his cases have received national and international media attention. Mr. Cruz Rico brings extensive experience and knowledge as Mexican legal counsel and liaison with Mexican authorities and media. He has also assisted clients in pleading their case at the political level in both countries in resolving complex legal situations in the best interest of his clients.
He also has specialized training in constitutional trials in Mexico and Human Rights claims before Human Rights bodies, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, D.C. Since April 2006 he has been a consultant for Greenspan Partners Barristers one of the top Criminal law firms in Canada.
Mr. Guillermo Cruz has vast teaching experience. He has taught Constitutional, Criminal, Administrative and Tax law for prestigious Universities in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Also he has provided training and counselling in decision-making processes to face key legal challenges regarding business operations in Mexico.
Education:
York University - Osgoode Hall Law School, Master of Laws, 2009
University of Windsor, Certificate, ADR Advanced Training, 2008
National Autonomous University of Mexico, Master of Arts, Crime Policy, 2006
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Penales, Diploma, Specialist Public Safety, 2006
Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico, Diploma, Language Skills for Lawyers, 2003
National Autonomous University of Mexico, Diploma, Advanced Topics of Criminal Law, 1997
National Autonomous University of Mexico, Licensed at Law, 1995
Groups and Professional Associations:
Hispanic Ontario Lawyers Association, President, Nov 2011- Present
Mexico-Canada Alliance of Commerce, President, 2010- Present
Latin American MBA Alumni Association, Honorary Member, 2010- Present
Canadian Bar Association, Member, 2009- Present
Ontario Bar Association, Member, 2009-Present
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgic, Petroleum, Member, 2010- Present
Publications and Conferences:
Co-Chair and Presenter. Trabajando con las Comunidades, Comentarios de Derecho Agrario y CSR (Working with Communities, Comments on Agrarian Law and CSR ), Mexico-Canada Mining Task, November 9th, 2011, Mexico City
Co-author, Opportunities in Renewable Energy Generation in Mexico, North American Trade & Investment Reform, Thomson Reuters, October 2010, January 2011.
Co-author, Oil Industry Reform in Mexico, North American Trade & Investment Reform, Thomson Reuters, October 2010.
Co-Chair and Presenter. Dispute Resolution, Preventing and Correcting Environmental and Land-Tenure Issues for Canadian Companies in Mexico, MineMexico, September 27th, 2010, Toronto.
What is a Foreign Legal Consultant?
In Ontario, a Foreign Legal Consultant (FLC) is an attorney, counselor at law (or equivalent) licensed in another country, who has received a Certificate of Registration by the Law Society of Upper Canada. According to By-Law 14: No person shall give legal advice in Ontario respecting the law of a foreign jurisdiction except in accordance with the provisions of the by-law”. It requires lawyer licensed outside of Canada to apply to the Law Society for a permit to practice the law of their home jurisdiction in Ontario.
