Gardere and Bufete Hernández Romo Join Forces in Mexico City

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP is strengthening its presence in Mexico with the addition of Bufete Hernández Romo, a pre-eminent Mexico City commercial arbitration and litigation boutique with clients in a range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing and transportation.

“We are pleased to partner with this outstanding firm and are enthusiastic about welcoming them to the Gardere team,” said Roberto Arena Reyes Retana, managing partner of the firm’s Mexico City office. “The depth and breadth of the attorneys’ experience, as well as their top-notch credentials, make them a perfect fit for our firm.” 

Bufete Hernández Romo has favorably represented various high-profile cases, such as the enforcement of an arbitration award against Pemex for $650 million, as well as obtaining the nullity of an arbitral award against the same company for $150 million. Both cases have been routinely recognized as examples in the development of the Mexican commercial arbitration arena.

In commercial litigation cases, they have favorably litigated one of the most high-profile lawsuits involving fraud claims against a leading global helicopter manufacturer, as well as represented the largest domestic airline in Mexico in a series of lawsuits brought by the former chairman of the company.

Bufete Hernández Romo’s lawyers have earned a strong reputation through their work with clients. They successfully defended one of the most prestigious hospitals in Mexico in lawsuits involving medical malpractice, non-pecuniary and punitive damages claims. The team achieved noteworthy results, including the reversal of two significant resolutions issued to date.

Partner Miguel Angel Hernández Romo Valencia, whose practice focuses on complex litigation in civil, commercial, professional responsibility, medical malpractice and insurance sectors as well as arbitration, joins Gardere as head of the firm’s existing litigation section in Mexico City. Hernández Romo obtained his law degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City, and also studied at the Southwestern Legal Foundation. He earned his L.L.M. from the University of Texas at Austin, and continued working in the U.S. as a summer clerk in Washington, D.C. and in Houston following his master’s coursework.

Hernández Romo completed postgraduate work at Escuela Libre de Derecho for the course of obligations (torts), commercial law and international business transactions. He is a professor of both Introduction to Mexican law and procedural law at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, and he is an avid author of articles related to Mexican procedural law.

Miguel Ángel Hernández Romo, who joins the firm as of counsel, focuses his practice on civil, commercial, arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings. A professor and practitioner of law since 1961, he is a former dean of his alma mater, Escuela Libre de Derecho, and member of the American Law Institute where he was the chair and co-reporter for the Transnational Insolvency Project. Hernández Romo obtained his L.L.M. from Harvard Law School, and is the only student ever to receive the Emilio Rabasa award for a perfect score in each subject matter.

Jorge Enrique Hernandez Marin joins Gardere as a senior litigation associate. A law school graduate of the Universidad del Valle de Mexico in Mexico City, he is in charge of attending to court and handling discussions with judges. Hernandez is dedicated to obtaining exceptional results for his clients and brings innovative ideas on how to tackle or adjust litigation strategies.

Carlos Gerardo Barojas Flores and Laura Jimenez-O’Farrill Gutierrez de Velasco, law school graduates of the Universidad del Valle de Mexico, Campus San Rafael, and the Universidad Iberoamericana respectively, join the firm as litigation associates.