For more than a decade, Von Wobeser y Sierra has advised its clients on complex environmental, social, and corporate governance issues. With a team of more than 20 attorneys, we provide legal advice on ESG risks and opportunities in a complex and evolving business environment. Our multidisciplinary group brings together expertise and experience of different practices and industry groups to offer integral solutions with an ESG perspective.
ESG criteria have become increasingly important for investors, asset managers, regulators, employees, consumers, and other stakeholders when they decide whether to engage with a company and its products or services. More than ever, companies are expected to be part of the solution of the world’s most complex problems, including climate change, inequality, corruption, and protection of human rights. The private sector has a fundamental role in promoting a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable society.
Our ESG practice group integrates multidisciplinary capabilities to support clients in legal issues in four main areas: environment and climate change; business and human rights; corporate governance and risk management; as well as sustainable finance. We approach each of these areas with four types of legal services: advisory, transactional, investigations and engagement with authorities, as well as litigation and arbitration.
We have significant experience and a strong track record related to ESG matters. Regarding environmental law, energy transition and natural resources, we regularly advise clients in the entire value chain. For example, with renewable energies our work encompasses from generators and developers to suppliers and off-takers. We assist clients in the integration of clean energies (solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric, among others) in their operations, so they can reduce their carbon emissions. We also advise them in the integration and implementation of bespoke sustainability policies in their business strategy. Moreover, whenever disputes arise from the non-fulfillment of environmental obligations, breach of contractual provisions, or any other legal incidence related to environmental compliance, our dispute resolution team provides the necessary support to exercise the applicable remedies and to seek a favorable resolution.
Our work in the human rights area is also relevant. We advise clients in matters requiring judicial litigation and, specifically, amparo claims in order to protect human rights against illegal acts of authority. Our team has the know-how and experience to solve disputes in which public interests are adequately assessed, and we have participated in high-stakes litigation involving human rights to a healthy environment, free competition, consumers’ rights, access to health, and public safety, among others. Also, private actors often carry out economic activities that can have an impact on individuals’ human rights. In this respect, the natural features of arbitration (neutrality, flexibility, and expertise) make it an ideal mechanism to settle disputes – both commercial and investor State – related to ESG. Having one of the top litigation and arbitration practices in Mexico, we have been involved in many landmark ESG-related cases of the past decade.
On the corporate governance front, we help our clients identify and assess their main legal risks and advise them on the design, drafting and implementation of policies and procedures to mitigate risk and to support the long-term sustainability of their business. This work covers different areas of legal and regulatory compliance, including -but not limited- to environmental, anticorruption, antitrust, international trade, labor & employment, and intellectual property. Moreover, we regularly represent clients in internal and regulatory investigations related to such areas of the law. Our anticorruption and compliance practice -established 10 years ago- is a pioneer in the Mexican market and has a stellar reputation.
In recent years, our transactional work with an ESG perspective has grown significantly. Nowadays, our clients demand proper analysis and consideration of risks and opportunities on ESG matters. We provide counsel when they develop a greenfield project or set up a transaction, whether it is a financing arrangement, an M&A, a joint venture, or another form of strategic alliance.
Our ESG practice group brings together the experience and specialized knowledge of more than 20 attorneys (including partners, of counsel, counsel, and associates) from different and complementary practices and industry groups. Moreover, most of the lawyers in this group have international experience, both academic and professional.
This innovative practice group draws on the firm’s full-service capabilities, collaborative mindset, and problem-solving approach. We offer our clients integral and integrated solutions that help them navigate in a complex and rapidly changing business environment.