A defining feature of the Firm’s employment practice is its integration with Creel’s transactional platform. In mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, restructurings, and group reorganizations, employment and labor issues frequently determine whether a transaction can be structured and executed as intended. The Firm advises on every employment dimension of these transactions: workforce due diligence, employer substitution structuring, employee transfer planning, benefit continuity, collective bargaining implications, and the social security adjustments that accompany changes in employer status. Our employment lawyers work in close coordination with the Firm’s M&A, tax, and corporate teams, ensuring that labor considerations are addressed from the earliest stages of transaction planning through post-closing integration.

The Firm advises employers on the full range of labor relations matters, from the negotiation and revision of collective bargaining agreements with local and national unions to the management of strike procedures and the resolution of union-related disputes. The introduction of democratic union election requirements under the USMCA framework and the ongoing reform of Mexico’s collective bargaining landscape have added a new dimension of complexity to these engagements, requiring counsel that understands both the legal requirements and the practical dynamics of employer-union relationships in Mexico. When disputes cannot be resolved through negotiation, we represent clients in pre-judicial conciliation processes and litigation before Mexico’s specialized Federal and State Labor Courts.

The Firm advises on the design and implementation of compensation and benefits programs that align with Mexican labor law requirements while meeting the operational and talent objectives of the client’s business. Our work encompasses incentive compensation schemes, executive remuneration programs, stock option and equity-based plans, bonus structures, and employee benefits packages. We advise on the tax, social security, and regulatory implications of each element of the compensation structure, working in coordination with the Firm’s tax and social security teams to ensure that programs are structured to optimize both compliance and commercial effectiveness.

The Firm provides ongoing counsel on day-to-day regulatory compliance with Mexican labor, employment, and occupational health and safety requirements. Our work encompasses the design and implementation of employment documentation, including offer letters, employment agreements, internal work regulations, employee handbooks, training manuals, and health and safety protocols. We advise on compliant subcontracting arrangements, shared services structures, transitional services agreements, and employer-of-record models, navigating the restrictions imposed by the 2021 outsourcing reform. We also support clients during labor and social security inspections and provide proactive compliance guidance to mitigate regulatory risk.

The Firm has a unique expertise in conducting workplace investigations involving allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination, and compliance violations, and represents employers in the full range of contentious employment matters.

Our litigation practice covers proceedings before Mexico’s Federal and Local Labor Courts, including claims arising from individual and collective terminations, wrongful dismissal allegations, occupational risk disputes, and social security assessments.