PROFESSIONALS

Mr. Cervantes is an attorney and counselor-at-law, admitted in Mexico in 2000. He received his JD degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho, the foremost Scholl of law in Mexico. Mr. Cervantes received his LLM degree with honors from Northwestern University Scholl of Law in Chicago. Manuel specializes in oil contracts and their negotiation, and is constantly updating through Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.

He is senior partner and owner of the Mexican boutique law firm MCM Abogados. Since 2000 his practice has focused on oil and gas, energy and natural resources, government procurement, corporate and administrative law, anti-bribery, arbitration and litigation. Manuel has represented international clients in litigation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in projects related to services in the oil and gas industry in Mexico and abroad, and is a renowned mediator in such disputes.

With over 15 years of experience in the energy sector, Manuel has provided legal advice to key companies in the national energy sector in major projects of Pemex Exploracion y Produccion, consortiums, negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, contracts and disputes in Mexico. He has advised international companies in obtaining service contracts, labor and equipment with Pemex Exploracion y Produccion through direct award procedures. Likewise, he has advised companies in obtaining long term drilling and completion projects. Manuel has successfully advised foreign clients in obtaining contracts for 25 years with Pemex Exploracion y Produccion, including in the fields of Altamira, Miahuapan, and Amatitlan under the CIEP scheme, and its financing with international lenders. He has provided advice on the acquisition, financing and negotiation of security packages of jackups, semi-submergible and onshore and offshore drilling equipment. Manuel successfully advised a foreign company in the arrival and operation of the only liftboat that is currently providing services to Pemex-Exploracion y Produccion in the Cantarell area. He also advised one of the contractors participating in the Lakach project, which is one of the first deep-water exploration projects in Mexico. He has successfully advised contractors in catastrophic events, both onshore and offshore, force majeure, early administrative rescission procedures, and conciliation and inconformity procedures in the energy sector in Mexico.

Manuel is currently advising several bidders in the Round One Bid, called by the National Hydrocarbons Commission of Mexico (http://ronda1.gob.mx) to obtain exploration and production contracts under the PSA and license formats. He has also advised clients in the migration of integral contracts to the new contractual scheme resulting from the Energy Reform and in obtaining approvals for survey and exploration of hydrocarbons issued by the National Hydrocarbons Commission. Manuel has assisted clients in obtaining environmental permits with the new environmental agency on hydrocarbons (ASEA), as well as social authorizations.

Manuel has represented several clients in obtaining projects of water treatment plants, and he was involved in the acquisition of one of the most important companies of hydraulic infrastructure of Mexico. He has advised several clients in the field of renewable energy in the country.

Since 2009, Manuel has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the field of oil, gas and natural resources by Who’s Who International, The Legal 5000, Newsweek Latin America y Global Law Experts.

He has been an active spokesman in forums like LAGCOE and the Mexican Petroleum Congress. He is a member of the AIPN, and has been invited as a specialist in various international and national seminars regarding the Energy Reform promoted by President Enrique Peña Nieto. He is actively involved with national and international publications, in the publishing of articles related to the development of the oil and gas sector in the country.

Manuel is currently representing clients United States, France, UK, Canada, Norway, Russia, Egypt, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Mexico, among others.

Mariana received her JD degree from Universidad Panamericana.

Since 2007, she has worked in leading law firms in the energy sector and is part of the founding team of MCM Abogados. Her experience mainly focuses in the areas of oil and gas, electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, procurement procedures, and project finance, actively participating in numerous operations related thereto. She has experience with corporate structures in projects related to the energy sector, including mergers and acquisitions, and legal audits.

Mariana advises national and international companies in the energy sector for governmental procurement procedures and contracts, as well as the implementation of corporate actions, regulatory proceedings and other administrative proceedings before governmental authorities, including filings and compliance with permits and authorizations from the Federal Antitrust Commission, Energy Regulatory Commission and the Communications and Transportation Bureau.

Mariana has participated in bidding procedures and direct awards before several government entities such as Pemex, the Federal Energy Commission and municipal and state agencies, from the planning of the participation structure, preparation of documentation both in the prequalification stage and in the submittal of technical proposals, to the award and execution of contracts, and the implementation and performance thereof. Mariana actively participated in the bids for the award of integral exploration and production contracts issued by Pemex and in the current bid process carried out by the National Hydrocarbons Commission, including the structuring and negotiation of partnerships between national and international companies for such purposes and the respective identification of risks in the contract models proposed by the CNH. She has also assisted clients in migration of integral contracts to the new schemes resulting from the Energy Reform, participating in negotiations of joint operating agreements with Pemex and migration applications before the Ministry of Energy.

She has actively advised several national and international companies in obtaining authorizations for surface exploration and survey of hydrocarbons for multi-client license in the Gulf of Mexico issued by the National Hydrocarbons Commission. She was involved both in the registration in the register and in the submittal of social and environmental studies before the Ministry of Energy and the new National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbons Sector. She has also advised several companies in transactions involving the acquisition, financing, and negotiation of security packages for offshore and onshore drilling rigs, with the purpose of placing such rigs in the Mexican industry through agreements with Pemex, and has assisted such companies during the term of the agreement, including amendments and renewals of such contracts.

On the other hand, she actively advises national and international companies photovoltaic and wind energy business and projects. She has acquired important experience in the negotiation of contracts for the sale of equipment, operation and maintenance, co-owned industrial parks, turnkey schemes, supply and services.

Andres received his JD degree from the Universidad Iberoamericana, and also did postgraduate work in such University in Legal Argumentation. He also obtained a postgraduate degree in Commercial Arbitration and Dispute Resolution at Escuela Libre de Derecho. He is currently an LL.M. candidate with a specialization in Energy and Clean Technology from the University of California at Berkeley.

Since 2009, Andrés has worked in leading law firms in the energy sector, and is part of the founding team of MCM Abogados. He has excelled in the areas of energy, oil and gas, infrastructure, government procurement, administrative law, arbitration and litigation (mainly commercial and administrative). He has provided advice to key companies in the energy sector in financing and negotiation of offshore and onshore security packages for companies in the energy sector, as well as the negotiation of construction contracts for such equipment, and contracts with Pemex Exploracion y Produccion. He has extensive experience in the negotiation and implementation of structures for the development of oil and gas contracts with Pemex, as well as the negotiation of contracts with subcontractors for development of such Pemex contract. He has actively participated in government procurement procedures and implementation of contracts for exploration and production, as well as multiple infrastructure projects, advising several clients in the structure for the participation in the project and in its financing.

He has also advised companies in the energy sector in identifying risks, strategy design, negotiation, and conflict resolution either through alternative dispute resolution or through a lawsuit. He has successfully advised contractors in domestic and international arbitrations, and conciliation and inconformity procedures with government entities, including Pemex, and in the defense of catastrophic events, both onshore and offshore, force majeure and administrative rescission procedures. He has been involved in major disputes between competitors in oilfield services sector in Mexico.

Andres has extensive knowledge in the regulation of the energy sector in Mexico, allowing him to provide advice to the clients of MCM Abogados taking into account the structural changes that the energy sector constantly faces.

Mr. Orozco received it law degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho. He currently is a postgraduate at professor at such institution.

His expertise focuses on the areas of corporate law, real estate, finance, infrastructure, antitrust, intellectual property and litigation (mainly constitutional, administrative and commercial). He has provided legal advice to companies operating in the financial, real estate and energy sectors, among others. He has participated in mergers and acquisitions, international transactions, project finance, dispute resolution, debt issuance, as well as in the preparation of certain IPO.

Bernardo received his JD degree from Universidad Iberoamericana.

He has excelled in the areas of oil and gas, government procurement and dispute resolution. He has advised national and international companies in public biddings issued mainly by Pemex Exploracion y Produccion, and has been actively involved with national and international clients in the preparation of bid packages for bids called by the National Hydrocarbons Commission originated from the latest Energy Reform.

He has extensive experience in administrative and commercial litigation, as well as alternative means of dispute resolution, including arbitration and conciliation. He has actively participated in administrative proceedings such as administrative remedies, conciliations and inconformity procedures before the Internal Comptroller of Pemex Exploracion y Produccion, and the Federal Comptrollers Bureau. He has advised clients in financing and negotiation of security packages for the acquisition of offshore equipment for companies in the energy sector, as well as in obtaining and negotiating the corresponding contracts with the constructor and Pemex Exploracion y Produccion. Likewise, he has been actively involved in issues relating to contracts, intellectual property, corporate and operative monitoring of companies, adjustment and implementation of administrative procedures on foreign investment matters, foreign trade and compliance with Official Mexican Standards (NOMS) in different areas.

Pablo obtained his JD degree from Universidad Iberoamericana. In 2014 he won the excellence Performance Award EGEL-Ceneval, having obtained an outstanding grade in all areas of such exam.

His professional practice focuses on the areas of oil and gas, government procurement and project financing. He has been actively involved in consulting, risk identification and preparation of bid packages for the award of production sharing contracts for exploration and/or extraction originated from the bidding rounds issued by the National Hydrocarbons Commission as a result of the Energy Reform. Likewise, Pablo has been involved in the migration of certain integral exploration and production contracts to the new contractual scheme originated from the Energy Reform. He has experience in advising and implementing corporate structures as well as the development, control and monitoring of corporate affairs of companies in Mexico, including company incorporation, foreign investment participation, transformations, mergers and acquisitions, among others.

Fernando obtained his JD degree from Universidad Iberoamericana.

He has experience in analysis of national regulations regarding Information and Communication Technologies. At MCM Abogados, Fernando has been involved in the areas of oil & gas, and dispute resolution and litigation. He has wide experience in the analysis of legal risks, elaboration of strategies, and follow up of judicial and administrative procedures, as well as the advice to clients of the Firm in corporate and regulatory matters.

Student at Universidad Iberoamericana. He has also studies related to the American Legal System imparted by the Whittier Law School. He has been involved in the areas of administrative and commercial litigation, as well as alternative means of dispute resolution including conciliation and inconformity procedures.

He has also actively participated in the preparation of corporate structures in projects related to the energy sector as well as international transactions. He also has been involved in the resolution, control and monitoring of corporate affairs of companies in Mexico

Student at Universidad Iberoamericana.

His experience is focused on the areas of oil & gas, electricity, renewable energy and governmental procurement. He has actively participated in the bidding procedures for the award of contracts for exploration and/or extraction of the bidding rounds derived from the Energy Reform, as well as obtaining permits for surface exploration and survey of hydrocarbons for multi-client license in the Gulf of Mexico from the National Hydrocarbons Commission. Likewise he has participated in the migration procedures of integral contracts of exploration and production to the new contractual scheme originated by the Energy Reform. He has experience in monitoring corporate matters such as the incorporation and transformation of companies, mergers, spin-offs, minutes of meetings and the corresponding registration of such corporate activities.