The Barra Mexicana de Abogados (BMA) and the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) are delighted to invite you to join their inaugural joint meeting in Mexico City: “El Encuentro en México.” The Encuentro will take place between June 15-17 at the Presidente Intercontinental Hotel. Our panels, plenary sessions, and receptions will connect the HNBA Familia with the BMA, corporate America, and México. This event will provide opportunities for outside counsel to meet representatives from numerous U.S. and Mexican Companies. El Encuentro en México will offer two days, June 15th and 16th, of learning and connecting as part of a robust and forward-looking program on cutting edge topics led by leading practitioners and trailblazers from México and the U.S., and one-of-a-kind networking opportunities. On June 17th, there will be an excursion to the Museo de Antropología Nacional and Castillo de Chapultepec.
HNBA/BMA “El Encuentro en México”
June 15-17, 2023
Presidente Intercontinental
Campos Eliseos 218 Ciudad de México
Ciudad de México 11560 México
AGENDA – Tentative as of 06/08/23
The panels and plenary sessions will all be conducted in English.
Thursday, June 15th
Time | Event |
8:00 am – 8:30 am | Registration |
8:30 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast & Opening Plenary Welcome by Organizing Committee |
9:00 am – 10:00 am | Cross-Border Investments and Trade between Mexico and the U.S. Mexico and the United States have a vibrant and important commercial relationship. By way of example, the United States Department of States reported that—in 2021—the U.S. goods and services trade with Mexico totaled $725.7 billion, which makes Mexico the United States’ second largest trading partner. According to the Department of Commerce, the stock of foreign direct investment by U.S. companies in Mexico stood at $110.7 billion in 2021 while Mexican stock investment in the United States was over $48.1 billion in 2021. In the words of President Biden, Mexico and the United States “share a strong and deepening economic and security partnership that has made North America the most competitive and dynamic region in the world.” This panel will discuss the inner workings of that commercial relationship and what makes it work so well for Mexican and United States businesses. Moderator: Panelists: |
10:00 am – 11:00 am | In-House Lawyer’s Roundtable: Is ESG Reinventing Diversity Values within Companies? “ESG” (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is often used to describe the elements of corporate life that involve environmental and social responsibility. For the most part, diversity matters are prioritized in the “Social” category of ESG. This panel of in-house counsel will discuss concrete programs, actions, and measurements for DEI to advance workplace well-being, equity, and career growth in companies both in Mexico and the United States. Moderator: Panelists: |
11:00 am – 11:15 am | Coffee |
11:15 am – 12:15 pm | Nearshoring & Energy Ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China have prompted many U.S. companies to undertake a massive relocation of their operations to Mexico. This phenomenon has been dubbed “nearshoring”, the inverse of offshoring. This means that companies are progressively transferring part of their production to countries close to their markets and with similar time zones, in order to minimize the effects of disruptions in supply chains. This panel will discuss the benefits to Mexican and U.S. companies from nearshoring. The panel will also discuss the critical role of Mexico’s energy sector to meet growing demand for energy in the nearshoring process. Moderator: Panelists: |
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm | Lunch Plenary: Esquina Presidencial Co-Moderators: Panelists: |
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm | Compliance and White-Collar Challenges: Are we seeing a greater focus towards US-MX enforcement? This panel of experts will discuss the current state of U.S. financial crime enforcement vis-à-vis Mexico and its impact on Mexican businesses with ties to the U.S. as well as international businesses operating in Mexico. Panelists will explore the implications of shifting priorities of financial crimes in Mexico and the U.S. including enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Panelists will address recent and anticipated enforcement efforts of U.S. and Mexican authorities against financial crimes involving tax evasion, money laundering, and sanctions, as well as recommended planning and risk management practices. Moderator: Panelists: |
2:15 pm – 2:30 pm | Coffee |
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Mexico-US Cross-Broder Disputes The geographical proximity, strategic partnership, close economic ties, tight commercial relations, and cultural alignment between Mexico and the U.S., among other factors, explain why there has been a considerable amount of cross-border legal activity, and therefore disputes, between these two countries and their nationals and companies, historically. The geopolitical tensions with China, the war in Ukraine, the Covid-related supply chain disruptions, as well as a series of endogenous elements, have positioned Mexico at the center of the North American nearshoring phenomenon. This and other recent events, such as the energy sector counter-reform in Mexico, are the source of a considerable increase in the amount of Mexico-U.S. cross-border disputes that we are already seeing and will continue to see in the years to come. This means that more Mexican nationals and entities will be exposed to disputes in the U.S. that they may be unfamiliar with. Same for U.S. nationals and entities with respect to Mexico. This panel of cross-border experts will discuss the kinds of disputes that Mexican nationals and entities are facing in the U.S., its peculiarities, challenges and tips to reduce, or at least better understand, the exposure in that country. Panelists will also address the challenges that U.S. nationals and entities might face when litigating in Mexico. Moderator: Panelists: |
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm | Coffee |
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | IP, Media and Tech In addition to being tied together by trade and business, Mexico and the United States are tied together by the sharing of intellectual property ranging from telenovelas to computers. According to the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, however, “Mexico faces widespread commercial-scale infringement that results in significant losses to Mexican, U.S., and other intellectual property right owners.” This panel of experts will discuss the vibrant relationship that exists between Mexico and the United States in the media and tech space. This panel of experts will examine the challenges faced by U.S. companies operating in the Mexican market and the experience of Mexican companies operating in the U.S. Market. Moderator: Panelists: |
5:00 pm – 5:15 pm | Afternoon Plenary: 200 Years of U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Relations and “El Futuro”: The Need for Encuentros between Mexico and U.S. Lawyers Alfred Baltazar “Balt” Baca, HNBA Co-Founder |
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm | Speakers’ Networking Reception (By Invitation Only) |
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm | Plenary Networking Reception |
Friday, June 16th
Time | Event |
9:00 am – 12:00 pm | Mexican Supreme Court Tour and Conversatorio with Mexican Supreme Court Justice(s) (By Invitation Only) |
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Lunch Plenary: “Women Leading the Legal Profession” In 2021, the International Bar Association (IBA) and the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation launched 50:50 by 2030 – A Longitudinal Study into Gender Disparity in Law, have launched the ‘50:50 by 2030’ Gender Project. While the project hast yet to be rolled out to Mexico and the United States (although that is slated to eventually happen), early study results have shown that women in the legal profession are still underrepresented in senior roles. This panel of women with senior roles in the profession will talk about their own paths and what must be done to ensure that Latinas can make it to the top echelons of leadership and thrive. Moderator: Panelists: |
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm | Panel on the Rule of Law in Mexico Mexico ranks poorly in global rule of law indices, scoring near the bottom on issues such as corruption, transparency, judicial system effectiveness and human and due process rights. This panel will discuss the structural factors that have resulted in such poor results and how the Barra and HNBA can work together to help strengthen the rule of law in Mexico. Moderator: Panelists: |
3:30 pm – 3:45 pm | Coffee |
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm | Pro Bono + Fundación Barra Mexicana Moderator: Panelists: |
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm | Panel with TOJIL and Mexicanos contra Corrupción y la Impunidad TOJIL and Mexicanos contra Corrupción y la Impunidad are at the forefront of the fight against the scourge of corruption in Mexico. This roundtable discussion will explore the causes of corruption in Mexico and the innovative strategies that these organizations have been using to combat it. Moderator: Panelists: |
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm | Closing Víctor Oléa Peláez, Barra Mexicana President |
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Plenary Networking Reception |
Saturday, June 17th
Excursion to the Museo de Antropología Nacional and Castillo de Chapultepec.
HOTEL
Presidente Intercontinental
Campos Eliseos 218 Ciudad de México
Ciudad de México 11560 México
Presidente Intercontinental is offering significantly discounted room rates for attendees of the Encuentro.
Reservation Deadline: June 2, 2023
NOTE: June 2nd is the last day to make hotel reservations and receive the discounted rate. The HNBA/BMA room block can sell out prior to this date. Once the block is sold out, room rates cannot be guaranteed.
You will receive a hotel discount code with instructions once registered for the event.
Additional lodging accommodations are available at the Hyatt Regency México City, Campos Eliseos No. 204 Polanco Chapultepec, México City, México, 11560
REGISTRATION
Registrations are limited.
Judges and students will be registered separately by wait list. Please e-mail Michael Fernández at mfernandez@riveromestre.com for additional details.
PLEASE NOTE: Online registration is closed for in-house and outside counsel.
Anyone wishing to register should contact Michael A. Fernández at mfernandez@riveromestre.com. Please refrain from making any arrangements to attend the conference until your registration has been confirmed.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
HNBA/BMA ENCUENTRO ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Mariana D. Bravo, HNBA President Víctor Oléa, Presidente de la Barra Mexicana
Daniel Mateo, HNBA President-Elect Diego Sierra, Consejero Vocal de la Barra Mexicana
Michael A. Fernández, Co-Chair HNBA’s International Law Section
Gold Sponsor
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enriquez, S.C.
Duane Morris LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Von Wobeser y Sierra S.C.
Silver Sponsor
Arochi & Linder S.C.
Hogan Lovells LLP
International Supporter
Akerman
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Covington & Burling LLP
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Katz & Gudiño
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Winston & Strawn LLP
Amigo Sponsor
De Hoyos y Aviles Abogados
Greenberg Traurig LLP
Special thanks to Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C. for all their efforts in planning and organizing the Encuentro.
FACTS & OPPORTUNITIES
United States and Mexico
There are many business opportunities for U.S. lawyers in Mexico:
- According to the Department of State:
- In 2021, U.S. goods and services trade with Mexico totaled $725.7 billion, making Mexico our second largest trading partner.
- According to the Department of Commerce, U.S. exports of goods and services to Mexico supported an estimated 1.1 million jobs in 2019 (latest data available).
- In 2021, Mexico was the second-largest source of foreign crude oil to the United States as well as the top destination for U.S. petroleum product exports and U.S. natural gas.
- Other top U.S. exports to Mexico include machinery, electrical machinery, vehicles, mineral fuels, and plastics.
- The stock of foreign direct investment by U.S. companies in Mexico stood at $110.7 billion in 2021 while Mexican stock investment in the United States was over $48.1 billion in 2021, according to the Department of Commerce.
According to LatinVex:
- Of the 100 largest companies in Latin America, 5 are from Mexico
Mexican companies and individuals are making sizeable investments in the U.S. and creating opportunities to provide legal services
U.S. companies looking to enter the Mexican market face a very different regulatory landscape than in the U.S. and stand to benefit from experienced cross-border counsel in the U.S. and Mexico
- Labor markets are regulated very differently in Mexico than in the U.S.
- Tax policy in Mexico can also generate significant challenges for U.S. companies
The are opportunities for U.S. lawyers to provide pro bono services through organizations such as Appleseed Mexico (https://appleseedmexico.org/)