© 2014 The Texas Lawbook.
By Brooks Igo
(February 5) – In an increasingly competitive lateral hiring market for lawyers with expertise and ties in Mexico, Thompson & Knight recently made a splash by adding corporate and securities expert Luis Gomar to its Mexico City and Dallas offices.
Prior to joining T&K, Gomar led Strasburger & Price’s Mexico City office. He said T&K’s energy platform and commitment to growing in Mexico attracted him to the firm.
“Given the reforms to Mexico’s energy sector, a platform like Thompson & Knight’s is key to serve clients as they look to participate in Mexico’s energy opportunities,” he said.
Gomar says several firm clients are actively pursuing upstream and midstream opportunities as a result of various bid prices occurring. Additionally, he says some clients are looking at exploring infrastructure and alternative energy projects.
But Gomar says it is not only energy reforms that have U.S. national and international firms investing heavily in Mexico; reforms have positively affected the telecommunications, banking and pharmaceutical industries.
“Investment by major clients for many firms in Mexico will continue and increase because it is a good market that is close to home (for U.S. clients), and as a result of the reforms taking place,” he said.
Last year, one of Gomar’s Texas-based bank clients started looking a bit more aggressively at Mexico as a result of the ongoing changes to the country’s finance regime. He assisted the bank in reviewing and bidding on several loan portfolios with varying asset classes as collateral.
Due to the improving market conditions in the region, Gomar expects the legal market to continue to consolidate in Mexico, as several Texas-based and national firms did in 2014.
“I will not be surprised if we see more announcements this year of long-standing Mexican firms being acquired by U.S. and international firms,” he said.
However, Gomar does wonder if the market will cool a bit in Texas and Mexico due to the drop in oil prices. Regardless, he believes his new firm is well-positioned for long-term success and growth.
“[T&K] is a well-known energy firm and has a constant and longstanding commitment to Mexico and to assisting clients in this market,” he said. “That resonates with clients and lateral candidates.”
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