Profile
Elías-Fernández, Edmundo
Perfil
Mr. Elías has 36 years of experience in the legal profession. His practice focuses on international trade and customs matters, commercial law, corporate law, corporate compliance (anti-corruption), and government affairs. Mr. Elías has extensive experience across various sectors and industries, including the maquiladora industry, pharmaceuticals, automotive, consumer products, information technology, among others.
He has advised and represented numerous companies (Fortune 10, 100, and 500) in corporate, foreign trade, and customs matters, as well as in international commercial and anti-corruption issues. Likewise, he has represented such companies in matters related to free trade agreements, duty deferral programs, customs compliance, representation before authorities, tariff classification, rules of origin, customs valuation, and non-tariff regulations, among others.
Mr. Elías is recognized by Chambers and Partners (Band 1 National and Global), The Legal 500 (Hall of Fame), Best Lawyers, and Who's Who Legal as a leading lawyer both nationally and globally.
Experiencia Profesional
Currently, Mr. Elías is the Head Partner of the Foreign Trade practice at Ramos, Ripoll & Schuster. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Elías served as Managing Partner of the Guadalajara office of the international law firm Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton. Mr. Elías worked at Baker McKenzie from 1992 to 2014. Among other responsibilities, he served as Coordinator of the International Trade and Customs practice in Mexico and Latin America. He also served twice as Global Coordinator of the firm’s International Trade and Customs practice.
Previously, Mr. Elías was founding partner of Bufete Elías, S.C. (1989–1992), a firm focused on corporate and commercial matters; Estrategia Bursátil, S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa (1987), where he served as assistant to the Legal Department; and Gallástegui y Lozano, S.C. (1985–1986), where he worked as a law clerk.
Mr. Elías has held a customs broker license authorizing him to operate throughout Mexico since 1995.
He has served as a professor at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico, Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, and Tecnológico de Monterrey Guadalajara Campus. He currently teaches at the Law School of Universidad Panamericana (undergraduate and graduate programs) at its Aguascalientes, Mexico City, and Guadalajara campuses.
He has been a panelist and speaker at more than 100 seminars on foreign trade, customs, and foreign investment organized by distinguished organizations, including the World Trade Organization, World Customs Organization, International Fiscal Association, American Management Association, Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas, the Mexican Ministry of Commerce and Industrial Development, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce, the Confederación de Asociaciones de Agentes Aduanales de la República Mexicana, the Barra Mexicana Colegio de Abogados, and the Consejo Nacional de la Industria Maquiladora y Manufacturera de Exportación, among others.
Mr. Elías also served as Special Advisor and Co-Coordinator of private sector working groups during the modernization of United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement negotiations (NAFTA/USMCA).
- Co-author, NAFTA Handbook, CCH.
- Co-author, Mexican Tax Guide, CCH.
- Author of various essays and articles.
- Barra Mexicana Colegio de Abogados, currently Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Jalisco Chapter.
- American Bar Association.
- Academia Internacional de Derecho Aduanero (full member).
- Confederación de Asociaciones de Agentes Aduanales de la República Mexicana.
Formación Académica
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law – Master of Laws (LL.M.) with Honors.
Universidad Panamericana – Master’s Degree in Business Law with Honors.
IE Business School – CBA.
Universidad Panamericana – Doctoral Candidate in Law.
IPADE Business School – AD-2 Program (2005).
Management Executive Program, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
Universidad Panamericana – Postgraduate Studies.
National Autonomous University of Mexico – Law Degree with Honors.
Centro Universitario México (C.U.M.) – High School Diploma.
Área de Práctica
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Certificaciones, Rankings, Publicaciones, Afiliaciones
Band 1 - Latin America Guide 2026, International Trade / WTO
Shortlisted - Lawyer of the year 2026, International Trade and Customs
- Corporate and Mergers Acquisitions Law
- International Trade and Finance Law
- Trade Law
Testimonios
Profile
Esparza Sánchez, Guadalupe
Área de Práctica
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Certificaciones, Rankings, Publicaciones, Afiliaciones
Band 4 - Projects
Band 4 - Projects
