Profile
Elías-Fernández, Edmundo
Senior Partner
Perfil
Mr. Elías has 37 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
Senior Partner
Perfil
With more than 14 years of professional experience, Guadalupe has focused her practice on energy law, infrastructure, and project finance.
In the energy sector, Guadalupe specializes in the electricity industry, advising all types of market participants, including domestic clients (both private entities and government agencies) and international companies in all types of projects, including successful participation in Long-Term Auctions; accreditation and operation of Market Participants; obtaining all types of permits related to the electricity market; advising legacy projects in their migration to the new regulatory framework; structuring, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance; and the sale and acquisition of all types of power generation projects.
Given the current political environment, Guadalupe has assisted numerous clients in designing innovative structures to commercialize or consume electricity despite the reluctance of national authorities, implementing schemes to execute isolated supply projects and third-party sales, as well as litigation strategies to obtain favorable responses from authorities in cases of inaction or unfounded denials. In this regard, Lupita has led the preparation of several risk analysis reports and mitigation strategies related to electricity regulation.
Guadalupe has also advised clients in various disputes arising from the electricity sector, primarily resolved through international commercial arbitration.
Lupita is considered an expert in the regulatory framework applicable to the electricity industry and has been individually recognized as a “Rising Star” and subsequently as a “Next Generation Partner” in the Energy and Natural Resources category by The Legal 500 (2022 and 2023). More recently, she was also recognized in the “Up and Coming” partners category by Chambers and Partners Latin America 2024.
She regularly collaborates by writing articles for the Energy and Natural Resources Newsletter of International Law Office.
Experiencia Profesional
- Risk Assessment Report for the Acquisition of Power Plants. Preparation of a regulatory risk assessment report, including potential mitigation strategies, in connection with the proposed acquisition of two combined-cycle power plants with an aggregate capacity exceeding 270 MW. One of the facilities operated under the Isolated Supply scheme, with plans for future expansion and interconnection, while the other imported all of its electricity under a legacy import permit issued pursuant to the former Public Electricity Service Law, requiring migration to the current regulatory framework in the coming years. The report addressed, among other matters: risks associated with compliance with isolated supply requirements; risks arising from future interconnection; risks linked to constitutional challenges (amparos) filed against recent energy regulations; and risks related to the migration of the legacy permit into the Wholesale Electricity Market framework.
- Due Diligence for the Acquisition of a Power Generation Project Portfolio. We are currently conducting multiple legal, regulatory, and real estate due diligence reviews in connection with several electricity generation projects as part of a potential portfolio acquisition strategy. The projects are at different stages of development and include a potential joint project with Comisión Federal de Electricidad through an unsolicited proposal for the construction and operation of a utility-scale wind power plant in the Yucatán Peninsula.
- Load Aggregation and Registration of Municipality as Qualified User. Advising a municipality in aggregating electricity loads associated with its public street lighting infrastructure in order to obtain Qualified User status and secure access to electricity supply under more competitive pricing conditions.
- Municipal Water Utilities. Advising municipal water utility entities in a northern Mexican state on the aggregation of electricity loads related to water pumping systems in order to obtain Qualified User status. Simultaneously, we are assisting them in the procurement process for the selection of a qualified electricity supplier, with the objective of achieving significant energy cost savings.
- Industrial Parks in Sonora. Advising one of the leading industrial park groups in northern Mexico on various energy-related projects within its industrial parks, including: (i) comprehensive legal and regulatory advice for the construction of a substation, transmission line, and distribution infrastructure to secure electricity supply for one of its industrial parks, as well as the implementation of a third-party energy commercialization scheme without requiring a permit from the Comisión Reguladora de Energía (CRE); (ii) advisory services related to the implementation of distributed generation projects within its industrial parks; and (iii) legal support for the development of a future utility-scale solar photovoltaic generation facility.
Formación Académica
Guadalupe Esparza Sánchez earned her law degree from Universidad Panamericana and a Master’s Degree in Business Law from the same institution. She also holds postgraduate studies in Obligations, Contracts, and Corporate Law; Business Law from the Universidad Autónoma de México; and Energy Law from the Escuela Libre de Derecho.
Área de Práctica
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Certificaciones, Rankings, Publicaciones, Afiliaciones
Band 4 - Projects
Band 4 - Projects
Testimonios
Profile
Escobedo Chaires, Diego
Associate
Perfil
Diego Escobedo holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Universidad Panamericana. He joined RRS Abogados in 2014 as part of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team at our Guadalajara office.
Experiencia Profesional
His practice focuses on civil, commercial, and constitutional litigation, advising clients on disputes related to private rights and obligations, commercial transactions, and business relationships, as well as on matters involving the interpretation and application of constitutional law.
He has experience in preventing and resolving conflicts through both judicial and extrajudicial mechanisms.
Formación Académica
- Bachelor of Laws, Universidad Panamericana (2018).
Professional Affiliations:
- Barra Mexicana Colegio de Abogados, A.C. — Member of the Commercial Law Committee.
Área de Práctica
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Profile
Escámez Barrera, Fernanda
Junior Associate
Perfil
Fernanda graduated from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (“ITESM”), Monterrey Campus, where she earned her Law Degree in 2021.
She has four years of professional experience and is currently pursuing a Diploma in Corporate Law offered by the same institution.
Fernanda has five years of experience in the legal profession. Her practice primarily focuses on Corporate Law and Real Estate Law, participating in matters involving various industries, including industrial operations, financial practices, condominium property regimes, and real estate development projects, among others.
She has advised domestic clients, including companies, partners, and shareholders, in the management of their day-to-day operations.
In the corporate field, Fernanda has participated in the incorporation and structuring of companies, the drafting and negotiation of contracts and agreements, and regulatory compliance matters. She has also worked with companies across different industries, providing legal solutions tailored to the specific needs of each client.
In the real estate sector, she has advised both buyers and sellers in commercial and residential transactions. She has also provided legal counsel to developers in the structuring of projects and construction matters, particularly involving condominiums and residential developments. Her experience includes negotiating purchase and sale agreements, lease agreements, and advising on real estate development and investment matters.
Experiencia Profesional
Fernanda began her professional career at Castañeda, Graña y Seceñas as an intern in the Corporate Law department, where she worked for one year.
She later joined the legal team at Mateos Hoyt (“MH”), where she gained experience in the areas of Corporate Law, Real Estate Law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
At MH, she began as an intern and was later promoted to attorney and associate at the firm, where she worked for four years.
Currently, Fernanda is part of the Corporate and Business practice at Ramos, Ripoll & Schuster.
Formación Académica
Fernanda began her higher education at ITESM in 2017 and earned her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2021.
She is currently pursuing a certificate in Corporate Law at the same institution, a program she began in 2024 and will complete in 2025.
- Bachelor of Laws.
- Certificate in Corporate Law (2024–2025).
Área de Práctica
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Profile
Escutia Mendiola, Rosa Isela
Assistant
Perfil
Rosa Isela joined the Firm in 2021 as part of the Corporate & Business, Tax & Foreign Trade, and Labor & Social Security teams at our Guadalajara offices, providing support as an Administrative Assistant.
Experiencia Profesional
She has over fifteen years of professional experience in administration, having worked with major companies in the furniture, real estate, and automotive sectors. Throughout her career, she has held positions related to administrative management, customer service, sales, after-sales service, credit, and collections, as well as various administrative and operational support roles. She has also participated in projects related to the export sector.
Formación Académica
Rosa Isela holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Azteca in Guadalajara. She has also supplemented her professional training with various continuing education courses, including “How to Effectively Serve Customers” and “Telemarketing,” offered by the Chamber of the Furniture Industry, as well as “International Payment Methods,” offered by the National Bank for Foreign Trade (BANCOMEXT).
Idiomas
Spanish, English
Profile
Espíritu Reyes, Natalia
Assistant
Perfil
Natalia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the University Center for Health Sciences (CUCS) in 2024. Throughout her career, she has combined her expertise in personalized care with experience in administrative roles and customer service.
Experiencia Profesional
She began her professional career in 2018 in the reception and customer service department at Megacable. She later worked at the Kipper agency, where she was involved in recruitment, selection, training, and customer service, as well as administrative tasks, from 2021 to 2023.
She joined RRS Abogados in 2023 in the reception department and is currently part of the Coordination and Internal Organization team, providing support for the firm’s operations and administrative management.
Formación Académica
Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the University Center for Health Sciences (CUCS) in 2024.
Idiomas
Spanish