Banking and finance

Santamarina y Steta

The ‘agile and precise’ team at Santamarina y Steta is lauded as ’truly committed to the interests of their clients’ and specialises in assisting local banks and international institutions with a range of financial transactions. The group has a track record assisting issuers, investors, financial intermediaries, developers, and government entities with financing operations and regulatory mandates. The firm’s Monterrey office provides support to high-profile borrower clients doing business in the northeast of the country. Mexico City-based finance and M&A specialist Juan Carlos Machorro steers the national practice group and also acts as co-head of the firm’s corporate department; he garners praise for ‘always delivering high quality work on time’. Additional key contacts include Sergio Chagoya (corporate, project financing, fintech); Ricardo Orea, who has experience advising local, international and multilateral banks on financing transactions involving energy, transport and social infrastructure projects; and Diego Ostos (banking and finance, securities, corporate, M&A). Counsel Margarita Casarin covers syndicated and structured finance and project finance mandates; Pablo Ortiz Monasterio and Iñigo García are the key associate contacts.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘They are good lawyers truly committed to the interests of their clients. They defend their clients' interests well, always willing to take calls and propose solutions instead of seeking conflicts.'
‘They have great capacity and availability towards the client, with great preparation and explanation of problems.'
‘They have a lot of subject knowledge and always accompany the client throughout the entire operation, with patience, availability and knowledge, specifically Pablo Ortíz Monasterio and Diego Ostos.'
‘Communication with the Santamarina team is very agile and precise. When they commit to delivering work on a date, they invariably deliver. It should be noted that their participation in our projects undoubtedly adds a lot of value.'
‘We work very closely with Juan Carlos Machorro and Pablo Ortiz. It seems to me that their most important qualities are that they always deliver high quality work on time.'
‘The Santamarina y Steta office has shown its human side and empathy in terms of our desires, needs and operational capabilities, bringing out the best in them to help us achieve our objectives. Their processes are clear and simple, the guidance they provide is valuable and they share their knowledge, experience and recommendations without any problem.'
‘Clear business vision without losing the human side. Preventing the most adverse scenarios and being prepared with a plan in case they happen. Empathy, honesty, diligence, passion for their work and simplicity in their treatment; attitude of service and capacity for prevention.'
‘Order, discipline and knowledge as well as a close relationship with the financial authorities. Good judgment.'

Key clients

Banco Mercantil del Norte, Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Banorte
Samsonite International
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Barter Capital
Promoción y Operación
DEG — Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft
MUFG Bank
Durakon Industries Mexico

Work highlights

Assisted Samsonite International with a substantial global credit restructuring.
Assisted Banorte as lead arranger, together with five other commercial banks (BBVA, HSBC, Sabadell, Scotiabank, and BanBajío) as lenders, in a syndicated loan for MXN $5bn for Innovasports, one of the biggest sportswear stores in Mexico.
Advised Barter on the highly regulated financial service of money remittance before the National Banking and Securities Commission.