Arguably best known as a litigation boutique, the arbitral capability of Malpica, Iturbe, Buj y Paredes, S.C. is sometimes overlooked, but the firm handles a significant caseload of sizeable and strategically significant arbitrations – institutional or ad hoc – including investment arbitrations subject to international treaties. The firm saw exponential growth of its commercial arbitration practice during 2022, and is currently involved in two ongoing investment arbitrations against Mexico, with a further two cases -one NAFTA, one Brazil-Mexico BIT- in prospect. The team also hanldes all the different judicial proceedings related to arbitration, including those related to interim measures, claim referrals, and annulment and enforcement proceedings. Recent matters have seen commercial and ICC arbitrations expert Rolando Zarate and senior partner Carlos Malpica acting for Exterran Energy de Mexico and Exterran Energy Solutions in a $600m case against Iberoamerciana de Hidrocarburos for payments related to agreements for the conditioning a gas plant in Tamaulipas; the pair are described as ‘highly prepared lawyers, capable of proposing creative strategies and thinking "outside the box" in complex cases’. Zarate is also acting with energy disputes specialist Horacio Paredes in seeking the annulment -on behalf of Mayakan- of a MXN$110m award granted to the CFE for payment of natural gas transportation services (the case rests on the interpretation of the arbitral agreement and its relation to Mexican public policy in the energy sector); the ’very capable’ Juan José Iturbe in a MXN$250m ICC arbitration initiated by DAS against Tesla Energy to obtain payment of several amounts related to a stock purchase agreement; and Rodrigo Buj, in commercial arbitration initiated by FV Mexsolar against the CFE regarding the termination of an energy sale and coverage agreement. Buj's standing in arbitral matters was highlighted in 2022 with his appointment by White & Case LLP (NY Office) as Mexican Law expert in an investment arbitration against Mexico.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘They have a team capable of developing effective litigation strategies in commercial and governmental fields.’
‘The team has an sizeable structure and is suitable for a boutique law firm specialising in disputes. Juan Jose Iturbe is the partner with whom I have shared the most and he is very capable and focused on business.’
‘I believe that what makes them unique is that they are a boutique specialised in litigation and arbitration, which makes them focus on their practice, but with a corporate and transactional approach, since most of their lawyers have knowledge of these areas from their previous experience, which helps that they fully understand the problem and in a holistic way can prepare arguments for the litigation that they prepare.’
‘Personalised attention and background and knowledge of other areas of law such as corporate law.’
‘MIBP is the firm in Mexico with the best quality of litigation/arbitration lawyers. Carlos Malpica and Rolando Zarate are highly prepared lawyers, capable of proposing creative strategies and thinking "outside the box" in complex cases.’
‘There is no other law firm in Mexico that has so many good litigants under the same roof.’

Key clients

Inter-American Development Bank
Citibank
Santander
BBVA
Banorte
Hermes
Macquarie
IZZI Televisa
Artha
Engie
3M
AES
Peñoles
Cargill
British Petroleum
GBM/Goldman Sachs
Técnicas Reunidas (TRSA)
Petronas
Exterran (today Eneflex)
Continental Automotive Mexicana
Elevadores Schindler
Credit Suisse México
Toyota México

Work highlights

Co-counsel, with Milbank, in the successful representation of Grupo Bursátil Mexicano (GBM) and Goldman Sachs (as owners of Eólica Tres Mesas) in an AAA arbitration brought by Abengoa for the supposed non-fulfilment of a contract.
Co-counsel, with King & Spalding LLP, to Exterran Energy México (now: Enerflex) in ICC arbitration against Iberoamericano de Hidrocarburos (Avanzia) for the non-fulfilment of its contractual obligations with respect to the reconditioning of a gas plant in Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
Represented Tractabel Energía de Monterrey (Engie) in an arbitration brought by Estrategia Energía Eléctrica Comercializadora (E3), for alleged non-fulfilment of an energy supply contract.