U.S. Companies · Mexico Market Entry Legal Strategy
Your legal structure in Mexico will either protect or expose your entire operation.
Setting up a branch, manufacturing facility, or hiring in Mexico through the wrong structure creates tax exposure, labor liability, and IP gaps that compound over time. We build the framework before those problems exist.
NEARSHORING & MANUFACTURING
USMCA compliance, maquiladora, labor structure
BRANCH &
SUBSIDIARY SETUP
S.A. de C.V., S. de R.L., foreign branch registration
IP &
TRADE SECTRET PROTECTION
IMPI filings, trademark strategy, NDA enforcement
Request a formal proposal
FOR C-SUITE & CENTRAL COUNSEL · CONFIDENTIAL
We review every inquiry. A partner will contact you within 1 business day.
All information is strictly confidential.
USMCA / T-MEC COMPLIANT STRUCTURES
BILINGUAL TEAM · ENGLISH-SPEAKING PARTNERS
MEXICO CITY HEADQUARTERS · POLANCO
What breaks when the legal structure is wrong
These are the four areas where U.S. companies take on unintended liability when entering Mexico without the right framework from day one.
Tax Exposure You Didn't Create, But Will Pay For
Operating through a branch without a permanent establishment analysis, or choosing the wrong entity type, creates retroactive SAT tax liability. Transfer pricing between parent and subsidiary requires documentation from day one — not retroactively.
Labor Claims That Follow the Parent Company
Mexico’s Federal Labor Law (LFT) defaults in favor of employees. Without clearly defined employment structures — especially post-outsourcing reform (2021) — your U.S. parent entity can be held jointly liable for labor obligations incurred by a local contractor.
IP Registered in the U.S. Does Not Protect You Here
U.S. trademarks and patents do not extend to Mexico. A competitor — or your own local partner — can register your brand at IMPI before you do. By the time you discover it, reclaiming that registration is a multi-year legal proceeding.
Tax Exposure You Didn't Create, But Will Pay For
Service agreements, NDAs, and supplier contracts drafted under U.S. law often lack the legal force required for enforcement in Mexico. Applicable law clauses, jurisdiction selection, and local formality requirements must be explicitly structured to survive a dispute.
Three mandates. One firm.
GAA handles the legal infrastructure behind U.S. companies operating in Mexico across three critical areas.
01 – NEARSHORING & MANUFACTURING
Building operations in Mexico without building liability
We structure your manufacturing or nearshoring operation so that the legal entity in Mexico cleanly separates operational risk from your U.S. parent. This includes IMMEX program registration, maquiladora structuring, USMCA compliance review, and ongoing labor framework setup compliant with 2021 outsourcing reform.
- IMMEX / Maquiladora registration
- Post-2021 outsourcing reform compliance
- Supplier contract enforcement framework
- Environmental & NOM compliance review
02 – BRANCH & SUBSIDIARY SETUP
The right legal vehicle from the first filing
The choice between a branch office, an S.A. de C.V., or an S. de R.L. de C.V. has direct consequences on tax treatment, shareholder liability, foreign ownership limits, and exit options. We advise on the optimal structure, then execute the incorporation, RPC registration, SAT enrollment, and corporate governance documents.
- Entity selection advisory (branch vs. subsidiary)
- Full incorporation & RPC / SAT registration
- Transfer pricing documentation setup
- Shareholders' agreement & governance framework
03 – IP & TRADE SECRET PROTECTION
Register in Mexico before someone else does
Mexico’s IP system operates independently of the USPTO. We file and prosecute trademark, trade name, and industrial design registrations at IMPI — and build the internal documentation layer (NDAs, non-compete agreements, trade secret protocols) that makes enforcement viable before any dispute arises.
- Trademark & trade name filing at IMPI
- Trade secret protection under Mexican FIL
- NDA drafting enforceable in Mexican courts
- IP assignment from local employees & contractors
How GAA works with your team
01
Case Review & Proposal
You submit your inquiry through this form. A senior partner — not a paralegal — reviews your situation and prepares a specific proposal with the recommended legal structure, scope of work, and fee estimate. No generic templates.
02
Strategy Session
We meet — in English — to walk through the proposal, address your specific risks, and align on a timeline. You leave with a clear legal roadmap: entity type, filing sequence, protection priorities, and what can be executed remotely vs. in-country.
03
Execution & Ongoing Counsel
GAA handles all government filings, regulatory registrations, and document execution in Mexico. We provide ongoing legal counsel as your operation scales — so your in-house or U.S. outside counsel has a direct counterpart here on the ground.
Why companies choose GAA for Mexico entry
Strategic
location
Our headquarters are in Polanco, Mexico City’s primary corporate district — where decisions get made.
No language barriers
100% English-speaking partners. No translation layer between you and your attorney.
Priority
response
1 day maximum response time. A partner reviews your case, not an intake coordinator.
End-to-end execution
All filings executed locally: SAT, RPC, IMPI, IMSS, SRE — we handle the entire chain.
Formal Proposal · No Commitment Required
The right legal structure in Mexico is a business decision, not just a filing.
Submit your inquiry and a senior partner will review your case and prepare a specific proposal — entity structure, scope, timeline, and fees — tailored to your operation.
ALL INQUIRIES ARE REVIEWED BY A PARTNER · STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
GIMÉNEZ & ASOCIADOS ABOGADOS
Corporate Law · Mexico City · Polanco
MEXICO CITY DIRECT LINE
© 2026 Giménez & Asociados, S.C.
Attorney-client privilege applies from first contact.
This page does not constitute legal advice.