CELIS AGUILAR ÁLVAREZ Y ASOCIADOS is a boutique law firm, exclusively dedicated to the Environmental Law practice, which, in the year 2008 was recognized by the ACQ LAW Finance European Magazine as the Environmental Law Firm of the year.

Its founding partner, Humberto Celis Aguilar Álvarez, has more than 20 years of ample experience in the Environmental Law practice, fact that has been recognized by the English independent magazine “Who’s who Legal, the Official Research of the International Bar Association”, which since its creation has considered him within the Mexican leader environmental lawyers elite.

Under the leadership of its founding partner, the Firm has received the necessary knowledge and experience to be part of the transformation of the environmental legislation in Mexico, through the advice provided to the Federal and State Governments, and the direct participation in important cutting edge projects, that have turned into environmental precedents in our country, such as: feasibility of salt mining companies in whale sanctuaries; lead in blood caused by Mining companies; the first authorizations for incinerators management; the first environmental impact authorization for a regasification plant of liquid natural gas in Mexico; the preparation of the first strategies in the matter of emissions certificates and MDL projects, advising on the first environmental crimes cases, the first public hearings under the guidelines of the World Bank in Mexico; the elaboration of the first law in the matter of Biosecurity of the country, as well as the elaboration of the first environmental law for the State of Tamaulipas in 2007with a comprehensive environmental response.

As consequence of the above mentioned, the Firm has received the confidence of Fortune 500 companies, AAA companies, multinational finance institutions, investment funds, the Global Environmental Fund, as well as of the most important Mexican and foreign law firms, which visualize the Firm as an opportunity to successfully solve critical environmental issues for their activities and transactions in Mexico.

Success of the mentioned projects has been achieved due to the experience and training of the members of the Firm, which is implemented in the development of comprehensive strategies for each one of our clients, allowing us to timely identify, prevent, and act in order to successfully solve the issues that we are entrusted.

Conscious of the great evolution in Mexico and worldwide, we know we have to be in constant training and study of the current new or unexplored issues, such as: emissions international market, incentive development for renewable energy, common rights, and collective actions, among others. In this sense, and in addition to the members of the Firm edge knowledge, we are part of the first projects regarding the above mentioned matters which are being developed in Mexico, and which no doubt will also be precedents in the matter.

Moreover, the Firm is aware that for a Project success, it is not only required detailed knowledge on Environmental Law, but the experience of other technical, health, economic and policy factors. In this sense, we have a specialized area which timely identifies factors involved in each project, in order to design a comprehensive strategy which may allow the diagnosis, design, and acting in an adequate manner.

Likewise, our experience, unique on the market, has allowed us analyzing that environmental legislation in Mexico is full of gray areas, blanks and inconsistencies with other legislations and lack of application, and for this, several of the decisions and projects or environmental problems exits, necessarily require interpretation alternatives that must be follow up and/or mediated with the highest environmental authorities, thus, we have the most important lobbying and negotiation area in the country.

On the same manner, we must not elude information access and the role of Non Governmental Organizations in the development of projects in Mexico, which due to lack of mediation, has caused unjustified failure of projects. For this reason, in our experience on successful cases, mediation with these actors has allowed us the identification of those organizations with real pro environmental interests and those with political or economical interests.

Also, Celis Aguilar Alvarez y Asociados is aware of the great lags in the matter of environmental justice access, thus we provide free advice to those projects approved by the Counsel of the Firm.

Considering the above mentioned, Celis Aguilar Alvarez y Asociados, has all the experience, knowledge and flexibility required to adjust its clients needs, providing and excellent service and the best within the Mexican market, creating since de beginning, satisfactory and long term relations with each one of the clients that have entrusted their issues to us.