Nader, Hayaux & Goebel prides itself in being the go-to Mexican firm for outstanding legal advice on truly complex matters. Despite facing competition from full-service firms on the market and pressure to take on more areas, Nader Hayaux has stuck to its guns; it sees no point in expanding into work areas where it cannot resolutely offer the most specialised advice. The strategy has been met with remarkable success. Clients, time and time again, turn to this firm for sophisticated or innovative transactions, particularly in debt and equity capital markets deals. Corporate finance is a real speciality here, in terms of working on ground-breaking and one-of-a-kind financial structures.
Partners at Nader Hayaux are at the core of the firm’s transactional work, which reflects the culture of collaboration it has worked hard to instil within its practice areas. Transparency and flexibility are two more qualities that Nader Hayaux has worked hard to embed within the firm’s climate.
Like many other law firms, the outfit pivoted with ease to a hybrid blend of remote and office work in the aftermath of the covid-19 pandemic. Nader Hayaux’s lawyers can choose which days suit them best for coming into the office, while there are methods in place to encourage staff to share any personal concerns that may affect their working hours or performance. These initiatives have contributed to the firm’s strong talent retention rates.
Among its offering, Nader Hayaux counts several premier practice areas. Transactional excellence is housed in the firm’s M&A, private equity and capital markets groups. Tax, real estate and infrastructure are other practices where Nader Hayaux shines. Meanwhile, name partner Yves Hayaux-du-Tilly remains London-based and has a set of important links to the city’s insurance sector – where the firm counts an established and well-regarded department.
It is the exception rather than the rule to see a lateral hire at Nader Hayaux, given its commitment to organic growth, although it is not afraid to make external appointments where there are gaps in expertise. This came to fruition in 2021, when it bolstered its tax department with a new partner from SMPS Legal. In 2022, the firm looked outwards for talent again when it added an of counsel to its antitrust group, around the same time that it promoted two other practitioners internally.
This progressive pace is representative of the firm’s steady growth strategy. Instead of expanding exponentially through lateral hiring, Nader Hayaux aims to nurture, train and develop existing expertise within the firm to deepen its practices. Meanwhile, it considers carefully where to place that talent. Training partners to be the best at what they specialise in has helped foster standalone practice areas at the firm, which do not need to lean on the support of other groups. If a certain area needs reinforcing more quickly, as with its tax and antitrust offerings, Nader Hayaux knows where to find them and has no problem attracting the talent to do so.
Nader Hayaux was not short of work over the past two years. Despite dealing with both the after-effects of the covid-19 pandemic and Mexico’s wavering economic prospects, the firm recorded yet another busy deal-making period. In fact, the firm’s corporate finance prowess helped it earn a place in some fairly significant restructuring work. In one landmark case, it appeared as counsel in the restructuring of Mexican flag carrier AeroMéxico, which successfully emerged from its Chapter 11 process after a two-year ordeal. Nader Hayaux advised the noteholders. The firm’s wide-ranging knowledge of the real estate industry has also won it a place advising on big-ticket restructuring deals in the sector. In 2022, the firm helped CIBanco as a lender to Mexican real estate group GICSA in that company’s US$600 million debt restructuring. The M&A department was busy during that time too. Nader Hayaux was Mexican counsel to Argentina media group Grupo Werthein for its acquisition of regional television network Vrio from AT&T. The deal was the winner of the Latin Lawyer Public M&A Deal of the Year Award for 2021. The esteemed insurance department of the firm has kept busy of late, assisting health insurer Bupa México in its tie-up with local bank BBVA for the launch of a new product. The banking and finance group also saw plenty of activity, with the firm seeing – and meeting – rising demand for fintech advice.
Heavyweights in the banking industry are familiar names on Nader Hayaux’s client list. BBVA México, Bancomext and Citibanamex all feature prominently. BlackRock is a well-known private equity client, while Canadian investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) regularly enlists the firm’s services. Mexican finance company and retailer Grupo Elektra is another featured name here, along with Walmart and telecoms giant Telefónica. State-owned oil company Pemex is also a client, along with core finance customers Wells Fargo and Bank of America.
Nader Hayaux has a management board of four, which is re-elected every two years. Name partner Hans Goebel is the current managing partner, while fellow name partner Michell Nader held the title for 10 years before that. The firm also counts on a chief operating officer (COO), which has helped organise the firm’s finances. The COO, who previously was a treasurer at a public company, has also helped the company deploy AI software and cybersecurity technology.
A series of committees running throughout the firm are a valuable support network for lawyers. Highlights include a life and career committee, through which the firm’s management meets with associates twice a year to monitor their professional development and measure their progress at the firm. Associates are also assigned mentors to help measure their career track. Nader Hayaux’s diversity and inclusion committee is also well-established. The network aims to increase the representation of women and minority groups at the firm. Thanks to the committee, the firm recently introduced more flexible arrangements for female members of the firm that have female responsibilities. The firm hired its third female partner in 2021, while around a third of its associates are women. The recent addition of a sustainability and environmental, social and corporate governance working group has helped the firm incorporate environmental, social and governance goals into its business decisions.
Offices
Nader Hayaux is headquartered in Mexico City. It is worth noting that is the only firm listed in the Mexican chapter with a London office, which provides a direct line of communication to UK firms as well as the capital’s insurance and financial institutions. Nader Hayaux also rubs shoulders with key infrastructure clients in London.