manuel.rodriguez@diazigareda.com

+ (52) (1) 33 3001-6060

Expertise

Labor and Employment Law, Labor and Employment Litigation, and Civil and Mercantil litigation, Dispute Resolution.

Manuel has more than 20 years of experience advising on labor and employment law to international companies and individuals with businesses in Mexico on compliance and regulatory issues in connection with inspections visits from the Ministry of Labor (State and Federal), and on a wide range of labor-employment related issues including employment termination, dismissals, union claims, negotiating or enforcing collective bargaining agreements, restructuring and layoffs resulting from mergers and acquisitions.

He acted as Legal Manager of COPARMEX JALISCO (one of the most important and representative Employers’ Union in Mexico), and at the same time was employer representative at State and Federal Labor Boards.

Manuel previously served as lawyer for on the largest Mexican banks and before that as Law Clerk at a Commercial Court, thus has more than 20 years of experience in civil and commercial litigation, as well as in ADR.

As a commercial litigator Manuel focuses on contracts, insolvency matters, collection actions, energy and international trade.

Professional Practice

Manuel has represented companies in litigation, involving State and Federal matters regarding terminations without cause, individual and collective bargaining matters, compensation and commission disputes. Manuel also has extensive experience in negotiating collective bargaining agreements and executive terminations.

He has represented international clients and foreign public institutions, such an Italian Court, in commercial disputes before the Mexican Federal Courts obtaining favorable rulings on high-profile cases.

Among his most representative clients are international and national companies in the Energy, Electronic, IT, Automotive, Food and Services industries.

Manuel has been head professor on Labor Law and ADR, as well as speaker and panelist in seminars of some of the most well-known and recognized Universities in Mexico, such as Universidad de Guadalajara, Universidad Panamerica, and Instituto de Investigaciones Juridicas de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Some representative transactions include:

• Numerous negotiations and litigation in dismissal claims against national and international companies.
• Advising international companies to incorporate their main policies within the internal labor regulations of their Mexican Subsidiaries in order to fulfil with the applicable obligations under the Federal Labor Law and allow enforceability.
• Representing major companies in the IT, Construction and Food industries with major downsizings and restructuring of employee benefits.
• Advising on the labor and employment aspects of the merger of two international companies with operations in Mexico and resulting restructuring, including handling hundreds of lay-offs.
• Advising and representing companies in negotiations with unions on employment strikes.
• Representing a well-known medical supply company in a dispute settled through commercial arbitration.
• Head litigator at a commercial trial before the Federal Courts in connection with the breach of a million-dollar SPA between an Italian Company and Mexican Company.
• Succeeded in several commercial and civil trials against a large international natural gas company in several jurisdictions in Mexico.

Responsibilities within the Firm:

• Leader of the Labor and Employment Law, Labor and Employment Litigation, and Dispute Resolution Practices.
• In charge of the Human Resources Department of DiazIgareda.

Professional Education:

UC Berkeley (2013)

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (2000)

Universidad Panamericana (1998)

Universidad de Guadalajara (1995)