As Mexican environmental regulation has grown over the past 20 years, V&C lawyers have adapted to the evolution of clients’ concerns for sound interpretation and clear guidance.
Ours is not the only firm in Latin America that focuses its practice on environmental law matters, but we have endeavored to set a standard for environmental law practice in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Signaling that we have succeeded in our endeavor, ACQ Review named V&C the leading firm in Latin America on environmental issues. (ACQ Review, 2008 and 2009.)

Practical approach.
Complying with environmental regulation often involves more than legal strategy. Devising a plan to comply with a particular official Mexican standard (NOM) or decree, for example, requires technical knowledge and specialized measurement. V&C partners founded EnviroSense as a technical expertise resource for our clients. Our clients can rely on environmental science and engineering experts to assist them with the technical aspects of environmental matters.
In addition to legal regulation and technical requirements, long-term success of an environmentally sensitive business plan may also depend upon building a consensus within the affected community. V&C partners helped pioneer the use in Mexico of a scientific approach to consensus-building: Decision Scope. Clients have found they can use this technique to ensure that a project is not only economically viable but also sustainable. They can minimize potential risks in carrying out a development plan, for example, by anticipating objections among affected stakeholders and heading off resistance in the community that might otherwise vitiate the client’s purpose.
Since environmental regulation is relatively new in Mexico and since its application evolves from year to year, up-to-date training is essential. In response to our clients’ concern for keeping up with environmental aspects of doing business in Mexico, V&C partners established special training programs. Primarily geared toward those who run businesses in Mexico, these programs help clients to devise and maintain in-house policies and procedures regarding Mexican environmental regulation.
We have seen that our complementing legal services in this way yields positive results for our clients. They gain acumen in dealing with regulators. They learn to trust their own ability to handle complex situations. They compete with confidence on the 21st century playing field.

Close to the action.
We offer our clients cost-effective, comprehensive legal services when and where they need it. Through our Mexico City Office we have been able to serve domestic and transnational clients in all types of domestic and regional matters that are affected by environmental regulation. In particular, V&C has developed an expertise in handling matters before Mexican federal courts and regulators.
In 2002, the steady increase of southeast Mexico projects led us to open our Cancun office, through which we assist clients in matters based in Quintana Roo, as well as in Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas in southeastern Mexico. In 2010 V&C opened a third office in Guadalajara to serve clients in matters based in the Nayarit Riviera, the Costa Alegre, and other parts of western Mexico.