Cecilia Azar
Mexico
Galicia Abogados
Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho
24, piso 7 Lomas de
11000, Ciudad de México
Tel: +52 (55) 5540 9200
Email:
cazar@galicia.com.mx
Web:
www.galicia.com.mx
She joined Galicia as a partner in 2018, where she has since focused her practice on complex domestic and international commercial disputes. Acting as arbitrator, counsel, mediator and expert in Mexican law, she has developed extensive experience, particularly in cases related to energy, infrastructure, construction, and commercial mediations.
Cecilia is recognized for her expertise and record of accomplishment in complex, arbitration-related judicial proceedings before Mexican courts, such as arbritral annulation and enforcement of awards, interim measures, amongst others. In close collaboration with other practice areas of the Firm, she advises clients in Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) matters, specifically by analyzing investment protection provisions in Investment Treaties to which Mexico is party.
She teaches arbitration and mediation in undergraduate and graduate courses at UNAM, ITAM and CIDE.
Currently, Cecilia is president of the Mexican Institute of Mediation (IMM). She is on Mexico’s list of conciliators in ICSID proceedings and is a member of ICC´s International Arbitration Court. Recently, she was appointed as co-chair of the ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy for Latin America, whose purpose is to train and guide 40 selected candidates as arbitrators, with a particular focus on ICC Arbitration Rules. In addition, as of November 2022, she is a member of the Steering Committee of the Latin America Working Group created by the IBA Arbitration Committee. Previously, she served as president of the Mexican Arbitration Institute (IMA), Secretary General and Counsel of the Mexican Arbitration Center (CAM), vice-president of Mexico´s ICC Arbitration Commission, and consultant for Mexico´s Mediation Project sponsored by the American Bar Association and USAID.
She regularly publishes and speaks on alternative dispute resolution.
Cecilia is recognised as an expert by renowned international publication Chambers and Partners in the Dispute Resolution: Arbitration practice. Since 2021, she is part of Chambers and Partners’ Most in Demand Arbitrators list. In addition, The Legal 500, Leaders League and Latin Lawyer recognize her as a leader in the national and international legal market for her experience and client satisfaction.
Our Arbitration practice includes both domestic and international arbitration, which are either ad hoc procedures or administered by the world’s leading arbitration institutions.
Our team’s experience and mastery of the different rules for applicable procedures ensures efficient and successful case management.We also deal with arbitrations related to contractual disputes in infrastructure, construction and energy, among others. The team has extensive experience in handling arbitrations against Mexican government entities, specifically state-owned companies from the energy sector. Our team collaborates with Galicia´s Energy practice to accomplish this.
The arbitration team advises foreign investors with a comprehensive analysis of applicable Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) and Free Trade Agreements (FTA), defining strategies to best protect and defend their investments.
Our Arbitration practice is nationally and internationally recognized, frequently receiving positive feedback from clients and colleagues. Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Latin Lawyer and other prestigious international publications describe our Arbitration team as leader in Mexico, highlighting our team as “analytical, understanding of legal issues in every case, and knowing the market very well,” confirming we “have extensive experience in arbitration.”
Our arbitration practice is ranked as an Elite firm by Global Arbitration Review (GAR100), as one of the top 100 arbitration practices in the world.
Galicia is the only Mexican leading firm able to provide its clients with a unique, comprehensive offering of legal services that combines strong transactional and regulatory expertise with strategic litigation and ESG capabilities.
With a distinctive culture based on collaboration and focused on the importance of the human factor and people, our firm is recognised as an undisputed leader in the Mexican and Latin American legal ecosystems.
The firm’s team of legal professionals is among one of the most experienced and recognised in the national and international markets.
Through their experience and expertise, both individually and collectively and with diverse and inclusive teams, our firm offers a unique and innovative service to clients who turn to us in helping them navigate their biggest challenges and take advantage of their business opportunities.
Galicia is ranked as top leading firm in Mexico by renowned international publications such as Chambers and Partners, Latin Lawyer, The Legal 500, LatinFinance, IJGlobal, IFLR1000, International Tax Review / World Tax, Global Competition Review, Who’s Who Legal and Leaders League, among others.