Alberto de la Peña
Biography
Alberto de la Peña advises public and private companies, investors and financial institutions on cross-border business transactions and compliance matters involving Mexico and Latin America. With more than 30 years of experience, he serves as Chair of Haynes Boone’s Mexico Practice Group and Co-Chair of the firm’s International Practice Group, and he leads the firm’s International Transactions Section. He is licensed to practice law in Mexico, Texas and New York, which supports coordinated advice on deal structure, governance and regulatory considerations on cross-border transactions and matters.
His transactional work includes strategic mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, secured and cross-border financings, and projects in the energy and infrastructure space, as well as matters involving real estate, franchising and distribution, aviation and telecommunications. He also advises on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance, fraud and other internal investigations, and related antitrust, trade and USMCA issues that can affect cross-border operations and transactions.
Building on an international litigation foundation, Alberto helps clients align transaction execution with risk management—including when disputes, enforcement or multi-jurisdictional strategy intersect with a deal. His work has been recognized in Chambers Global (Corporate/M&A: Mexico) and Latin Lawyer 250 (Corporate/M&A).
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- Represented public and private companies in complex mergers and acquisitions across Mexico and Latin America, including multi-jurisdictional structuring and regulatory compliance.
- Advised private investors in the formation and operation of joint ventures in Mexico, with a focus on strategic industries and cross-border governance structures.
- Represented clients in the acquisition and disposition of commercial and industrial real estate assets in Mexico, including high-profile hospitality properties.
- Conducted internal investigations and advised on regulatory compliance, fraud matters, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) issues for multinational clients.
- Advised international franchisors on corporate transactions, regulatory compliance, and litigation strategies in the Mexican market.
- Represented clients in transactional, contractual, and regulatory matters in the Mexican energy sector, including oil and gas, renewables, and infrastructure projects.
- Advised on the structuring and execution of a multimillion-dollar joint venture in the Mexican oil and gas industry.
- Represented major international airlines in regulatory, transactional, and operational matters across Mexico and Latin America.
- Advised Mexican, U.S., and Canadian banks and corporations on cross-border financings, including secured lending transactions and the enforcement of security interests in Mexican assets.
- Represented a public and private telecommunications provider in Mexico on regulatory, compliance, and commercial matters.
- Advised a U.S. public company on the issuance of multimillion-dollar debt, ensuring alignment with Mexican securities regulations and antitrust compliance requirements.
- Counseled public and private companies on the development and implementation of internal compliance programs.
- Represented a U.S. public company in the acquisition and servicing of distressed loan portfolios in Mexico and throughout Latin America.
- Advised Mexican public and private companies with cross-border operations in the United States on regulatory, corporate, and transactional matters.
- Represented U.S. companies in cross-border litigation issues, including jurisdictional strategy and international enforcement issues.
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- SMU Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center, Advisory Board Member
- University of Houston Center for U.S. and Mexican Law, U.S. Advisory Board Member
- Mexican Bar
- State Bar of Texas
- New York State Bar
- U.S. Mexico Bar Association - Former Board Member
- Joint University of North Texas – Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Program, Former Advisory Board Member
- Asociación Mexicana de Capital Privado (AMEXCAP), Member
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- Recognized in Latinvex Top 100 Lawyers in Latin America, 2024-2025
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in Mexico, Woodward/White, Inc., 2019, 2023
- Recognized as a Stand-out Lawyer, Acritas Stars, Acritas, 2018-2021
- Latin Lawyer 250, Law Business Research Ltd. – Corporate/M&A, 2016, 2023-2025
- Chambers Global, Chambers and Partners – Corporate/M&A: Mexico, 2013
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- "Franchisors Need to Make These Considerations Before Crossing the Border, quoted, Franchise Times, May 1, 2026.
- “Fiduciary Duties. An analysis of their regulation in Mexico and the United States,” co-author, chapter in the book entitled Selected Topics of Contemporaneous Securities Law, Editorial Porrua, Mexico.
- "Will the USMCA Function Well Amid the Pandemic?" co-author, Latin America Advisor.
- "Mexico's Energy Reform: Powering the Future," Rice University, Houston, Texas.
- “Mexico Energy Sector” speaker at SMU Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center Annual Symposium.
- "Infrastructure and Project Finance: Trends and Challenges," moderator, U.S.-Mexico Bar Association Annual Meeting, Mexico City, Mexico.
- "Trends in Cross-Border M&A Transactions," moderator, U.S.-Mexico Bar Association Annual Meeting, Mexico City, Mexico.
- "Intellectual Property and Legal Compliance: Understanding the North American Free Trade Agreement," United States/Mexico Technology Summit, Dallas, Texas.
- "Challenges and Opportunities of Acquiring and Selling Companies in Mexico and Latin America," Hispanic National Bar Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- "NAFTA Investment Chapter and Dispute Resolution," SMU Dedman School of Law.
- "NAFTA Investment Chapter and Dispute Resolution," St. Mary's School of Law.
- "Foreign Corrupt Practices Act," U.S.-Mexico Bar Association.
- "International Business Transactions," University of Texas at Dallas.
- "Practical Considerations of Doing Business in Mexico," Abilene Bar Association; Beaumont Bar Association.
- "Doing Business in Mexico," Hispanic National Bar Association.
- "Legal Framework for Telecommunications in Mexico," North Texas Global Telecommunications Society.
- "Free Trade Agreement Between Mexico and the European Union," SMU Law and Business Review of the Americas.
- "Legal Framework of the Telecommunications in Mexico: Challenges and Perspectives," Texas Transnational Law Quarterly, Texas Bar Association.
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Education
- J.D., Escuela Libre de Derecho, 1994, with highest honors
- LL.M., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2001
Languages
- Spanish
Admissions
- Mexico
- New York
- Texas
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What kinds of cross-border matters do you handle for clients doing business in Mexico?
I advise clients on cross-border business transactions and compliance matters involving Mexico and Latin America, including strategic M&A, joint ventures, secured transactions and cross-border financings. I also help clients address antitrust, trade and USMCA-related issues that can affect how a deal is structured and implemented.
How do you support clients facing compliance risk or investigations in the region?
I advise on major compliance matters and internal investigations, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance and fraud-related investigations. When needed, I help integrate investigation outcomes into practical governance and transactional steps so the business can move forward with clear risk parameters.
Do you work across both U.S. and Mexican legal systems?
Yes. I am licensed to practice law in Mexico, Texas and New York, and I routinely help clients coordinate cross-border legal analysis and documentation across Mexico and Texas. That approach is especially important for transactions and projects with regulatory touchpoints in multiple countries.
What industries and deal types come up most often in your practice?
My practice includes energy and infrastructure transactions and projects, as well as matters involving aviation, telecommunications, real estate, and franchising and distribution. I also assist clients with Mexico-related planning and execution where supply-chain or operational shifts require cross-border structuring and compliance analysis.
When a matter has a dispute component, how do you help with strategy?
I am a transactional lawyer with a foundation in international litigation, and I help clients plan for jurisdictional, enforcement and other cross-border strategy issues that can affect a transaction. That can include aligning contractual protections and implementation steps with the realities of multi-jurisdictional risk. When clients are involved in multi-jurisdictional disputes, I counsel them with planning and strategizing during litigation.
