Héctor Herrera

Partner
h.herrera@herrera-sato.com
T +52 (55) 7316-0258

HECTOR HERRERA, born Actopan, Hidalgo, Mexico, January 19, 1963; admitted 1988, Mexico. Education: Escuela Libre de Derecho, Mexico City (Attorney at Law 1987); Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City (Postgraduate in Economic and Corporate Law, 1989); Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City (Ph.D. 2000-2002).

Member: “Barra Mexicana, Colegio de Abogados, A.C.” [Mexican Bar Association] from 1990 as of today (President Elect, February 2019-February 2021); International Bar Association (2008-today); American Bar Association, Section of International Law (2015-today); Camara Minera de Mexico [Mining Chamber of Mexico]. LANGUAGES: Spanish and English.

PRACTICE AREAS: Administrative Law, Water Law, Environmental Law, Litigation and Corporate Law. He focuses primarily on industries and developments with relevant environmental impacts, providing legal assistance and representation for domestic and foreign companies doing business in Mexico.

Professional Experience: From 1988 to 1990 worked at the Firm “Galaz, Gomez Morfin, Chavero, Yamazaki, S.C.”(Touche Ross International, Mexico City) as Attorney (Supervisor); from 1991 to 1995 worked at the Law Firm “Abogados Miranda, Estavillo y Hernandez, S.C.” as Attorney (Senior Associate); in February, 1996 founded this Law Firm in Mexico City where he continued his practice until December 14, 2014; December 15, 2014 he joined the Law Firm Haynes and Boone, S.C. as Partner of the Environmental Law Practice Group, where he continue his practice until October 31, 2018; November 1, 2018 he reopened this Law Firm where he continued his practice.

Recognized as leading lawyer in Mexico by Who's Who Legal, Environment, 2017-2023; Latin Lawyer 250, Law Business Research 2016-2023; and Chambers & Partners Latin America (Band 2), 2015-2023.








  • • Successful environmental legal representation (before the Federal Court of Administrative Justice) of a major mining company allegedly responsible for a spill in the northern part of Mexico.
  • • Challenge (before the Federal Court of Administrative Justice) an indigenous consultation imposed to a major mining company in the federal environmental impact authorization granted by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) for the development of a mining project in the State of Hidalgo.
  • • Challenge (before the Federal Court of Administrative Justice) a resolution of SEMARNAT that illegally denied the change of the use of the land for a mining project in the State of Oaxaca.
  • • Challenge (before the Federal Court of Administrative Justice) a resolution of SEMARNAT that illegally required a federal environmental impact assessment for a project of mining exploration in the State of Hidalgo, which exploration in accordance with Mexican Law is exempted from that assessment given the type of exploration.
  • • Legal assistance to a private Mexican oil company in the area of obligations deriving from contract of license for the extraction of hydrocarbons onshore (Round 1.3).
  • • Legal assistance to a major US oil company in the area of the environmental legal framework applicable to upstream operations in Mexico and the environmental obligations deriving from the contract of license for the extraction of hydrocarbons (deep waters) on the Gulf of Mexico (Round 1.4).
  • • Legal assistance to Mexican contractor of oil companies in the area of transportation and storage of fuels in Mexico.
  • • Legal assistance to a Mexican contractor of Pemex in the area of environment, health and safety; due diligence and assessment of marine rigs.
  • • Environmental legal assessment of terminal for the storage of basic lubricants in Mexico for a major US oil company.
  • • Safety and environmental opinion regarding the possible consequences deriving from social protests and blocks to an oil field in Mexico.
  • • Successful environmental legal representation to a major petrochemical company in Mexico allegedly responsible for not complying with environmental provisions in the area of management of hazardous wastes.
  • • Environmental legal advice for the location and construction in Mexico of a tailing dam and lixiviation plant for a major mining company for the exploitation of manganese.
  • • Successful environmental legal representation of a major mining company in Mexico allegedly responsible for damages to marine mammals.
  • • Successful water legal representation of a major mining company allegedly responsible for exceeding allowable parameters of pollutants in national waters.
  • • Water legal advice for major Japanese Bank in the area of the public service of potable water in Mexico, regarding the granting of a possible loan for hydrological infrastructure.
  • • Environmental legal advice for a railroad company regarding the transportation of hazardous materials.
  • • Successful water legal representation of a major U.S. company engaged in the production of food in Mexico, allegedly responsible for the omission of payment of federal duties related to water discharges.
  • • Environmental and water legal advice to a major producer of alcoholic beverages in Mexico regarding the compliance of the applicable legal provisions in the area of environment and water.
  • • Environmental legal advice to a major foreign company, in the area of environmental impact for the location and construction of a plant to reuse hazardous wastes as alternate fuel for the production of cement.
  • • Environmental legal advice to the fiduciary department of a foreign bank operating in Mexico, for the residential developments on the Pacific Coast.
  • • Environmental due diligence to a foreign company in Mexico producing chemicals, as part of the legal work for the acquisition of assets by a third foreign company.
  • • Obtain federal environmental authorization for the transfer of various sites polluted with hazardous wastes and the corresponding remediation programs for companies in the area of automotive parts, chemicals, prints, etc.
  • • Obtain a water concession for the exploitation of national underground salt waters for a hotel in the coastal zone, southeast of the country.




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