Profile
Guillermo Sánchez Chao focuses his practice on international trade, customs, supply chain, regulatory, and administrative litigation. Guillermo counsels domestic and multinational businesses on the development of projects and optimization of strategies that facilitate and make foreign trade transactions more efficient to promote production, importation, and exportation of goods as well as compliance with regulations established in local laws and international treaties signed by Mexico.
Guillermo has more than 35 years of experience handling international trade projects for multinational importers, exporters, manufacturers, retailers, logistics agents, and freight forwarders in industries such as consumer goods and retail, automotive, manufacturing, industrial services, apparel, and technology, among others. His experience also encompasses matters related to supply chain, regulatory law, free trade agreements and rules of origin, export promotion programs and trade certifications, antidumping and countervailing duty trade remedies and litigation, in addition to trade compliance and best corporate practice on such topics.
In the trade and customs litigation field, he handles complex cases before the Mexican courts and tribunals and trade remedies.
Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Mr. Sánchez worked for more than 25 years at a local law firm in Mexico.
Concentrations
- Trade policies
- International trade & customs
- Free trade agreements and rules of origin
- Supply chain advisory
- Exports programs, trade certifications and duty savings
- Corrective measures om international trade transactions
- Trade remedies
- Trade, customs and administrative litigation
- Trade and customs compliance and best practices
- Nearshoring
Capabilities
Experience
- Representation of companies before the Mexican government in the negotiation of applicable tariffs.°
- Advising companies on determining the correct tariff classification and customs value of the goods to be imported.°
- Advising companies on compliance review with the rules of origin so that the goods enjoy tariff preferences in accordance with the free trade agreements (FTAs), in addition to the defense before the competent Mexican courts.°
- Advise on the preparation of commercial contracts inherent to the entire supply chain, from the supplier, carriers, logistics agents, storage, and distribution to sale.°
- Advising foreign companies on obtaining their maquila programs (IMMEX) and trade certifications so that they can carry out their temporary imports of inputs free of payment of foreign trade taxes and machinery.°
- Advising companies on the self-correction of international trade transactions.°
- Advising companies on the antidumping and countervailing duty trade investigations initiated by the International Trade Practices Unit (UPCI) due to price discrimination and/or subsidization.°
- Representation of multiple national and international companies on customs contingencies derived from the rejection of the tariff item used at the time of imports; the objection to the value used for the purpose of calculating import taxes; rejection of virtual operations carried out between maquiladora companies (IMMEX); and tax contingencies arising from foreign trade operations; among others.°
- Advising companies on regulatory compliance regarding their foreign trade and supply chain operations, in addition to supporting them in the review, elaboration, and implementation of their best practices.°
- Advising companies in their startup operations in Mexico to allow them to have access to the markets of the countries with which Mexico has signed free trade agreements.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Sánchez Chao prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, S.C.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Best Lawyers, "Best Lawyers in Mexico," 2008-2025
- Tax Law, 2008-2025
- Trade Law, 2020-2025
- International trade and Finance Law, 2023-2025
- Listed, Chambers Global, “International Trade/WTO,” 2010-2024
- Listed, Chambers Latin America Guide, “International Trade/WTO,” 2009-2023 and 2025
- Listed, Latin America Corporate Counsel Association, LACCA Approved, Trade, 2025
- Listed, Legal 500 Latin America Guide, “Hall of Fame - International Trade and Customs,” 2023 and 2025
- Member, Law360 Editorial Advisory Board, International Trade, 2024.
- Member, Mexican Bar, College of Attorneys-at-law of Mexico (BMA).
- Member, Mexican Business Board on Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE).
- Member, Committee on Corporate Governance, Mexican Institute of Financial Executives (IMEF).
- Former chairman, Committee on Foreign Trade, College of Mexican Public Accountants (CCPM).
- Member, International Bar Association (IBA) and former co-chair of the Committee on International Trade and Customs.
- Former chairman, Committee on Foreign Trade, Mexican Institute of Public Accountants (IMCP).
- Former lecturer, Masters Course on Foreign Trade, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM).
Credentials
- Law Degree, National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México - UNAM)
- Course on International Law, University of Texas, Dallas, Texas
- Course on Derecho Societario, Escuela Libre de Derecho
- Mexico
- Spanish, Native
- English, Fluent