"Mario Lara provides excellent support with clear and detailed explanations.“ Chambers & Partners (2026)
Mario is a of counsel at Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, S.C., specializing in Foreign Trade and Customs practice. He is an expert in customs consulting and litigation, origin verifications, handling audits initiated by the Tax Administration Service (SAT), obtaining and maintaining Foreign Trade Promotion Programs (IMMEX, VAT Certification, PROSEC, Rule 8), and addressing unfair international trade practices.
Additionally, he has advised national and international companies in planning customs strategies to maximize the benefits of Foreign Trade Promotion Programs, as well as the network of international treaties approved by the Mexican government.
Regarding unfair international trade practices, Mario has successfully represented the national industry, exporters, and importers in antidumping procedures, subsidies, product coverage cases, and other related matters.
Mario has been recognized as a “Rising Star” in the Foreign Trade and Customs practice area by the international publication The Legal 500 for the years 2020–2025 and was awarded “Rising Star of the Year” in 2024 in the same practice area by the same publication.
He has also been named “Up and Coming” in the Foreign Trade practice area by Chambers and Partners for 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Recent Work Highlights
A selection of notable cases and projects in which Mario has participated include:
- Successfully representing a U.S.-based lawn mower manufacturer in a dispute against an origin verification conducted by the SAT to determine whether the goods were originating under the USMCA, and therefore eligible for preferential tariffs upon import into Mexico.
- Reactivating the VAT Certification for several companies suspended by the SAT, a certification that prevents VAT payment on temporary imports of machinery and inputs for production processes.
- Successfully representing a steel company in a foreign trade audit, where temporary imports valued at MXN 3 billion were questioned.
- Advising an automotive company on a USMCA interpretation that enabled them to request a refund of tariffs for goods imported into Mexico.
- Representing a food industry company in a litigation exceeding MXN 100 million derived from a foreign trade audit related to the legal importation, stay, and possession of machinery and equipment, achieving a 95% reduction of the initially determined tax credit.
- Representing the largest PVC exporter in an antidumping investigation initiated by the Mexican government against imports of that product.
- Acting as lead advisor and legal representative for one of the largest poultry producers and exporters in an antidumping investigation and subsequent review of compensatory duties before the Ministry of Economy.
- Representing the national industry in an antidumping investigation before the Ministry of Economy, which resulted in compensatory duties being imposed on steel imports from Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
- Obtaining IMMEX Programs from the Ministry of Economy in the services modality, which allows various non-manufacturing companies to secure greater benefits for VAT refunds on services utilized abroad.
