Jorge Ambriz-Cuevas

Biography

Jorge Ambriz Cuevas is a partner in Baker McKenzie’s Foreign Trade and Customs Practice Group in Juarez. Prior to joining the Firm, he was an associate and later an acting director in the trade and customs group of a prominent law firm in Mexico. He was also a manager and later senior manager in a Big Four accounting firm’s trade and customs practice. Jorge has also served as director of foreign trade and customs audit in the headquarters of Mexico’s Internal Revenue Service, and worked in the Ministry of Economy’s Trade Department.

Practice Focus

Jorge has more than 20 years of experience in trade and customs consulting and management for private and public sector organizations. A seasoned lawyer in the trade and customs field, he handles complex litigation, antidumping cases, and alternative dispute resolution, among others. He also assists clients in identifying and mitigating tax, duty and legal exposures.

Representative Legal Matters

Lead litigator in case in which it was secured an important Court resolution in favor of a “Port Terminal Services Provider” that exports intangible services to receive VAT Certification Registry by the Mexican Tax Authorities.
Conducted important out-of-court settlements with SAT on regards to companies subject to important financial liability exposure.
Implementing IMMEX program for a company with 22 locations for a leading company in the plastic industry.
Successfully implemented a legal action plan to reduce a duty assessment issued by Mexican Customs Authorities’ derived from an audit to a mining company operating under an IMMEX program. The original assessment was USD 110 million, drastically reduced to USD 3 million.
Facilitated Foreign Trade Committee functions for the Ministry of Finance in Mexico City for the office of Mexican large taxpayers, and participated in the Bilateral Trade Fraud Subgroup with CBP and Mexican customs.
Represented Mexican Customs Authorities in meetings with CBP and Canada Border Services Agency officials in creating the new NAFTA Audit/Verification Manual from the ground up.

Professional Honors

Has been recognized by Legal 500

Professional Associations and Memberships

Barra Mexicana, Colegio de Abogados
Mexican Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Mexico) - Trade and Customs Law - former vice president

Corporate Responsibility

Involved in pro bono matters supporting “Aequales” a company that provides tools for closing gender gaps in the work environment in Latin America;
Participated in community involvement supporting “Women Association – Social and Community Resilience”

Admissions

Mexico (2006)

Education

Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juárez (Attorney Law) (2006)
Universidad Regional del Norte, Juarez (Bachelor's Degree International Trade Law) (1997)

Languages

English
Spanish

Interviewed in several occasions by Bloomberg (El Financiero) on regards to changes to trade and customs changes affecting companies in Mexico

CNN-Expansion, Technical Barriers to Foreign Trade “Mexican Tuna Case”

Maquiladora Association, “Impact for Maquiladoras regarding 2001 NAFTA Changes”