Holland & Knight welcomed Margarita Ríos-Farjat, Ph.D., as a partner in the firm’s Mexico City and Monterrey offices. Ríos-Farjat has a long and distinguished career as a jurist and public servant in Mexico; her most recent position was as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, which she held from 2019 to 2025. Prior to her appointment to the Court, she served as head of the Tax Administration Service (SAT).
“We are delighted to welcome Margarita to Holland & Knight. She is widely recognized for her exceptional career as a lawyer, public servant, and advisor, and brings unparalleled experience in constitutional, tax, and regulatory matters in Mexico,” said Luis Rubio, managing partner of Holland & Knight’s Mexico City office. “Although Margarita joined six months ago, she has already seamlessly integrated into the firm and is making a real impact on our practices, strengthening our capabilities.”
“Margarita is a lawyer of the highest caliber and an invaluable asset to the firm and our clients throughout Latin America,” said Roberto Pupo, co-chair of Holland & Knight’s Latin American Practice Group. “Her arrival significantly strengthens our practice in the region and expands our capacity to advise on complex matters.”
Ríos-Farjat possesses in-depth knowledge and experience in constitutional and tax law, particularly regarding the intricate web of Mexican legislation and regulatory frameworks. This enables her to provide practical advice on a wide range of matters, including administrative law, government regulation, regulatory compliance, tax planning and disputes, financial regulation, arbitration, insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings, international judicial cooperation, and complex commercial transactions and litigation. She also has a strong background in human rights and has provided strategic guidance to businesses, public and private universities, judicial bodies, and civil society organizations—including non-profit organizations—on issues of transparency, accountability, corporate governance, the rule of law, and the new judicial structure.
“It is an honor to join Holland & Knight, a firm whose commitment to excellence and international reach align with my dedication to providing the highest quality legal counsel. I am pleased to apply my experience to help clients navigate complex legal challenges and continue contributing to strengthening the rule of law and economic growth in Mexico,” said Ríos-Farjat. “I look forward to contributing to the firm’s already distinguished Latin American Practice and continuing my lifelong commitment to the rule of law, the advancement of human rights, and the provision of high-value legal services to drive business growth, convinced that these three factors are the foundation of regional prosperity.”
During her tenure at the Supreme Court, she presided over the First Chamber—which handles family, civil, commercial, criminal, and administrative matters—in 2021 and 2022. She also led the team responsible for developing the innovative artificial intelligence tool called “Sor Juana,” designed to communicate court rulings to the public in accessible language. This solution received two prestigious national awards from the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) and the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI), and was also recognized internationally by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights.
During her tenure at the head of the SAT, Ríos-Farjat led a comprehensive, decisive and well-designed strategy to combat tax evasion, and promoted a vision aimed at strengthening the culture of tax compliance, transparency and formalization, under a framework of fair and equitable tax treatment.
Prior to his career in public service, he practiced for several years at a global law firm and subsequently ran his own practice, specializing in civil, commercial, tax and administrative matters, bankruptcies, as well as transnational litigation, including cross-border notifications, recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.
Ríos-Farjat holds a doctorate in Public Policy from Tecnológico de Monterrey, a master’s degree in Tax Law, and a law degree from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León.
