Profile
Joselino Morales is a shareholder in the Litigation and Arbitration practice at the Mexico City office, focusing in tax litigation, administrative law, and amparo. With over 25 years of experience leading complex and high-impact legal matters in both state and federal courts, he has served as the lead attorney in numerous historic litigation proceedings, representing national and international clients across various industries, including infrastructure, telecommunications, transportation, technology, construction, satellites, real estate, and energy.
In addition to his experience in private practice, Joselino previously served as Clerk of the Mexican Federal Court of Justice for Tax and Administrative Matters.
Concentrations
- Amparo trials
- Administrative law
- Tax
- Infrastructure
- Construction
- Competition/antitrust
- Intellectual property
- Telecommunications
- Energy
- Public work
- Government procurement
- Real estate
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented E-Entertainment as leading partner in a litigation process to challenge the Mexican tax authority (SAT) decision rejecting a VAT refund and imposing a tax credit against the Mexican subsidiary of the company that was rendering services to its parent company in the United States, given the SAT’s interpretation of the subsidiary as a permanent establishment in Mexico of the foreign company that should be taxed as such. The refund was authorized, and the interpretation was reversed.
- Represented a shareholder of a major real estate company against the attempt to collect, as a joint obligor, a multimillion-dollar tax credit imposed on the company by the Mexican tax authority; the case was resolved before the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice.
- Represented, as lead litigation counsel, the automotive products company HFI in a litigation process to challenge a VAT refund rejection derived from several purchases of material to produce automotive parts.
- Represented a major telecommunication company, Phoenix Tower International, in a litigation process to challenge a multimillion-dollar VAT refund rejection derived from the purchase of dark fiber.
- Represented a pharmaceutical company in an audit process whereby the tax authority attempted to impose a tax credit derived from the purchase of medicine patents, reducing a substantial amount of the tax credit. This reduction was then challenged before the courts.
- Represented Uber in several litigation proceedings that allowed them to resume operations in Cancun and other cities of Quintana Roo after over a year of inactivity by challenging the local regulation and through amparo trials, securing a binding precedent (jurisprudencia) that acknowledges their service as private, as opposed to a public service bound to a concession.
- Represented Bio Pappel, as a trial lawyer, in an amparo trial against the conditions imposed by the Mexican Federal Competition Commission (COFECE) in the authorization of a concentration. The result obtained in this ruling marked the first time a merger was carried out in Mexico without complying with the COFECE-imposed conditions.
- Acted as lead litigation counsel to Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (SATMEX), a leading satellite operator that delivers video, audio, and data services to the Americas, in several amparo trials and administrative proceedings.
- Acted as lead litigation counsel to the consortium in charge of the construction of the Tunnel Emisor Oriente, one of the world’s largest wastewater tunnels, in several amparo trials and administrative law proceedings. The consortium was formed by Mexican billionaire Slim’s Grupo Carso and other prominent Mexican engineering, procurement, and construction companies.
- Acted as lead Mexican litigation counsel to the largest telecommunications tower operator in the United States, and the fourth-largest independent operator in the industry, in several amparo trials.
- Acted as lead Mexican litigation counsel to one of the largest mobile network providers in the world, with operations in Europe, Asia (China Unicom), North America, and South America, in several amparo trials and administrative and regulatory proceedings.
- Ingenieros Civiles Asociados (ICA). Representation in diverse annulment trials.
- Acted as a leading litigation attorney to a Spanish engineering and technology company with presence in 34 countries, including Mexico, in an administrative trial to challenge the termination of a public service agreement.
- Representation of a major company in the energy sector in Mexico as lead litigation counsel in several amparo trials regarding compensatory adjustments on natural gas distribution tariffs.
- Represented, as lead litigation counsel, several electric power companies in Mexico against amendments to various energy laws and regulations.
- Representation of a world leader in industrial real estate logistics with presence in America, Europe, and Asia as lead litigation counsel in a contentious administrative trial.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers Latin America, 2020-2025
- Public Law – Mexico, 2024-2025
- Dispute Resolution: Administrative Litigation – Mexico, 2020-2023
- Listed, Best Lawyers, “Best Lawyers in Mexico,” Administrative Law, 2023-2025
- Listed, The Legal 500 Latin America Guide, “Latin America: Mexico,” 2021-2023 and 2025
- Litigation, 2022
- Dispute Resolution, 2021-2023 and 2025
- Energy and Natural Resources, 2021 and 2025
- Listed, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Administrative Litigation, 2020-2022
- Listed, Benchmark Litigation, 2017-2020
- Listed, Who’s Who Legal, “Administrative Litigation and Corporate Tax in Mexico,” 2017
- Member, Winning Team, Acquisition International magazine, “Overall Law Firm of the Year – Mexico,” 2013
- Member, Winning Team, Acquisition International magazine, “Most Trusted Law Firm of the Year – Mexico,” 2013
- Lecturer, Amparo trial and administrative law-related subjects in the graduate and post graduate programs, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico
- Member, National Association of Business Lawyers, Bar, A.C.
Credentials
Education
- Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), Tax and Corporate Law, Universidad Panamericana
- Diploma, Amparo Trial, Instituto de Investigaciones Jurídicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 1994
- J.D., Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Admissions
- Mexico
Languages
- Spanish, Native
- English, Fluent