Ricardo Claudio León Santacruz

Ricardo is a tax attorney with 30 years of experience and coordinates the firm’s Tax practice group. He has a broad based transactional tax practice focused on Mexican inbound and outbound tax optimization and transfer pricing; tax treaties, their application and limitations; anti-deferral and anti-abuse legislation; and overall Income Tax and VAT rationalization. His expertise allows him to structure tax-efficient domestic and cross border acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations, spin-offs, redemptions, liquidations, post-acquisition integrations and business restructurings.

Ricardo’s transfer pricing experience allows him advice on the design and implementation of intellectual property, financing, procurement and distribution of goods and performance of services transactions. His experience and sensitivity have afforded Ricardo prominent recognition in the market as a trusted private family advisor that can render guidance on tax optimization and multigenerational planning family governance.

Prior to joining Sánchez Devanny, he served as Associate Chief Counsel, International (financial instrument taxation) at the Mexican Tax Administration Service and worked as associate and local partner in the Juarez, Chicago and Monterrey offices of a major international law firm. Ricardo’s active participation in professional associations has led him to serve as Co-Chair of the Taxes Committee of the International Bar Association (2020-2021); Co-Chair of the International Tax Committee, American Bar Association, Section of International Law (2012, 2013 and 2014); Chair of the National Association of Tax Specialists, Monterrey Chapter (2013-2014); and as of his 2024 invitation, is the only International Fellow from Mexico of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

As a recognized leader on Mexican taxation, Ricardo frequently speaks at professional organizations and forums in Mexico and around the world. Among these, he has presented at the International Fiscal Association in Mexico, Canada, the United States and Germany; the International Bar Association in multiple events organized in South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina, and Brazil, among others; as well as other academic and professional organizations.

Ricardo is also a regular contributor to various tax journals and professional publications, including Tax Notes International, International Tax Review and Bloomberg BNA, and other publications.