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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance

Spain

Our high-profile domestic and international work has built our market-leading reputation. We combine forty years' experience in the Spanish market with the reach and resources of the firm’s international network.

A market-leading team, delivering value to clients. Creative, proactive, efficient and accurate

We've been established in Spain for 40 years. We opened our first office in Madrid in 1980 and our Barcelona office in 1993. Today we are Spain’s market-leading international firm with 23 partners, 150 lawyers, and 28 Tier One rankings in the 2019 editions of Legal 500 and Chambers Europe. Our work on top-tier transactions and our extensive experience in Spanish markets has helped us form close relationships with regulators, government agencies and leading international companies.

This combination of domestic and international experience means that our clients get the transactional capability of an international firm with the on the ground know-how and connections of a long-established Spanish firm.

We understand cross-border transactions

Our team regularly works with colleagues from our international network on complex multi-jurisdictional transactions. And we stay in close contact with our offices in the Americas . 

  • "Spectacular co-ordination between offices" "They have cross-border capabilities as well as in-depth knowledge of domestic legislation."
    Chambers Europe 2019

We build the team that fits the client's needs

Our experience has taught us how to work efficiently on complex projects and ensure that we use our resources – and our clients' time – as effectively as possible. And clients say that our approach and our talented lawyers deliver the right results.

We work closely with our top-tier clients, addressing the challenges and conflicts they face, being innovative in the solutions proposed, advising on front-page deals, and contributing when necessary with a cross-border service. 

A focus on efficiency

We deliver what our clients need in the most commercia, pragmatic and efficient way possible. We regularly partner with clients to examine the complete end-to-end process of regular legal mandates so that we can identify more efficient ways of working together.

Our approach is tailored to our clients' industry sectors

We believe that the most effective advice is grounded in industry knowledge and local-market experience. We have established a number of global cross-practice groups that have detailed knowledge of our clients’ industries and businesses and provide focused, practical and comprehensive advice.

  • "I can rely on them in negotiations not only from a legal point of view but also from a business point of view, because they are sensitive to my needs and objectives."
    Chambers Europe 2018
  • "They study the cases in a very dedicated and detailed way and you receive extraordinary legal advice"
    Chambers Europe 2019
  • "The team is very hard-working, always clear in its responses and always available, which we really value."
    Chambers Europe 2019

Recent highlights

Examples of our work include advising:

  • Banks
    WiZink, a portfolio company of Värde Partners formerly known as Bancopopular-e, on the acquisition of the Barclay’s Barclaycard business in Spain and Portugal and the acquisition of Banco Popular Group's credit and debit card business in Portugal.
  • Consumer Goods & Retail
    Carrefour Spain on the acquisition of the business of compact hypermarkets in Spain, shopping malls and gas stations, all of them pertaining to the Eroski Group. 
  • Energy & Resources
    The ad hoc committee of bondholders on the restructuring of Spanish renewable energy company, Abengoa.
  • Funds & Investment Management
    SUMA CAPITAL in the structuring and incorporation of SC Efficiency & Environment Fund II, F.C.R.
  • Healthcare, Life Sciences & Chemicals
    Pfizer, on the enforcement of a second medical use patent. 
  • Industrials
    Plastic Omnium on the acquisition of the Faurecia Exterior System business for an enterprise value of €665 million and the subsequent divestment of certain assets, as requested by the European Commission for €200 million, to Flex|N|Gate.
  • Insurance
    MAPFRE, S.A. on its issue of 600 million euros 4.375% Fixed/Floating Rate Reset Callable Subordinated Notes due March 2047.
  • Private Equity
    Ardian and other shareholders in the sale of a 25% stake of Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos (CLH) to CVC.
  • Real Estate
    Ivanhoe Cambridge on the sale of Xanadú Shopping Centre and the Xanadú Snow Zone.
  • Telecommunications, Media & Technology
    MásMovil, on the acquisition of the entire share capital of Yoigo, one of the main telecoms operators in Spain, from its previous shareholders.
  • Transport & Logistics
    IAG and LATAM Airlines before the EU and Latam competition authorities in respect of their South Atlantic Alliance. 

Directory and client comments

Awards and milestones

We are the leading international law firm in Spain, according to Chambers Europe and Legal 500 with 12 and 16 tier-one categories in 2019 respectively.

  • Luis Alonso received the ILO Client Choice 2017 Award for "Best M&A lawyer" in Spain last February, granted by the International Law Office (ILO) / Lexology.
  • Carlos Portocarrero is recognized as Star Lawyer of 2018 by Property EU.
  • José Guardo is ranked as "Star Individual"
    Chambers Europe 2019: Spain – Projects
  • Miquel Montañá is ranked as "Star Individual"
    Chambers Europe 2019: Spain – Intellectual Property, Life Sciences
  • Jaime Velázquez received the Expansión Jurídico 2017 Award for "Best Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Patents Law Firm
    Global IP Awards 2018, IAM and WTR
  • Best Infrastructure Firm
    Expansión Jurídico Awards 2019

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