María Guinot is a partner on the Disputes area.
She leads complex commercial and regulatory disputes in highly regulated industries, with a particular focus on financial services.
A State Attorney (on leave of absence) she has over 20 years of experience advising financial institutions, investors and multinational companies at the intersection of regulation, business and litigation.
Her practice is particularly focused on financial and consumer disputes, including mass claims, unfair contract terms litigation, mis-selling cases, financial and digital fraud, and technology-driven disputes — often with a cross-border dimension.
Her experience allows her to connect litigation strategy with the broader regulatory, operational and reputational implications of a dispute, helping clients anticipate exposure before conflict materialises.
- Acting on behalf of a leading Spanish bank in several proceedings concerning the alleged mis-selling of complex financial products, including interest rate swaps, involving sophisticated legal, evidentiary and regulatory arguments.
- Acting on behalf of a leading international cryptocurrency exchange in civil proceedings in connection with alleged liability arising from a phishing attack resulting in the loss of cryptoassets.
- Acting on behalf of a major Spanish bank in a high-profile collective consumer action concerning multicurrency mortgage loan terms.
- Acting on behalf of a leading online gaming operator in cassation appeals before the Spanish Supreme Court concerning the compliance of its terms and conditions with consumer protection and gaming legislation.
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Madrid
- +34 91 590 7571
- Email me
- Speaks Spanish, English
Career & qualifications
- Universidad Valencia (Law) 2001
- Admitted as State Attorney of the Kingdom of Spain (Abogado de Estado) 2005
- State Attorney, Ministry of Justice 2005
- Deputy State Attorney, Ministry of Finance and Public Administration 2012
- Legal Counsel, FROB (Fund for Orderly Bank Restructuring) 2012
- Head for Regulation and Compliance, Sareb 2013
- Partner, Regulated Sectors, CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo 2014
- Partner, Head of the Legal practice, Deloitte Legal 2019
- Joined Clifford Chance as Partner 2025
Professional bodies
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- Member of the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM)
- Member of the Royal Academy for Jurisprudence and Laws
- Member of the State Lawyers Association
Awards and citations
- She is an excellent lawyer with fast responses and a service that is very focused on the client.
Chambers Europe, Energy and Natural Resources, Spain, 2026. - María has a very important degree of specialisation and a complete vision of issues.
Chambers Global, Energy and Natural Resources, Spain, 2026. - Leading Partner, Public Law, Legal 500, 2026.
- Leading Partner, Projects and Energy, Legal 500, 2026.
- Forbes Best Lawyer under 40, 2017.