The Legal 500

Baker & McKenzie’s ‘outstanding’ practice is relatively large, ‘enabling it to be highly specialised in all areas of employment law’. The Madrid office includes Fermín Guardiola, who provides ‘clear, sound advice that is technically impeccable’, while Alex Valls ‘knows his business well and understands the client’s priorities’. David Diaz has ‘good business acumen and gives sound advice’. The ‘exceptional’ Concha Martin and Barcelona-based Eduardo Peñacoba are also recommended. Recent work includes representing Nissan in over 50 trials involving some 400 employees.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is among ‘the very best for contentious employment work’. Recent work includes advising Spanair on implenting two national labour force adjustment plans, and advising Unicaja on its merger with Cajasur. Other clients include Unedisa, Canon, H&M and Telemadrid. Pilar Cavero, Jordi Puigbó and Salvador del Rey are recommended.

‘One of the best law firms for employment matters,’ Garrigues’ practice is spread across its Spanish offices, with Juan José Yago heading the Madrid team, and Rafael Ortiz and Juan Vaz leading in Barcelona and Valencia, respectively. Recent highlights include advising Ercros on restructuring at seven production plants nationwide, and advising Iberia on creating a new company. Other clients include Teletech, General Electric Bank, General Electric Wind and Caja Sol.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados recently recruited several new lawyers to join the practice headed by Antonio Sempere. It has also attracted new clients including River Island Spain, Trea Capital Partners and Banco Pastor. Another new client was AICE (Asociación Industrias Cárnicas de España), which the team advised on issues affecting 80,000 employees at associated companies. It also advised Japan Tobacco International on restructuring in the Canary Islands.

Uría Menéndez’s four-partner practice is well regarded and led by Ignacio García-Perrote. The team had a busy year advising multinational companies on collective dismissals. It advised Air Comet, which employed some 700 staff, on lay-offs and suspensions of employment before the company filed for bankruptcy. It also advised BNP Paribas on its integration with Fortis Bank, and Burberry on the closure of its premises in Barcelona, which affected more than 300 employees.

Juan Calvente heads Clifford Chance’s Spanish employment practice, which has representatives in Barcelona and Madrid. The team recently advised Santander on various inspection procedures, and acted for Reckitt Benckiser on restructuring staff, expatriate matters, and terminating senior executive employment agreements. It also advised Malaga Football Club on employment law.

DLA Piper Spain S L’s practice is led by renowned employment law specialist Pilar Menor, whose experience includes advising the Kingdom of Bahrain on employment reform and drafting the chapter of the law regarding termination of employment. The team is particularly well regarded for advising on employment aspects of corporate restructurings and M&A, including multijurisdictional mandates.

Sagardoy Abogados, member of Ius Laboris is ‘one of the leading employment boutiques in Spain’, and its 11 partners and over 50 specialist lawyers have ‘years of experience’. Eduardo Gómez de Enterría joined the partnership in 2010.

Alfonso Suárez heads Araoz & Rueda’s employment practice, which advised real estate and construction company Gestión Técnica de Montajes y Construcciones on a redundancy plan, and perfume company Sensient Fragances on executive recruitment and contract terminations. The team also advised consultancy firm Astek on dismissal proceedings.

Bird & Bird (Spain) LLP represents Everis, Infosys and Yahoo!. Areas of expertise include redundancy negotiations, industrial action and disputes.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s ‘excellent’ employment practice is praised for its ‘high level of technical knowledge and quick responses’. Clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Continental, Nomura, Sara Lee, UPS, UBS and WPP. In 2010, the group advised BAE Systems on various issues concerning its Spanish subsidiaries including new hires and the closure of a representative office.

Bufete Antras is a niche employment firm with a longstanding reputation. José María Antrás Badía heads an experienced team, with Encarnación Rubio Corral, Marc Antrás Puchal and Bernat Antrás Puchal all highly recommended.