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Environment
One of the largest and most admired specialised teams in the market, Garrigues’ environment group boasts two partners and 23 lawyers, with Santiago Garrido at the helm. According to clients, ‘their knowledge of the sector is unparalleled’. The practice is highly experienced in drawing up of Emission Reduction Purchase Agreements (ERPAs), as well as supervising and providing legal advice in connection with Kyoto Protocol project-based mechanisms. It also assists public authorities, as well as private companies and associations, affected by EU climate change provisions. Clients include the Inter-American Development Bank, the Spanish Ministry of Environment, Iberdrola and the World Petroleum Congress.
Uría Menéndez’s highly esteemed environment department is spearheaded by Madrid-based partner Carlos de Miguel Perales and by Barcelona-based expert Juan Antonio Loste. The pratice recently advised a major client in the energy sector in connection with the compliance of NOx particles and SO2 pollutant emissions in accordance with the objectives established under Spanish and European Union regulations. The team also defended a leading company in the chemicals sector, in relation to a sanctioning proceeding opened by the Spanish National Energy Commission.
Baker & McKenzie’s outstanding reputation in the environment sector owes much to Barcelona-based expert partner Xavier Junquera. According to one client, ‘he is extremely knowledgeable, a real expert’. Junquera led the practice’s advice to Montecinca in obtaining environmental authorizations for industrial facilities dedicated to the manufacture of synthetic pheromones. Madrid-based partner García-Trevijano is also recommended. Other clients include Holcim, one of the biggest concrete producers in Spain, and Ence, Spain’s largest producer of pulp paper.
Clifford Chance draws on its phenomenal capability in public law to advise on environment issues. Spanning environmental liability for contaminated land, air and water pollution and environmental risk assessment, as well as environmental aspects of commercial and property transactions and environmental claims, the firm relies on top-drawer public law expert Juan José Lavilla as head of department. According to client feedback, ‘it is not an overstatement to say that Lavilla is the best lawyer in Spain’. Highlights include advising Endesa Generación on a sanctioning proceeding with respect to a recent incident in the Nuclear plant of Ascó I. Other clients include Cemex and Babcock & Brown.
Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira notably acted for Medgaz on a wide range of environment-related issues, in relation to the Medgaz Project, a consortium created with the objective of building and operate a natural gas pipeline between Algeria and Spain. The practice was also involved in the €722m sale of the Spanish branch of DONG’s renewable energy business, Energi E2 Renovables Ibericas, to E.ON.
DLA Piper has witnessed an increasing demand for environmental law services from a number of its clients. José Ignacio Monedero, head of the firm’s environment team, recently led the team’s advice to Florida Power & Light Energy on environmental issues connected with the installation of four thermo-solar plants in Spain.
Even though Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’ environmental practice sits within the firm’s dispute resolution department, the team has also been involved in a number of transactions with environmental aspects involved, namely in the water and energy sectors. It acted for a major tobacco manufacturer on a number of issues regarding the compliance of their products with the packaging and waste packaging legislation.
Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados provided environmental legal advice to Degremont in the construction and operation of a desalination water plant in Andratch. The team’s key environment partner is Carlos Vázquez, who also led the advice to Cespa, regarding the installation of waste treatment plants.
Broseta Abogados, Valencia’s leading law firm, has represented several clients on a broad range of environment-related issues. The practice was notably involved in drafting the addenda to the Waste Integral Plan 2008 for the region of Valencia. Clients include UBE Engineering Plastics, Vossloh and Uralita. Rosa Vidal is recommended.
Davies Arnold Cooper LLP’s recent track record on environment law issues includes a multi-jurisdictional claim spanning several South American jurisdictions. The practice represented the defendants in the Magdalena river pollution case, the first popular action in Columbia. Ricardo Garrido, the firm’s leading environment practitioner, ‘is a phenomenal expert’. Garrido has recently been involved in a major environmental dispute in Chile.