The Legal 500

Clifford Chance’s EU and competition team attracts many of the country’s most high profile instructions. Head of department, Miguel Odriozola, ‘combines a rare in-depth knowledge of the law with prodigious commercial sense’, according to client feedback. Odriozola led the team’s representation of Iberia and British Airways before the European Commission, in relation to their proposed merger, and was joint counsel for both parties. Telemadrid and Cajamadrid also instructed the practice in infringement proceedings investigation by the Spanish Competition Authority, regarding the negotiation and management of football TV rights, among competing TV networks and the clubs themselves.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer not only fields a premier EU and competiton team, led by the hailed expert Francisco Cantos, ‘a true leader in the sector’, but has also demonstrated the practice area’s success and towering importance within the Madrid office. Álvaro Iza, one of the market’s most applauded rising stars, was made partner in 2008, an election which follows a string of major instructions for the department. On merger control matters, the team most notably represented Iberia in two major deals: the proposed acquisition of Spanair (Spain’s second largest airline and Iberia’s main domestic rival), and also the proposed merger between Clickair (participated by Iberia) and Vueling, Spain’s two low cost carriers. Mediapro also chose the team as its main antitrust counsel, in one of the most complex antitrust investigations in Spain to date, regarding broadcasting rights owned by football clubs, as well as on a dispute over those rights, against Sogecable. Clients say that ‘ Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer ’ competition team is unparalleled’.

Spain’s longstanding EU and competition boutique Howrey Martínez Lage, S.L. remains one of the best firms in this sector. ‘Their experience is overwhelming’, clients comment, while particularly praising name partner Santiago Martinez-Lage as a ‘hugely knowledgeable expert and leading figure in the legal profession’, as well as Helmut Brokelmann for his ‘indefatigable dedication to every matter at hand’. The team notably represented GlaxoSmithKline on an appeal before the European Court of Justice. Other clients include FIFA, France Telecom and Sogecable.

Singled out for being one of the market’s most rapid ascensions to market leader status, following the arrival of Jaime Perez-Bustamante and his team from Howrey Martínez Lage, S.L. in 2006, Linklaters SL’ EU and competition continues to collect high praises from clients. ‘Jaime is one of those rare lawyers that combines a profound knowledge of the law with an extreme sensibility to the client’s practical needs’. Fielding a broad and well-balanced stand-alone practice, the firm has represented El Corte Inglés, one of Spain’s largest retailers, in infringement proceedings before the Spanish Competition Authority. CEOPAN, the national trade association of bread manufacturers, as well as one regional association of bread manufacturers, also instructed the team in infringement proceedings before the Spanish national competition authority and the Castilla y Leon regional competition authority.

Uría Menéndez’s head of EU and competition Jaime Folguera is regarded as the ‘market’s most experienced attorney in this area, with a wealth of experience spanning a wide range of industry sectors’. Folguera led the firm’s advice on merger control issues before the European Commission in a number of transactions, including a major cross-border merger in the banking sector and the €120m merger between Thales, Dile and Laupheim. Highly versed in advising major corporates in antitrust proceedings, some of the team’s most active clients also include CEPSA, Servired, Euro 6000 and Sistema 4B, and also Grupo Colomer. The firm’s Brussels-based partner Edurne Navarro is also highly recommended.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s pre-eminent EU and competition team is fully integrated into the firm’s top-notch corporate department. ‘They provide five-star advice’, comments one client. Team head Cani Fernández, ‘one of the very few women with a high profile corporate expertise in Spain’ spends her time between the firm’s Madrid and Brussels office. The firm is one of the few Spanish firms boasting an office in Brussels and is able to provide expert advice on both national and EU aspects of transactions. Highlights include advising Enel on competition issues connected with its €41bn join takeover bid, together with Acciona, for Spanish energy giant Endesa. Other work includes successfully representing the European Commission before the European Court of Justice against the Kingdom of Spain in a case of breach of Community Law in regarding public procurement legislation.

One of the market’s best-known EU and competition teams, DLA Piper’s reputation in this sector owes much to the prominence of Juan Jiménez-Laiglesia, its head of department, and José María Jiménez-Laiglesia. ‘They form an excellent team, both are highly experienced specialists’. Spanning cartels, merger control and state aid, counselling and disputes before the Spanish courts, as well as representing clients before the EU Court of Justice, the team has acted for major international clients and domestic such as Burger King and Gas Natural. Repsol YPF and British Petroleum instructed the practice in connection with a second-phase merger review of a fully functioning joint venture, regarding its combination with British Petroleum in the plane services industry.

Garrigues fields one of the largest EU and competition teams in the market, with some 30 specialised lawyers, and is frequently involved in multi-jurisdictional issues. ‘A first-class team’, according to clients. With Marcos Araujo Boyd at the helm, the team recently advised Zurich and Sabadell in a notification before the European Commission, regarding the €750m acquisition of BanSabadell Vida, BanSabadell Generales and BanSabadell Pensiones, by Zurich and Banco Sabadell. Confebask, the Basque federation of businessmen, also instructed the practice in connection with a preliminary ruling before the European Court of Justice regarding an alleged State aid grant, by the Basque government.

Allen & Overy hired Antonio Martinez, Uría Menéndez’s former head of EU and competition in Barcelona, to spearhead the firm’s newly created EU and competition practice. Corporate and M&A partners Iñigo Gómez-Jordana and Juan Barona were previously in charge of the firm’s competition practice, which highlights in 2008 include advising Cableuropa regarding football broadcasting rights and Imperial Tobacco on the competition aspects of its €16.2bn takeover bid for Altadis.

Araoz & Rueda also boasts sound expertise in competition issues. The team has acted for 3i on a merger control filing before the Spanish Competition Authority, regarding its acquisition of Grupo Daniel Alonso (Grupo Cares). Other highlights include representing Media-Markt Saturn on a competition-related dispute.

Ashurst LLP is the only leading firm in the market whose EU and competition team is led by a senior economist. Julio Pascual, has led the Madrid team since October 2005, having previously been a member of the Spanish Antitrust Court. The team assisted National Express on the merger control aspects of its €659m acquisition of Continental Auto.Other anti-trust clients include La Caixa and Sevilla FC.

Baker & McKenzie’s Madrid-based Ernesto Garcia-Trevijano and Carles Prat, based in Barcelona, head up the firm’s experienced EU and competition practice. Trevijano was most notably leading the advice to Suez Group and La Caixa on the merger control aspects of their €2bn public bid for Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar). The team also represented a number companies in the food and wine sectors, in connection with cartel investigations initiated by the Spanish Competition Authority.

One of the most commented upon lateral hires in the market, Bird & Bird (Spain) LLP’s hiring of the ‘incredibly experienced and knowledgeable’ Antonio Creus from DLA Piper has significantly strengthened the firm and confirmed its status as one of the market’s most up-and-coming full-service outfits. Creus boasts strong international track record having been head of Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’ Brussels office, before joining DLA Piper. Some of the team’s most notable clients include Altadis, France Télécom España (Orange), Arcelor, and Logista.

CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo’s busy competition team recently acted for Iberdrola in the merger control proceedings before the European Commission regarding the joint acquisition by Iberdrola and API Holding of seven projects for the generation of electricity from wind power in Southern Italy. While Jesús Alfaro heads up the firm’s competition department, José Giménez spearheads the regulated sectors team.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados has been involved in a broad range of competition and regulatory matters before EU and Spanish authorities. Some of the team’s traditional clients include Le Cirque du Soleil, Nike and Panasonic. SOS Cuétara also instructed the practice on several potential acquisitions and investigation proceedings. Iñigo Igartua, head of the firm’s competition team is also in charge of the firm’s Brussels office.

Senior associates Marta Delgado and Raimundo Ortega lead Jones Day’s well-respected competition practice. The team has most notably been appointed by Eléctricité de France to act as its lead counsel in antitrust, unfair competition and EU law issues, regarding EDF’s highly publicised interest in investing in the Spanish energy market. Dole Foods has also instructed the practice in antitrust matters.

Lovells LLP’ competition team has been building on its existing relationships with clients, such as SAB Miller and Mitsubishi, and has also managed to attract new clients, including the re-insurance company SCOR and the private equity firm Qualitas. Qualitas and Befesa instructed the team on merger control issues, in connection with the creation of a joint venture in the market of aluminium recycling. Casto González-Páramo leads the team, which works as an integrated team with our Brussels office.

Oriol Armengol is in charge of Perez-Llorca’s EU and competition team, which has recently represented oil company CEPSA in a cartel dispute before the Court of First Instance of the European Communities.

SJ Berwin’s pre-eminent competition practice is spearheaded by Ramón García Gallardo, managing partner of the firm’s Brussels office. Gallardo has dealt with a broad range of regulatory issues, with particular emphasis on the transport and food and fisheries sector. The practice boasts an impressive disputes practice, having represented clients before the Spanish courts and the European Court of Justice. Clients include Ibersol and EDP Energias de Portugal.