The Legal 500

Clifford Chance has a ‘very good patents team’ and in Miquel Montañá has arguably ‘the best IP lawyer in Spain for pharmaceuticals’. Montserrat López-Bellosta is also recommended. The firm has been representing Pfizer on a number of matters, including a patent infringement action against two companies that launched amlodipine besylate generics onto the Spanish market while Pfizer’s process patent was still in force. Other instructions came from Aston Martin, regarding trade mark enforcement against possible infringers in Spain.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados is ‘one of the market leaders for IP work’, with Gonzalo Ulloa, Jesús Muñoz-Delgado, Sofía Martínez-Almeida and of counsel Juan José Marín also recommended. The team has been protecting the Tupperware trade mark in Spain and other European countries, and carried out infringement actions against a Spanish IT company regarding the registration and use of the iPhone trade mark in Spain. Other instructions included advising Philip Morris International on anti-counterfeiting measures.

Uría Menéndez is ‘one of the top law firms for the pharmaceutical sector’, and its IP team is highly respected. The group recently gave pre-litigation advice to the Belgian and Spanish subsidiaries of a US company regarding the patent for a medicine and is also acting for a large Spanish ship manufacturer regarding a breach of contract due to alleged use of patented technology. The firm is defending a leading infrastructure and utilities company against a trade mark infringement action. José Massaguer, Agustín González García and Montiano Monteagudo are recommended.

Baker & McKenzie’s ‘remarkable’ practice includes José María Méndez, who ‘proactively informs clients, almost becoming a partner of the company’. Recent highlights include advising Joyería Tous on all trade mark and trade dress infringements globally, and representing Eli Lilly in two criminal cases relating to the online sale of counterfeit pills. Other blue-chip clients include Estée Lauder, which it advised on launching a new perfume, and Warner Bros, which instructed the firm in relation to licences and clearances for the film, Clash of the Titans.

Manuel Lobato heads Bird & Bird (Spain) LLP’s well regarded IP practice. It is particularly strong in patent litigation and is also recommended for trade mark and copyright law. Recent work includes advising OncoStem Pharma concerning a biotech patent infringement, and representing Caixa Geral de Despositos in a trade mark case. Instructions regularly come from high-profile clients such as Google, Grupo Arco, Lexmark and Actavis.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s sizeable team is ‘outstanding in IP’, and has an impressive record advising in Spain and abroad. Recent highlights include acting for Clarins Paris and Thierry Mugler Perfumes on trade mark infringement litigation. Other clients include Levis and Dragados. Enrique Sanchez Quiñones and Jorge Llevat are ‘business-oriented, quick, and have an unrivalled international network’. Raimundo Segura is recommended for his negotiating skills.

Elzaburu fields ‘good practitioners who are experienced in the market’. The team’s expertise includes patents, copyright and domain names and anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy measures. Antonio Castán is recommended.

Garrigues’ ‘large and respected’ practice recently represented Grupo Pascual against one of its main competitors on a trade mark infringement. It is also advising Mono Films and BBVA on producing a reality football show. Josa Miranda de Sousa is recommended for trade marks, while Carolina Pina and Dulce Miranda handle copyright and patents, respectively.

‘One of the most prestigious practices in Spain’, Grau & Angulo offers ‘detailed, accurate advice’ and ‘in-depth analysis’. Founding partner Alejandro Angulo is an ‘outstandingly talented and hardworking lawyer’. The firm has recently been active in trade mark enforcement for some leading fashion, sports and leisure brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, Burberry, Adidas and BMW. It has also expanded its electronic and pharmaceutical patent work.

Herrero & Asociados has a solid reputation for contentious and non-contentious patent and trade mark issues. Its clients include Unilever, JVC, Air Europa and Amazon, with recent highlights including advising Eli Lilly on a trade dress infringement and unfair competition matter. Olof Fickert heads the practice.

Burkhart Goebel leads the IP department at Hogan Lovells International LLP, which represents British American Tobacco, Wrigley, Mars and Dell. The team has been representing Anheuser-Busch before the European Court of Justice. IP litigator Ana Castedo made partner in 2010.

Abril Abogados, SL is ‘a reliable firm’ staffed by lawyers who ‘work for the client as if they were part of the company’. Senior partner and practice head Ignacio Temiño is ‘a smart legal mind who guides his team with impressive efficiency’. The firm’s expertise includes patent, trade mark and copyright law, while its clients include Starbucks, Burger King and Hearst Corporation.

DLA Piper Spain S L’s practice is headed by Diego Ramos and also includes legal director Jason Flint. The firm has been expanding its soft IP capabilities, acting for new clients including global publishers and software developers. It has recently advised on issues including movie rights, royalties and data protection.

Ecija Abogados advises several Spanish banks as well as corporations such as Telefónica, Orange and Ono on issues including data loss prevention and trade marks. Juan Salmerón Artero is ‘highly experienced and provides very helpful advice from both a legal and a business point of view’.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s practice is headed by Sergio Miralles, who ‘provides intelligent solutions’. The firm regularly advises clients from the pharmaceuticals, retail and TMT sectors on IP litigation and data protection. It represents new client Bristol-Myers Squibb, alongside Johnson & Johnson, OKI Systems Ibérica and Weight Watchers.

Howrey Martínez Lage, SL’s recent highlights include representing new client Warner Chilcott in contentious administrative proceedings. It also provided NXP Semiconductors with pre-litigation advice regarding a patent infringement. Senior associate José Antonio Sanmartín is praised for his ‘knowledge and negotiation skills’.

IP is a strength of Iuris Valls Abogados, which recently gave pre-litigation advice to the Spanish branch of an international pharmaceuticals group on a potential infringement by a competitor. It also represented a leading US manufacturer in dispute with a competitor before the Spanish courts. Eduardo Zamora and Carlos Valls are recommended.

IP boutique Ruiz & Veiga Abogados carries out the full range of services relating to patents, trade marks, and copyright. It pursued a court case to protect IP belonging to a leading media and entertainment company and advised an IP agency on an internal conflict regarding commercial law procedure. Carina Ruiz is the key contact.

IP boutique Sol Muntañola Abogados advises on author’s rights, copyright, trade marks, patents, and licensing. It recently represented an author in taking action against Dorna for music used without permission in TV, video games and DVDs. Mario Sol Muntañola, Marita Dargallo Nieto and litigator Francisco Javier Márquez Martin are recommended.

Eversheds Lupicinio’s IP department is led by Francisco Javier (Kiko) Carrión and also includes Vicente Arias, who ‘has a deep knowledge of the IP and media markets’. Recent highlights include advising Edwards Lifesciences on employee inventions and the ownership of IP rights in clinical trial results.

Marta Delgado heads Jones Day’s IP practice, which advises national and international clients on licences, agreements, regulatory issues, patents, copyright and distribution rights. The firm has recently been advising blue-chip clients on commercial strategies and IP infringements.

Pedro Alemán Abogados’ highly respected boutique practice specialises in copyright law. The firm regularly advises household names from sectors including internet, television, book and music publishing, and fashion, as well as several major art museums. Pedro Alemán Laín is recommended.

RCD Tax & Legal Advisors has ‘highly specific industrial and public knowledge’, and advises life sciences clients on all aspects of IP law. The ‘very professional’ Ignasi Costas is recommended.

Roca Junyent is first rate in every regard’ and ‘excellent’ for contentious trade mark matters. Founding partner Alberto Segura Roda heads the team, which includes Anna Viladàs Jené, ‘a highly talented IP lawyer’ who ‘is particularly well suited to handle cross-border issues involving the US and Spain’.

Suárez de la Dehesa has a ‘terrific reputation’ in entertainment, where clients value its ‘thorough knowledge of the sector’ and ‘technical application and ongoing hard work’. Practice head José Antonio Suárez Lozano is recommended, as are ‘excellent negotiator’ Montserrat Benzal Medina and ‘innovator’ Javier Aragonés Miranda.

Ventura Garcés & López-Ibor, Abogados’ ‘expert and commercially minded’ team includes practice head Andrea Garcés, Jaime Morey and of counsel Richard Boncy. Recent work includes advising Nintendo on copyright matters and acting for Camaïeu International in defending its trade marks against third-party applications in Spain.