The Legal 500

Clifford Chance’s Barcelona-based practice is ‘very deserving of its place at the top of the market’, in part due to its ‘excellent knowledge and understanding of the pharmaceuticals sector’. It has been acting for various major pharmaceuticals companies in disputes with generics manufacturers in Spain. Non-pharmaceuticals clients include Honda and L’Oréal. Miquel Montañá is ‘one of the best lawyers in Spain for patent regulation and litigation’, and has ‘a clear long-term view’. Montserrat López-Bellosta is also recommended.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados’ four-partner practice has been handling a number of patent litigation cases, including representing Novartis in an infringement claim against Germed. It is also representing Eisai in a patent infringement and unfair competition case. On the trade mark side, it is acting for Bacardi in a long-running dispute over the Havana Club rum trade mark. The firm is also active in copyright work, where clients include the Discovery Channel and Google. Gonzalo Ulloa heads the practice.

Grau & Angulo is ‘a very good boutique with a great reputation’, and fields seven dedicated IP litigation partners. The firm was recently instructed by Nestlé to file interim injunction proceedings against Unilever, relating to unregistered community design infringement and unfair competition. It also represented Burberry in a case in which two infringers of its trade mark were jailed. Founding partners Alejandro Angulo and Jorge Grau are recommended.

Uría Menéndez’s ‘profile is significant’, owing to its ‘excellent sector knowledge’ and ‘strong dedication to clients’. Recent highlights include defending NSK in a patent infringement case concerning vehicle components, and representing Medimmune in an appeal against the Spanish patent office’s rejection of its SPC application concerning a monoclonal antibody. Agustín González García is ‘the engine and core of the copyright practice’, and José Massaguer and Montiano Monteagudo are also highly recommended.

Baker & McKenzie’s ‘very good’ practice recently assisted US-based ITT with its entire global rebranding process when it created two new spin-off companies in 2011. Desigual is also a client. José María Méndez leads the team in Madrid, as does Carles Prat in Barcelona.

Bird & Bird’s ‘advice is fantastic’, it is ‘always, but always on time’, and it is praised for its in-depth knowledge. The team, which represents public and private sector clients, recently advised Ahorro Corporación on copyright protection; and Energizer España on an unfair competition matter. It continues to advise The University of Queensland on patents. Manuel Lobato is ‘absolutely brilliant’ and ‘well known academically’. Of counsel Antonio Cueto is also recommended.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is regularly instructed by blue-chip clients such as Levi Strauss and Havana Club. It has been acting for Nescafé distributor Daba in patent, trade mark and unfair competition proceedings against Sara Lee, pertaining to the production and commercialisation of coffee capsules, Blas Alberto González and Enrique Sánchez-Quiñones are recommended.

Elzaburu’s core practice areas include trade marks, patents and innovation. It acts for a multitude of engineering clients, and chemists, biochemists, and biologists. Executive president Alberto de Elzaburu has a wealth of experience.

Garrigues’ team, led by João Miranda de Sousa, is ‘very skilful and helpful’. Key clients include Spanish brewery Hijos de Rivera, which has a portfolio of over 250 trade marks, and which the firm advises on all of its IP matters. The team also represented Catalan food company Casa Tarradellas in a trade mark case before the General Court of Luxembourg.

IP specialist Herrero & Asociados has ten offices in Spain as well as another four internationally, and has ‘extensive experience in trade marks’. Jesús González has recently led patents advice to various Latin American clients. Other key partners include Ángeles Moreno for international trade marks, and José Luis López for IP litigation.

Hogan Lovells International LLP’s ‘very professional’ group gives ‘good advice’, and shows ‘solid business acumen’ and ‘good response times’. It is currently advising Mars on trade mark and design prosecution and infringement across Europe, including Russia and the CIS region, as well as advising British American Tobacco on plain packaging. Burkhart Goebel heads the team, which also includes Ana Castedo, who has ‘sound experience’ and ‘always follows up closely’.

Abril Abogados, SL is ‘a go-to firm for sophisticated matters’, and provides ‘proactive advice and recommendations’. It has been representing financial entity Rankia, in a dispute over Caja Madrid’s rebranding as Bankia, and is defending Compañía Nacional de Chocolates against a chocolate trade mark claim by Kraft. It recently advised Hearst on IP issues when the client acquired part of the Hachette Group. Ignacio Temiño provides ‘creative and thoughtful advice’.

DLA Piper LLP’s recent mandates include advising US holiday home company HomeAway on its purchase of Spanish company Top Rural, and assisting Telomere Analysis Technology (TAT) provider Life Length with its deployment in Spain and other jurisdictions. Other clients include AOL, Adobe and Levi Strauss. Diego Ramos heads the three-partner team.

Ecija Abogados is ‘special’: it ‘achieves optimum results’, and has ‘enthusiastic lawyers’ who ‘know the market and are always available’. It is advising Sony on the IP aspects of distributing audiovisual content through YouTube, and is defending advertising agency M&C Saatchi in civil litigation against a famous Spanish photographer for exploiting the IP rights of a photograph. Alejandro Touriño is highly recommended.

Sergio Miralles leads Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s practice, which has been acting for Sony Computer Entertainment in litigation against the Spanish distributors of PS3 modchips, and is involved in Apple’s IP claim against Samsung – as well as potential counterclaims by Samsung – in the Spanish courts.

Hoyng Monegier LLP is ‘catching up with the big players’, and the team is ‘100% reliable’, giving ‘clear, detailed advice’, and demonstrating ‘good knowledge of the industry’. Luis Fernández-Novoa heads the group, which counts Coca-Cola, Phillips and The North Face as clients.

Iuris Valls Abogados has been representing a pharmaceuticals company in a patent infringement case, and is advising a Spanish football team on audiovisual rights. Carlos Valls and Eduardo Zamora are recommended.

Jones Day’s IP practice mainly focuses on patent litigation. New clients included Zinkia, which the team is representing in litigation against counterfeiters in Turkey. It also advised Atmel on the IP aspects of its acquisition of ADD, and Marvell Technology Group on IP protection and unfair competition. Of counsel Marta Delgado heads the team.

Pedro Alemán Abogados’ specialises in advising arts, entertainment and technology clients in copyright law as well as general corporate advice. Pedro Alemán Laín is the main contact.

Roca Junyent is recommended for its ‘quick responses, high-quality advice, and competitive pricing’, and is headed by the ‘professional and highly technical’ Anna Viladàs. The Foundation of Gala-Salvador Dalí is a longstanding client.

ROUSAUD COSTAS DURAN SLP’s ‘high-level professionals’ have ‘lots of international experience’. Ignasi Costas is ‘smart in business’, and has ‘global vision’, and Carles Ros and Oscar Alegre are also recommended. The firm advises a number of science and technology sector clients.

Ruiz & Veiga Abogados is a two-partner boutique led by Carina Ruiz Gallegos and Eduardo Veiga Conde. It advises on all aspects of IP protection as well as unfair competition and copyright law.

Barcelona boutique Sol Muntañola Abogados advises shoe manufacturer Crocs, music performers’ collecting societies AGEDI and AIE, and EMI in Spain. Elsevier is a recent addition to the client roster. Mario Sol Muntañola and Francisco Javier Márquez Martín are experienced litigators, and Marita Dargallo specialises in trade mark matters.

Suárez de la Dehesa specialises in copyright law and advises a range of TV and film companies on negotiating and drafting audiovisual agreements for films, as well as financing. It also acts for EGEDA – the Audiovisual Producers’ Rights Collective Society.

Ventura Garcés & López-Ibor, Abogados provides ‘the highest quality service, delivered with the speed required by today’s business world’. It has been advising V Magazine on copyright matters, Mattel on its IP rights, and defending newspaper group Metro International in a trade mark case. Andrea Garcés has ‘the professional ability and know-how to handle matters successfully’. Jaime Morey is also recommended.