The Legal 500

Clifford Chance’s real estate team ‘operates to the highest standards’. The team was recently involved in one of the largest sale and leaseback transactions in Europe when it advised BBVA on a €1.2bn deal involving 1,000 bank branches and other buildings. Other recent work includes advising Santander Banif Real Estate on the €270m sale of a shopping and leisure centre and office building in Madrid. The group also advised Banesto on refinancing a loan facility for plots of land in Mallorca. Alfonso Benavides and Carlos Portocarrero are recommended for their ‘excellent legal knowledge and risk assessment, and defence of the client’s position’.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer offers an ‘excellent level of service’ for real estate transactions. Juan Gómez-Acebo heads the practice, which counts among its clients Orion Capital Managers, Carlyle and Alpha Pyrenees, as well as the real estate divisions of Banco Santander, Banco Popular and Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo. The practice recently acted for a consortium of real estate funds led by RREEF Alternative Investments, Area, and Europa Fund on BBVA’s €1.2bn sale and leaseback of a portfolio of around 1,000 bank branches and landmark buildings throughout Spain.

Garrigues has ‘a high level of expertise’ and excellent knowledge of the local markets due to fielding more than 80 lawyers across 29 offices. Recent work includes advising Urconsa on selling La Alcaidesa Development; Zurich on the sale and leaseback of its headquarters in Barcelona; and AXA France on purchasing an office building. Practice head Felipe Yannone, Lorenzo Clemente and Héctor Muñoz are recommended.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados has acted on numerous significant financings and refinancings, including advising a bank syndicate led by Eurohypo AG on Orangeburg’s acquisition of a Madrid shopping centre. Among the firm’s longstanding clients are property developer Agrupación Urbanística Espacio Del Motor, BP Oil and Caixa Nova. Madrid-based Victoria Llavero heads the practice, which also includes Ivan Azinovic, Barcelona-based José Ángel Cano and Valencia-based José Manuel Palau.

Uría Menéndez ‘knows the market well and is involved in large and complex deals’, such as advising a syndicate of banks on restructuring Reyal Urbis’ debt. The team also acted for SA Continental Property Investment on the financing for the acquisition of two hotels and an office building in Madrid. Ignacio Albiñana and Fernando Azofra head the practice, while up-and-coming senior associates Rafael Jiménez Mateo and Jorge Beltrán are also recommended. Valencia-based Yasser-Harbi Mustafá made partner in 2010.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has one of Spain’s larger real estate practices, with 35 partners in 23 offices. Its lawyers are ‘practical, efficient and clearly results-oriented’. Recent instructions include advising Gedeco Avantis on selling the H2O commercial centre in Madrid to Alpha Real Capital LLP, and advising Metroinvest on the daily management of its €500m investment portfolio. Fernando Bernad and Iñigo Rubio are ‘excellent professionals with an in-depth knowledge of the market’.

Linklaters SL’s real estate team counts among its recent highlights the handling of the distressed debts of Colonial and Orion, and acting on a building acquisition by UBS in Barcelona. The team also advised on numerous investments such as acting for two investors on three sale-and-leaseback transactions by Eroski. Other highlights included advising BBVA on its acquisition of the five-star hotel redevelopment of Marconi House in London. Rafael Molina is the key contact.

Perez-Llorca represents clients from across Europe including Abengoa Bioenergía, Deka, Bouygues, and Alpha Real Capital. Recent work includes advising Inmobilaria Colonel on restructuring as well as spinning off its land bank business. The practice also advised Inmobilaria Urbanitas on the urban planning of Pegaso Business Park. Luis Zerera heads the department.

Ashurst LLP’s eight-lawyer team represents Hines, GE Real Estate, ING Real Estate, RBS and InmobilienBank. Recent highlights include acting for Hines European Value Added Fund on Zielo Shopping Pozuelo development in Madrid, and giving planning advice to GE Real Estate’s SPV regarding an industrial development. Practice head Cristina Calvo enjoys an excellent reputation.

DLA Piper Spain S L remains busy with construction, hospitality and leasing works. The firm recently recruited senior associate Javier Istúriz as planning director. It advised Casticapital on the acquisition of a landmark building and also acts for Barclays Bank, Anglo Irish Bank, Virgin Active and ING Real Estate Finance. Orson Alcocer heads the practice.

Baker & McKenzie’s leading practitioners for real estate work are Jesús Conde and Xavier Junquera. The practice recently advised Eurofred on the leasing of five large industrial warehouses near Barcelona and acted for BBVA on purchasing three real estate assets from Colonial as a key element in refinancing Colonial’s debt.

Broseta Abogados’ corporate real estate work is led by Carmen March and Isidro del Moral, while Rosa Vidal specialises in public law. The firm handles transactions in Spain and abroad for clients including Ponte Gadea and Omega Capital.

Ángel Lavín Martinez heads the team at Eversheds Lupicinio, which advised Boeing Research & Technology Europe on a new aerodrome in the south of Spain for scientific purposes.

Hogan Lovells International LLP’s ‘excellent’ practice has a strong presence in the retail sector, and won new instructions from clients such as Metrovacesa, which it advised on its joint venture with ADIF for the development of shopping centres in railway stations. Emilio Gómez heads the practice, while senior associate Carlos Bardavío has impressed clients with his ‘expertise and ability to explain complex issues’.

Pilar Coloma Bellver and Marta Sanz Díez De Ulzurrun Lluch are Ramón y Cajal, Abogados’s leading practitioners for developer work.