The Legal 500

Albors Galiano Portales’ ‘impressive practice’ is a prominent force in the maritime and wider transport fields, including related insurance, and operates from offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao. Eduardo Albors is an expert in shipbuilding and ship finance, large-risk insurance and reinsurance. Javier Galiano is best known for shipping and administrative sanctuary law, and Javier Portales is the key contact for aviation matters, and also advises on maritime, accidents and insurance.

‘Always one of the first choices’ for maritime matters, Uría Menéndez’s practice provides ‘a high level of service, including excellent business acumen’. In 2011, it advised JPMorgan on the acquisition of the ports division of ACS/Dragados, and represented GE Capital on financing and leasing a Global Express XRS Bombardier aircraft. Group head Carlos López-Quiroga has excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills, Tomás Fernández-Quirós is ‘outstanding, and extremely focused’, and Julio López Quiroga is also recommended.

Blas de Lezo has ‘first-class knowledge of the transport industry’, and ‘all of the team shows a strong commitment to the disputes they manage’. Recent highlights include advising industrial machinery manufacturer Gresin on UN sanctions against Iran, and advising the government of the Balearic Islands on legislation to regulate the carriage of passengers and goods between the islands. Managing partner Miquel Roca ‘can be credited for most of the firm’s success either directly or through his management skills’; he is ‘simply superb’ and ‘shines over most of the main players in Spain’.

Goñi & Co Abogados’ highly respected practice is well recognised for maritime, transport and insurance law advice, and has strong litigation, arbitration and mediation capabilities. Founding partner José Luis Goñi Etchevers is ‘one of the authorities in this field’.

Meana Green Maura & Co has a strong legacy of handling wet and dry shipping matters, and more recently has ventured into land transportation and aviation, as well as general commercial law. Its experience includes acting for several hijacked crewmembers in the Alakrana piracy case.

Mestre Abogados’ ‘strong’ practice is praised for its ‘fantastic work’. Recent highlights include acting for the Port of Authority of Antwerp on the shipbuilding of four tugboats. It also represented Eurochartering in a time charter party dispute and advised BP on bunker supply in Spanish ports. Other instructions included advising Hispania P&I regarding a towage casualty case. Practice head Anna Mestre is recommended.

Ruiz-Gálvez Abogados SLP has a sound reputation for insurance – it acts for P&I clubs such as Britannia and British Marin – and as well as general shipping and transport matters. Recent highlights include handling a significant heavy lift cargo claim for Steamship Mutual. Fernando Ruiz-Gálvez Villaverde heads the eight-lawyer team.

San Simon & Duch is ‘a firm of quick minds’, with ‘longstanding experience in the sector’, which provides ‘results-oriented and tailor-made advice’. In 2011, it was involved in a number of ship arrest cases, sanction proceedings, and salvage cases in insolvency proceedings. Practice head Luis de San Simón is ‘a highly experienced and first-class shipping lawyer who can match the bigger firms in Madrid in court and negotiations’. Mercedes Duch is ‘always impressive’.

Abogados Asociados para el Comercio, la Navegacion y la Industria, SL’s marine and transit department has expertise in ship arrests and liens, and regularly handles CMR disputes. Albert Badia heads the team.

Amya Abogados handles the full range of maritime matters, including shipbuilding, ship finance, and competition law issues affecting Spanish ports, as well as road transport infringement proceedings. Firm founder José Alcántara excels in arbitration, and Carlos Llorente is also highly regarded.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has broad knowledge of the logistics and transport sector, and recently advised Aena on developing a new airport management system. Other clients include Bombardier and Ferrovial. Albert Garrofé is a key figure in the practice.

Garrigues’ shipping team is staffed by ‘strong professionals with good knowledge of the business’. Manuel Torres heads the group, which recently advised Astilleros de Sevilla shipyard regarding the cancellation of three shipbuilding contracts. It is advising Astilleros de Sevilla shipyard regarding three cancelled shipbuilding contracts. Other clients include RaetsMarine and Norwegian Hull Club.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados is adept in shipping and aircraft finance. Clients include Ahorro Corporación, which it recently advised on restructuring the lease structure for Hull 160. Other clients include Novacaixagalicia, Naviera Elcano and Seatruck. Carlos Rueda leads the practice.

Hogan Lovells International LLP’s key partner is Miguel Ángel Sánchez, who specialises in tax structures for the acquisition and financing of transport assets. He has ‘high-level experience in the public tax sector and is always willing to solve clients’ problems’, and is ‘one of the best lawyers in Spain’ in this field. The shipping practice mainly focuses on financing for clients such as Banco Pastor. Luis Alfonso Fernandez is recommended for aviation insurance.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Iñaki Gabilondo and Miguel Klingenberg are ship finance experts.

Lebrero & Co, Abogados’ practice covers contentious and non-contentious maritime, aviation and aerospace mandates, with disputes including civil and commercial litigation and accident matters, and other work including shipbuilding and air freight contracts, financing and leasing. Rodolfo González-Lebrero is the senior partner.

Valencia-based Muñoz & Montañes is ‘a fantastic firm’. Although numbering only five lawyers, it attracts good-quality clients and José Muñoz has ‘a very good reputation in the market’.

Perez Albors | & Co is often the firm of choice for clients in southern Spain, and is considered ‘wholly comparable with any big firm in Madrid or Barcelona’. It recently represented the West of England P&I club in a case relating to the vessel Marrakech. María Antonia Albors and managing partner Carlos Perez are recommended.

Estudio Jurídico Rodrigo de Larrucea advises shipowners, port terminals and port authorities. Albert Prats Ribas and founder Jaime Rodrigo de Larrucea are the key figures.

Ventura Garcés & López-Ibor, Abogados’ aviation practice represents airlines, leasing companies, banks, airport authorities and aircraft manufacturers. Alfonso López-Ibor has extensive knowledge of the air transport industry.