The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s seven-partner practice is praised for its ‘superior quality’ and the ‘remarkable strength-in-depth of the team’. The firm represents several of Spain’s leading financial groups, and advised the banks on restructuring Ferrovial’s corporate debt. Other highlights included advising lenders on financing Emparque’s acquisition of Cintra Aparcamientos.

Within Capital markets, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is particularly strong on securitisations, ‘always pays attention to the client’ and has ‘strong knowledge of Spanish law’. Recent highlights include acting for Banco Popular on incorporating the asset-backed securitisation fund IM GBP Leasing 1 and advising Imaginarium on its €73.5m listing on the Spanish Alternative Investment Market.

Within Corporate and M&A, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a first tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira provides ‘advice of the highest quality’ and has ‘a friendly and business-oriented approach, coupled with high technical standards’. Recent highlights include advising Unicaja on its €3bn merger with Caja Jaén as well as Enel on buying a share in Endesa from Acciona. Víctor Xercavins is ‘one of the greatest Spanish M&A lawyers’. Emilio Coco is also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution , Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a first tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is particularly strong in arbitration, and recently led pre-litigation advice to Enel on its high-profile joint acquisition of Endesa with Acciona. It also advised British American Tobacco on a claim filed against it by the regional government of Andalusia over smoking-related healthcare costs. Cani Fernandez and Pere Kirchner are ‘dedicated and customer-minded’.

Within EU and competition, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s EU and competition team is incorporated within its corporate practice. Practice head Andrew Ward specialises in EU and Spanish competition law, and his experience includes notices of sale, joint venture and merger agreements, and advising on authorities’ investigations. He also handles anticompetitive damages claims. Recent highlights include acting as lead antitrust counsel on Enel’s €43bn takeover of Endesa.

Within Employment, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a first tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is among ‘the very best for contentious employment work’. Recent work includes advising Spanair on implenting two national labour force adjustment plans, and advising Unicaja on its merger with Cajasur. Other clients include Unedisa, Canon, H&M and Telemadrid. Pilar Cavero, Jordi Puigbó and Salvador del Rey are recommended.

Within Environment, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira offers ‘good know-how and impressively quick response times’. It recently advised Portland Valderrivas on environmental obligations. It also advised Grupo Enel Viesgo regarding the application of Spanish regulations to the European emissions trading regime.

Within Insurance, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira recently advised Deutsche Bank on the acquisition of its life insurance business by Zurich Financial Services, and on the alliance of both groups to distribute banking and insurance products. Other work examples include advising Mutua Madrileña on corporate legal matters, particularly regarding insurance distribution networks, and advising shareholders of Caser on selling a 20% stake to MAAF Assurances.

Within Intellectual property, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

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.

Within Legal market overview,

Spain is dominated by the historical ‘Big Three’ domestic firms – Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, Garrigues and Uría Menéndez. The UK firms of Clifford Chance, Linklaters SL and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer follow closely, particularly when competing for top-end transactions, and newcomer Herbert Smith LLP has made a good first impression in the market.

Within Projects and energy, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s highly respected team acts on public infrastructure, energy and water projects. It is particularly experienced in motorways, including advising the banks involved in the C-25 Eje-Transversal expressway in Catalonia. Other areas of particular expertise include thermosolar and photovoltaic power, and the construction of hospitals, airports and fire stations. Francisco Pérez-Crespo has ‘invaluable expertise’, while Jorge Botella Carretero has ‘vast knowledge and an ability to present complex issues in a clear and straightforward way’.

Within Real estate, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

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’.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a second tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira recently advised the banks on restructuring Ferrovial’s debt. It also advised FCC Group on the club-deal financing granted to it, and acted for Hexion Speciality Chemicals on granting financing to Gas Natural and Telvent.

Within TMT, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a third tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira recently won a series of cases for Aló against Clearwire Spain. The team also advises international clients including Yell, Microsoft, Kangaroo TV and Apple on regulatory and public law. Paul Hitchings, Nicolas González-Deleito and Alejandro Negro are recommended.

Within Tax, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a first tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira enjoys ‘a strong reputation’ for tax work. It advised Enel on tax aspects of its investment in Endesa, and provided tax advice on the Medgaz subsea gas pipeline project. Barcelona-based Alejandro Escoda and Madrid-based Eduardo Ramírez are recommended.

Within Transport, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is a third tier firm,

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has a solid shipping practice, which was recently instructed by the London Maritime Arbitration to commence proceedings against West Transit AG for damages caused by a cargo of ammonium being transported to Spain from the Baltic Sea.