The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez has ‘an incredibly deep level of expertise’, displays ‘outstanding service, efficiency and reliability’, and ‘the lawyers always bring to the table an extraordinary level of contact with regulators’. The team advised a syndicate of lenders on the €3.5bn refinancing of ONO, and advised Grupo Atento as borrower of a €235m financing facility. Other clients include CIE Automotive and Morgan Stanley, the latter having instructed the team to advise on financing to acquire Madrid gas distribution assets from Gas Natural. Practice head Sebastián Sáenz de Santa María is recommended, along with Ángel Pérez López, who is praised for his ‘professional knowledge’ and ‘constant availability’.

Within Capital markets, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’s ‘excellent’ practice is ‘one of the few to cover the whole equity and debt products spectrum’. Managing partner Luis de Carlos, who is widely well reputed, recently led advice to Bankia regarding its IPO and share listing. The team also advised on Telecinco’s €500m rights issue to finance its acquisitions of Cuatro and a 22% stake in Digital+. Other clients include Banco Santander and Iberdrola.

Within Corporate and M&A, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez is ‘excellent in all respects’. It advised seven Spanish savings banks led by Caja Madrid and Bancaja in the partial merger into the newly created Bankia. It acted for British Airways on implementing the merger with Iberia, resulting in the creation of International Airlines Group (IAG), which is listed in London and Madrid. It also advised Ente Vasco de la Energía in a cross-border transaction involving the sale of a stake in Naturgas Energía Grupo to HC Energía (EDP Group). Juan Francisco Falcón and Christian Hoedl head the team.

Within Dispute resolution , Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

The practice at Uría Menéndez has ‘excellent industry knowledge’, and ‘strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills’. It provides ‘high-level service’ and ‘good value for money’. Jesús Remón heads the department, which advises numerous big-name clients, particularly banks: these include Banco Santander, which it advised on funds affected by the Madoff fraud scandal, and BBVA, which it represented in an action challenging general banking terms and conditions. Other clients include Telefónica for antitrust advice, as well as Promociones Habitat and Novacaixagalicia.

Within EU and competition, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’ practice fields ‘very good professionals with a high level of knowledge and expertise on competition law’, and practice head Jaime Folguera is particularly well known. The firm has been defending Endesa in various infringement cases before the CNC, and is advising Roca Sanitario in appeals before the General Court against an EC decision concerning an Article 101 infringement. It is advising SC Johnson on the acquisition of Sara Lee’s insecticide business. Other clients include Caja Madrid, La Caixa, Crown Europe and Cemex.

Within Employment, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez attracts ‘the maximum possible score’ for its ‘exceptional service’. Clients include Danone, Bancaja and Scandinavian Airline System (SAS). It also acted recently for Agbar, drafting complex reports regarding collective bargaining agreements applicable to its companies in the event of transfer of undertakings. Recommended partners include practice head Ignacio García-Perrote, Mario Barros and Lourdes Martin, and the ‘indispensable’ Juan Reyes in Barcelona.

Within Environment, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’s key partners are Carlos de Miguel Perales in Madrid and Juan Antonio Loste in Barcelona. The practice is regularly instructed on matters including climate change, oil spills and other contamination. It advised an international airline on the European emissions trading scheme, and another client on the compulsory purchase of a polluted plot affected by the implementation of new railway infrastructure.

Within Insurance, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez continues to attract quality instructions, and advised on the €1.1bn strategic bancassurance alliance for non-life insurance between La Caixa and Mutua Madrileña. New clients include Caser, which instructed the firm on a private equity investment, and Línea Directa Aseguradora (LDA), for which it advised on all the legal aspects of a multi-coverage insurance policy distributed through the internet. José María Segovia and Guillermo San Pedro are the key figures.

Within Intellectual property, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’s IP group has ‘deep legal knowledge and a practical approach’. It advises across the full spectrum of IP, with recent examples including acting for a Japanese vehicle manufacturer concerning infringements of two vehicle component patents. It is advising a US research and development company that holds the IP rights for medicines for neuronal diseases, and representing a large Spanish chemicals company regarding nullity and infringement of a product utility model. Agustín González García is ‘a superb lawyer with a great approach towards client’s satisfaction’. José Massaguer and Montiano Monteagudo are also recommended.

Within Legal market overview,

The ‘Big Three’ Spanish firms – Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira; Garrigues; and Uría Menéndez – maintain their reputation for excellence. Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados is also a strong player. Other notable Spanish firms include Perez-Llorca and CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo.

Within Projects and energy, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’s key partners for projects work are Juan Ignacio González and Sebastián Sáenz de Santa María. The team advised the BBVA-led syndicate of lenders on Spanish law aspects of financing for the construction of two hospitals in Chile, including advice on the corporate guarantee granted by the Spanish holding company, Constructora San Jose. It also advised a foreign renewables client as the borrower of over €500m of long-term financing for the construction of a 100MW solar thermoelectric project. Other mandates included advising a syndicate of banks on financing a project to convert facilities in Expo Zaragoza Empresarial into a business park.

Within Real estate, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez’s ‘impressive’ team is ‘definitely top end in this area’. It advised a syndicate of banks on the second refinancing of the €650m Valdebebas development in Madrid, and on refinancing Grupo Empresarial Pinar’s €770m bank debt. Clients recommend Ignacio Albiñana and Fernando Azofra, respectively the practice heads in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as ‘excellent lawyer’ Diego Armero. Juan Antonio Pérez Rivarés is ‘accurate, pragmatic’ and ‘thinks commercially’. Valencia-based Yasser-Harbi Mustafá is commended for his ‘good expertise in planning matters’.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez is ‘very good’ in restructurings, and advised a group of banks on Reyal Urbis’ refinancing to complete a major mixed-use real estate project. It represented Morgan Stanley in Marinsa-Fadesa’s insolvency proceedings, where the client was owed €300m. Other highlights included acting for Banif in refinancing and restructuring Inmobiliaria Juan Bravo 3’s €160m debt, which was granted to enable the construction of a building in Madrid. Alberto Núñez-Lagos Burguera and Sebastián Sáenz de Santa María are recommended.

Within TMT, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez is ‘impressive, business oriented and always on time’. It covers the full spectrum of TMT, and recent work includes advising Unidad Editorial on corporate, commercial and regulatory matters, and Microsoft on cloud computing. The team also advised Gestevisión Telecinco on its merger with Prisa. ‘Crystal-clear professional’ Pablo González-Espejo García leads the practice.

Within Tax, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez has ‘a big reputation and more than exceeds all expectations’. It advised La Caixa on tax planning concerning the reorganisation of its group by transferring its banking business to Criteria CaixaCorp, and acted for Banco Santander on Qatar Holding’s investment in its Brazil-based subsidiary. Practice head Rafael Fuster is recommended along with Víctor Viana, who ‘sees the bigger picture’ and is ‘an enviable operator to have on your side’.

Within Transport, Uría Menéndez is a first tier firm,

‘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.