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Baker & McKenzie

AVENIDA DIAGONAL, 652, EDIF D, 8TH FLOOR, 08034 BARCELONA
Tel:
Work +34 93 206 08 20
Fax:
Fax +34 93 205 49 59
Web:
www.bakernet.com
Email:
Zurich, Washington DC, Warsaw, Vienna, Valencia, Toronto , and 68 more

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Spain

Tax

Within Tax, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s most impressive team in Spain is its top-notch tax team. The firm owes much of its reputation in this sector to its head of international tax planning Luis Briones, ‘arguably the best known tax expert in Spain’. Briones replaced Maite Diez as the firm’s managing partner in January 2009. Extremely popular with several family offices of high net worth individuals, some of its most notable clients include Ponte Gadea (family office of Amancio Ortega, founder of Inditex-Zara), Torreal (family office of Juan Abelló), Grupo Coporativo Landon (family office of the Gallardo family) and Omega Capital (family office of the Koplowitz family). Rising star Rodrigo Ogea was recently promoted to partner.

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie fields an admirable banking and finance practice, which is spearheaded by Fernando de la Mata and Maria Gracia Rubio, with both ‘exceptionally well-regarded in the sector’. Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale instructed the team in connection with the financing of Pramerica, a German real estate investment company, for the acquisition and leaseback of the Nozar towers in Madrid. The practice has also advised Banco Santander, Calyon, Fortis Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Capital markets

Within Capital markets, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s sound capital markets practice is ‘up and coming’. It advised Suez Environment on its €2bn joint takeover, with La Caixa, of Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar), one of the largest public M&A transactions in Spain in 2007. ‘They are definitely one to watch’, one client commented. Other highlights include acting for Spanish listed company Campofrío Alimentación on its €1bn merger with Groupe Smithfield Holdings, a joint venture of Smithfield Foods Inc. and a number of investment funds led by Oaktree Capital Management.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie offers ‘huge experience in corporate and M&A matters’, from both of its Spanish offices, in Madrid and Barcelona. The team advised Spanish listed company Campofrío Alimentación on its €1bn merger with Group Smithfield Holdings, a joint venture of Smithfield Foods Inc. and a number of investment funds led by Oaktree Capital Management. Other highlights include advising Suez Group on its €2bn joint takeover bid, together with La Caixa, for Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar). Jorge Adell, head of the firm’s corporate team in Barcelona is regarded as an ‘excellent lawyer’. Madrid-based Enrique Carretero boasts a high profile as a corporate lawyer and is recognised as ‘a phenomenal M&A lawyer’.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s dispute resolution practice has been one of its busiest in the past couple of years. The firm recently hired criminal law expert Mar de Pedraza from Garrigues, who is now the partner in charge of the criminal law department. Both heads of department Jesus de Alfonso, in Barcelona, and José Antonio Rodriguez, in Madrid, have been regarded as ‘undoubtedly two of Spain’s heavyweight litigators’. Rodriguez led one of the team’s most high profile disputes, having represented the Kingdom of Spain, specifically a number of high ranking officials from various Ministries of the Spanish State, in claims abroad involving the ‘Forum de las Culturas Barcelona 2004’. Arbitration is also a major strength.

EU and competition

Within EU and competition, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s Madrid-based Ernesto Garcia-Trevijano and Carles Prat, based in Barcelona, head up the firm’s experienced EU and competition practice. Trevijano was most notably leading the advice to Suez Group and La Caixa on the merger control aspects of their €2bn public bid for Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar). The team also represented a number companies in the food and wine sectors, in connection with cartel investigations initiated by the Spanish Competition Authority.

Employment

Within Employment, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Widely regarded as fielding one of the most potent employment teams in the market, Baker & McKenzie earns praise for being ‘a clear leader in the area’. The practice has represented some of Spain’s most coveted clients, including Cargill España, Google and Cisco Systems. In a team of 40 fee-earners, including six partners, it is Fermin Guardiola and Alex Valls who stand out the most.

Environment

Within Environment, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s outstanding reputation in the environment sector owes much to Barcelona-based expert partner Xavier Junquera. According to one client, ‘he is extremely knowledgeable, a real expert’. Junquera led the practice’s advice to Montecinca in obtaining environmental authorizations for industrial facilities dedicated to the manufacture of synthetic pheromones. Madrid-based partner García-Trevijano is also recommended. Other clients include Holcim, one of the biggest concrete producers in Spain, and Ence, Spain’s largest producer of pulp paper.

Intellectual property

Within Intellectual property, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s outstanding IP team includes José Maria Méndez and Carles Prat, ‘two remarkable IP experts’. The practice boasts solid contentious capability in this area, with recent highlights including its advice to EMI Music on a dispute involving counterfeiting of a Beatles DVD package. Sony Pictures Entertainment also instructed the team in connection with the exploitation of Sony’s digital terrestrial television channel in Spain.

Legal market

Within Legal market ,

Many of those six firms’ most direct competitors have tried to seize the opportunity to turn the odds in their favour. Domestic firms such as Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados, Perez-Llorca, Ramòn y Cajal Abogados, Araoz & Rueda and CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo receive high praise. Barcelona-based firm Roca Junyent also deserves to be mentioned among the market leaders. Likewise, many other international firms with a presence in Spain have managed to consolidate strong local teams, while offering full service advice to most of their clients. The most worthy of note are Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper, Ashurst LLP, Lovells LLP and Bird & Bird (Spain) LLP. SJ Berwin, Jones Day and Simmons & Simmons Mochales & Palacios, despite being much smaller, also field well-respected branches in Spain.

Within Legal market ,

Bird & Bird (Spain) LLP made two major hires in 2008, with the arrival of EU and competition partner Antonio Creus from DLA Piper and Miguel Rodríguez, previously CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo’ head of IP; DLA Piper saw the arrival of corporate expert Maria Segimon, who had previously been at Spanish engineering and construction company Ferrovial, as the company’s in-house head of corporate; Lovells LLP also hired corporate partner Lucas Osorio from leading developers of transport infrastructure Cintra, where he had been the company’s general counsel; another highly publicised move was Garrigues’ hiring of João Paulo Miranda de Sousa, formerly the Director of General Affairs and External Relations at the European Trademarks Office (OHIM – the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market); Baker & McKenzie saw the departure of two of its partners, with tax expert José Luis Prada having left the firm to set up his own practice, Fornesa, Prada y Fernández Abogados, and real estate specialist Isidro del Moral having joined the Madrid office of up-and-coming Valencian firm Broseta Abogados; Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados also saw the departure of IP partner Luis Fernández-Novoa and his team, who have joined Howrey Martínez Lage, S.L.; finally, Elzaburu also saw IP partner Laura Alonso leave to join Howrey Martínez Lage, S.L..

Project finance

Within Project finance, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s admired project finance team has also been busy with a number of instructions in the renewable energy sector, mainly involving photovoltaic plants. ‘Their knowledge of the sector is quite impressive’, one client commented. The practice also advised The Royal Bank of Scotland in connection with the financing of the design, construction and operation of a number of stretches of the A-3 highway. The matter was led by partner Ernesto García-Trevijano. Constructora Hispánica and Inabensa also instructed the team in connection with the financing of the construction and operation of Hospital Costa del Sol.

Real estate

Within Real estate, tier 4

Baker & McKenzie’s real estate team suffered a huge loss in 2008, following the departure of specialist partner Isidro del Moral, who left the firm to join Broseta Abogados. Recently, the firm hired Jesus Conde, formerly a senior associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, as its new real estate partner and head of practice.

What we say worldwide

Please choose another Baker & McKenzie office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

Australia

Offices in Sydney and Melbourne

Austria

Offices in Vienna

Azerbaijan

Offices in Baku

Belgium

Offices in Brussels, Antwerp, and Brussels

Bahrain

Offices in Manama

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Munich

Egypt

Offices in Cairo

Spain

Offices in Madrid and Barcelona

France

Offices in Paris

Ghana

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Hungary

Offices in Budapest

Indonesia

Offices in Jakarta

India

Italy

Offices in Rome, Milan, and Bologna

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Kuwait

Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

London

Offices in London and London

Libya

Malaysia

Offices in Kuala Lumpur

Netherlands

Offices in Amsterdam

UK Overview

Philippines

Offices in Makati

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Russia

Offices in Moscow and St Petersburg

Sweden

Offices in Stockholm

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

South Korea

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Switzerland

Offices in Zurich and Geneva

Taiwan

Offices in Taipei

Thailand

Offices in Bangkok

Ukraine

Offices in Kiev

US

Offices in Washington DC, Palo Alto, New York, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, and Houston

Vietnam

Offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Search News and Articles

Legal Developments by:
Baker & McKenzie

  • Tax Reforms Towards the Creation of an International Financial Center in Russia

    In December 2009 the Russian Parliament adopted important changes further promoting the Russian holding companies regime. Starting from January 1, 2011 Russian holding companies will no longer be required to meet the present 500 million ruble threshold for investments made into companies qualifying as “strategic investments” to receive tax benefits.
    - Baker & McKenzie

Legal Developments in Spain

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • Antitrust Newsletter 18 (December 2009)

    Antitrust Newsletter 18 (December 2009)
    - Garrigues

  • Newsletter September 2009

    Commercial - Labour - Tax
    - Rivero & Gustafson Abogados

  • Life Sciences Overview 2008/09

    Law 29/2006 (26 July 2006) on guarantees and rational use of medicinal products and medical devices is the central regulation governing medicinal products. The law still requires development through a large number of Royal Decrees, during 2008 and 2009. Many provisions of Law 29/2006 (such as the sale by post or by telematic means of certain medicinal products) do not appear to be enforceable until such legislation is enacted. This particularly applies to rules on medical devices, which are included in Law 29/2006, but need legislation to be effectively enforced. Such specific legislation is currently being developed, including for medical prescriptions and traceability.
    - Jausas

  • Newsletter 4/2009 - López Acosta, Rivero & Gustafson

    New EC regulation on community trademark. Urgent measures in tax, financial, bankruptcy and employment matters. Amendments to the Spanish Corporation Act (LSA). New taxes approved.
    - Rivero & Gustafson Abogados

  • Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks - 2009

    What may and may not be protected and registered as a trademark?
    - Iuris Valls Abogados

  • TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED SPANISH REIT

    The Spanish Goverment has approved a Draft Bill (the "Project") introducing a new vehicle "Sociedades Anonimas Cotizadas de Inversion en el Mercado Inmobiliario" (the "SOCIMI").  The aim of this project if to boost the Spanish real estate market.
    - PEREZ-LLORCA

  • Newsletter 2009/1- López Acosta, Rivero & Gustafson

    -Derecho de participación en beneficio del autor de una obra de arte original.
    - Rivero & Gustafson Abogados

  • Financial Market Updates

    As published in the Spanish Official State Gazette on November 8, the Executive Committee of the Fund for Acquisition of Financial Assets (the “Fund”) has convened the first two auctions for the acquisition of assets for November 20 and December 11, with the following characteristics. (See attached document)
    - Garrigues

  • The pain in Spain

    The approval of the Concurso Law (Ley Concursal) in Spain on 9 July, 2003 was the realisation of a long sought-after aspiration in Spanish property law – namely the reform of the legal instruments for dealing with distressed businesses. Today, only a few years later, day-to-day practice shows that some of the old problems are resurfacing.
    - Garrigues

  • Nov. 2008 Newsletter - López Acosta, Rivero & Gustafson

    Mercantile: New secured amounts in the Deposit Guarantee Fund for Credit Institutions. Tax: Analysis of the draft law to abolish wealth tax, generalise the system of monthly VAT reimbursement and introduce other modifications to tax legislation. Employment: Decisions of the Supreme Court relating to dismissals on economic grounds
    - Rivero & Gustafson Abogados
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