Mr Borja Sainz de Aja > Uría Menéndez > Madrid, Spain > Lawyer Profile

Clients highlight the ‘knowledge, work capacity, closeness and availability’ of the retail team at Uría Menéndez, which is comprised of lawyers specialised in commercial, IP, competition and regulatory law. Focused on the fashion, luxury goods, food and beverages sectors, the group is also skilled at assisting with distribution and e-commerce issues. EU and competition law specialist Patricia Vidal jointly oversees the practice with Borja Sainz de Aja, who is adept in IP, distribution and advertising matters.

Uría Menéndez has ‘a team with deep knowledge of technical matters related to new technologies‘. The firm, which counts major sports companies, retailers, and social media companies among its clients, provides a comprehensive service encompassing privacy, cybersecurity, IP, M&A, tax, competition, regulatory and employment matters. The lead partners are Pablo González-Espejo, who handles commercial and company law in the audiovisual, telecoms, media, sports and IT sectors, and ‘extraordinary professional‘ Leticia Lopez-Lapuente, who specialises in data protection. Litigator Borja Sainz de Aja is the key contact for contentious matters.

Uría Menéndez‘s IP and unfair competition practice is strong in both advisory matters and litigation, including both licensing and business transactions. The firm has a highly specialised IP practice for which patents are a key focus, particularly on behalf of clients in the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, digital food and chemical sectors. Lead partners Montiano Monteagudo in Barcelona and the Madrid-based team of Ingrid Pi, Borja Sainz de Aja and Carles Vendrell combine skills in  TMT, digital law, and IP matters, enabling the firm to advise on patents as part of large M&A transactions, as well as actions to nullify or protect patents in infringement cases. Senior associate Marcos Fraile also plays a key role in the practice.

Uría Menéndez has a four-partner IP and unfair competition practice that provides both advisory and litigation services in relation to trade marks, including licensing and business transactions. IP and IT partner Montiano Monteagudo in Barcelona and Madrid-based partners Ingrid Pi, Borja Sainz de Aja and Carles Vendrell lead the practice. ‘They advise with a degree of depth, sophistication and strategic vision‘, remarks one client, picking out Vendrell’s ‘ability to anticipate risks and concerns that could arise in the future‘. Senior associate Francisco Javier García in Barcelona frequently acts for clients in regulated industries such as pharmaceutical, tobacco, e-commerce, IoT, software, cosmetics and fashion.

Uría Menéndez is a key adviser to companies in the pharmaceutical, electronics, software, food, textile, homecare products, education and retail sectors. The copyright team, which is part of the firm’s digital law group, is known for its ‘high technical level and commitment‘ in both advisory work and litigation. Blending expertise in IP, IT and unfair competition, Montiano Monteagudo in Barcelona and Madrid-based partners Carles Vendrell, Ingrid Pi, and Borja Sainz de Aja lead the practice. Vendrell in particular has a strong focus on copyright and neighbouring rights disputes. Counsel Francisco Javier García, who frequently acts for companies in the advertising and fashion industries, is another name to note in the team.

Clients, who often come from the food and beverages, automotive, construction and healthcare sectors, turn to Uría Menéndez for its ‘large team of excellent litigators’, corporate, competition, IP and regulatory specialists. In the Madrid office Borja Sainz de Aja is the trusted adviser to national and foreign companies seeking litigation advice, Teresa Paz-Ares leads the firm’s health law practice and is skilled in transactional matters, while Patricia Vidal, who possesses a strong background in EU and competition law, is well versed in cartel proceedings. The Barcelona office is home to Jaime Calvo who brings over two decades’ experience in public law and environmental matters.