Pérez-Llorca > Madrid, Spain > Firm Profile

Pérez-Llorca > The Legal 500 Rankings

Spain > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Dispute resolution is a core strength for Pérez-Llorca, which balances a busy practice covering litigation and arbitration. In the former, antitrust damages litigation is a notable area of focus, as are construction and energy-related cases. The firm is also well versed in cases before the European Court of Justice (ECJ), where public and EU law specialist Juan Manuel Rodríguez Cárcamo has particular expertise representing banking-sector clients. The firm has steadily expanded its team in recent years; partner-level hires during 2020 included Jordi Gras, who joined the Barcelona office from EY Abogados in June of that year, and Ignacio Santabaya from Jones Day and Julio Parrilla from Dentons, who both joined in September. Also joining from Dentons in September 2020 was counsel Arancha Barandiarán, who has developed a strong practice in real estate and commercial litigation. The highly experienced Félix Montero leads the team, which also includes Beatriz García, who has vast experience in civil and administrative courts and arbitration proceedings, Guillermina Ester, Javier García Marrero, a partner since 2020, and Laura Ruiz, who was promoted to partner in 2021.

Spain > Insurance Tier 1

Pérez-Llorca quickly established an impressive insurance practice with the hire of highly regarded insurance expert Joaquín Ruiz Echauri from Hogan Lovells International LLP in September 2020. This was quickly followed by the hire of counsel Rafael Fernández from Swiss Re in October 2020. The dedicated insurance department also grew at the associate level, with Fátima Eizaguirre Carrancio, Jesús Almarcha and Juan Pablo Nieto among the recent hires. The firm balances a varied practice, covering litigation, corporate and regulatory matters, with particular expertise in warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance. On the contentious side, the team has recently been busy assisting in loss-of-profits claims arising from Covid-19, among other matters.

Spain > Public law Tier 1

Juan Manuel Rodríguez Cárcamo steers the public law practice at Pérez-Llorca; he is well known for his expertise advising on the gamut of matters in this field, including public procurement, project finance, transport and infrastructure matters, as well as litigation in both EU and national courts. He is closely supported by Elena Veleiro, who is experienced in public procurement, and has also represented several public entities in litigation arising from administrative contracts and asset liability claims. Natalia Olmos, who was promoted to partner in January 2021, is another name to note.

Spain > Real estate and construction Tier 1

The team at Pérez-Llorca continues to be a dominant force in the practice area, providing a one-stop-shop to assist major international investors, developers, banks and non-banks on the entire real estate cycle. Led by real estate financing expert Jesús Varela and planning specialist Alberto Ibort Franch in Madrid, the group’s full service extends to NPL portfolio trades, fund formation, joint ventures, asset deals and share deals. In addition, Fausto Romero-Miura brings to the team over 20 years of fund advising experience; Javier Muñoz provides expertise on the refurbishment of real estate assets; and Alejandro Osma provides commercial transaction expertise. The team’s client portfolio includes Banco Sabadell and CBRE Global Investors, and covers the residential, telecoms, education and hospitality sectors. Adriana Martín was promoted to counsel in January 2022. The department was further strengthened in March 2022 with the hire of Raquel Blanco from Linklaters.

Spain > Banking and finance Tier 2

The multidisciplinary group at Pérez-Llorca acts in banking, finance, direct lending and private credit matters for its international client list, which includes a notable range of major banks. Practice head Ander Valverde is a highly regarded all-rounder in the Spanish market and is dual qualified in Spain and New York. Having set up the firm’s London office and spent five years there, Fernando Quicios continues to act for London-based clients with interests in the Spanish market. Ildefonso Arenas and Mónica de San Román are up-and-coming partners to note. The department was further strengthened by the arrival of Josefina García Pedroviejo in February 2022 to lead the firm's financial services practice.

Spain > Capital markets: Debt Tier 2

Pérez-Llorca's debt capital markets work is led by Carlos Pérez Dávila, who brings considerable experience in international transactions from both the legal and investor perspectives, having previously worked at J.P. Morgan in London. The practice assists clients with debt and securitisation transactions involving the issuance and registration of commercial paper and bonds in both the Spanish market and internationally, and also handles a range of other debt products. Senior associate Antonio Arenas joined from Allen & Overy in September 2020, adding further focus on the debt side.

Spain > Capital markets: Equity Tier 2

Pérez-Llorca‘s burgeoning capital markets practice has, on the equity side, traditionally been focused on advising top investors and shareholders, but has recently advised on the issuer side on Capital Energy’s IPO and DIA’s share capital increase. The capital markets and corporate law teams are well integrated, with Julio Lujambio in Madrid co-leading alongside Javier Gómez, who relocated to the New York office in February 2021. Pedro Fernández is also frequently involved in equity transactions.

Spain > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

In addition to its Madrid offices, local independent firm Pérez-Llorca is present in Barcelona, New York and London; its corporate and M&A offering is fronted by Javier Carvajal, a veteran who has advised on numerous takeover bids, joint ventures and cross-border M&A transactions. Senior partner Pedro Pérez-Llorca has played a role in some of the market’s largest deals throughout his illustrious 25-year career, and the team also includes Alfredo Lafita, a practitioner with a focus on M&A, shareholder and purchase agreements, corporate governance mandates, joint ventures and restructurings. At the more junior end of the partnership spectrum, Carmen Reyna acts for both domestic and international clients, guiding them at all stages of the transactional process, from letters of intent to resulting shareholders’ agreements. In a recent development, corporate and commercial law expert Nasif Hamed was promoted to partner in January 2022.

Spain > Employment Tier 2

Complex workforce restructurings, labour litigation and day-to-day advice are all areas of strength for Pérez-Llorca‘s employment department. The team acts for household name multinationals, and also has a significant domestic client base, with blue chip companies looking to the practice for sensitive senior executive dismissals and union negotiations, among other issues. Practice head Luis Enrique Fernández Pallarés is an experienced advisor and representative before all court levels in Spain, and has particularly strong clients in the banking sphere. Laura Pérez is an up-and-coming force in employment litigation, and Daniel Cifuentes is especially strong in pre-litigation counselling. 2020 partner appointment Isabel Moya is a further key contact, and the team was strengthened in 2021 by the additions of Gloria Pérez de Moya and Marta Iranzo at counsel and of counsel, respectively. Of counsel and professor of employment and social security law Yolanda Valdeolivas joined the firm in early 2022.

Spain > Environment Tier 2

Pérez-Llorca‘s highly experienced environment and climate change group balances a busy and varied practice, and acts for companies in the utilities, oil and gas, financial services and transport sectors, among others. The firm’s well-established strengths in corporate and M&A and projects ensure a steady stream of transactional work, with the firm’s environmental experts regularly called on for advice on connected environmental liabilities and environmental insurance. Practice head Alberto Ibort Franch stands out for his work in waste management, soil contamination and environmental impact declarations and permits for land projects. Senior associates José Del Saz-Orozco, Marta Velasco and Paz Pardo and associate Beatriz Álvarez are also regularly involved in the department’s major mandates.

Spain > EU and competition Tier 2

Spanish full-service firm Pérez-Llorca further reinforced its already impressive Madrid-based EU law practice in 2021 with the arrival of partner Pablo Figueroa, former practice head at Garrido Abogados. With over 20 years of experience in the field, covering anti-competitive agreements, merger control and antitrust litigation, he joins the department currently co-headed by EU litigation expert Juan Rodríguez Cárcamo and Juan Jiménez-Laiglesia, whose practice encompasses merger control cases, cartel investigations and acquisitions. Key support comes from Jaime de Blas (promoted to partner in January 2021) and associate Ana María Rodríguez. Additionally, the firm hired Sonsoles Centeno, a state lawyer on leave of absence, as partner to head the new Brussels office, scheduled to open in 2022.

Spain > Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences Tier 2

The healthcare and life sciences group at Pérez-Llorca was notably reinforced in September 2021 with the arrival of partner Eduardo Castillo and senior associates Álvaro de Castro and Joaquín Rovira from Gómez-Acebo & Pombo. They bring a wealth of expertise in pharmaceutical patent litigation to the practice, which is led by public law expert Juan Manuel Rodríguez Cárcamo and has experience advising on M&A and regulatory mandates in the sector.

Spain > Private equity Tier 2

Leveraging its presence in Madrid, Barcelona, New York and London, Pérez-Llorca is geared to handle all stages of significant private equity transactions; its lawyers support on fundraising, transaction structuring, due diligence and shareholders’ agreements, among other matters, and excel across the full array of transaction types, including competitive tender, public-to-private, LBO, MBO, MBI and divestment deals. Pablo González Mosqueira leads the practice, which counts hedge, private equity, real estate and investment funds among its clients, in addition to investment funds involved in distressed deals.

Spain > Projects and energy Tier 2

Ander Valverde, who specialises in project finance, regulatory expert Ana Cremades and Javier Carvajal, who has a focus on corporate and M&A, head the projects and energy department at Spanish full-service firm Pérez-Llorca. Well known for its expertise in project finance and the financing of renewable projects, the practice also shows prowess handling transactional, regulatory and litigation-related mandates. Mónica de San Román, appointed partner in 2021, brings in additional experience on the finance side.

Spain > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

Clients of Pérez-Llorca‘s restructuring and insolvency departments include debtors, national and international financial institutions, investment and private equity funds and commercial creditors. It has an especially strong insolvency offering, with its advice to Caixabank on the insolvency proceedings of the companies of the Isolux Group being a recent highlight. This was led by the main contact for insolvency matters, Javier García Marrero. Juan Oñate is the name to note on the restructuring side. In recent developments, Cosme Colmenero was promoted to partner in January 2022.

Spain > Tax Tier 2

Under the leadership of Clara Jiménez, Pérez-Llorca has established one of the foremost tax practices among Spanish domestic firms, acting in litigation, audits and strategic planning, while also building its presence in cross-border transactions. Recently, the team has attracted a number of new real estate clients as well as European financial institutions, and the key tax contact in Barcelona, Norma Peña i Bagés has established a strong client roster in the banking and finance space. Other contacts to note include José Suárez, who specialises in different types of proceedings before the tax authorities, and José Ramón Vizcaíno, who added his 18 years of international corporate tax experience when he joined from Dentons in July 2020.

Spain > White-collar crime Tier 2

The white-collar crime and investigations team at Pérez-Llorca takes a multidisciplinary approach to advise international corporates, law firms, insurance companies, investment funds and sovereign states, on a wide spectrum of issues across the practice area. Such matters include tax evasion, corruption, extradition, environmental crime, fraudulent conveyance, and surrender warrants. Headed by criminal litigation specialist Adriana De Buerba, the group’s client base spans the manufacturing, security, infrastructure, government, construction materials, retail and telecoms sectors. The team is supported by corporate internal investigation specialist Juan Palomino, counsel Jorge Walser and Mayte Requejo, who joined as of counsel in January 2021.

Spain > Industry focus: TMT Tier 3

Counsel and technology expert Andy Ramos Gil De La Haza steers the department at Pérez-Llorca, which has good knowledge of all regulatory aspects affecting the activity of both public and private technology companies, and telecoms and media service providers. Associate Andrea Sánchez brings in key support to the practice. Since publication, Raúl Rubio joined the firm.

Spain > Intellectual property: Copyright Tier 4

The intellectual property and information technology team at Pérez-Llorca takes a multidisciplinary approach to assist major multinational corporates on a diverse array of copyright issues across the practice area. Such matters include image rights, trade secrets, software development agreements, distribution agreement negotiations, rights acquisition, and analysis of potential liability and regulatory compliance. The group is led by technology and intangible assets expert Andy Ramos Gil De La Haza (who made partner in January 2022) and new IP head Eduardo Castillo, who joined in September 2021. They are backed by associate and data protection advisor Andrea Sánchez. In a further development in January 2022, the firm hired Rais Amils, further expanding the team's IP and IT capabilities.

Spain > Data privacy and data protection

Spain > Intellectual property: patents

Spain > Intellectual property: Trade marks