Latham & Watkins LLP > Madrid, Spain > Firm Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Spain > Banking and finance Tier 2

Led by Fernando Colomina, the finance department at Latham & Watkins LLP attracts high-profile instructions from a varied client roster comprised of domestic and international financial institutions and corporations. Typical mandates for the team include high-value asset-backed and acquisition financings, project finance, and refinancings of debt. Colomina possesses significant experience in lender and borrower-side work, covering banking, finance, refinancing and restructuring matters. The latter is a specialism of Pedro de Rojas, who routinely assists companies, investors and financial institutions in leveraged deals, corporate finance and restructuring processes. Cross-border debt restructurings and investment funds-related matters are key areas of activity for Luis Sánchez.

Spain > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP, which has recently made waves in the Spanish M&A market with the hiring of dealmaker Alejandro Ortiz from Linklaters in September 2022, is prepared to handle high-end M&A on behalf of household name clients from the worlds of telecoms, energy, healthcare, private equity and infrastructure, among other sectors. The team possesses a ‘practical and complete transactional vision‘ which is ‘complemented by a strong legal knowledge of commercial, corporate and M&A matters‘. The group is jointly led by María José Descalzo, a key contact for energy and infrastructure-related deals, and Ignacio Pallarés, who excels in cross-border divestitures and acquisitions involving public and private entities. Ignacio Gómez-Sancha is adept at assisting with M&A, capital markets, takeovers and restructuring matters, while Jose Antonio Sánchez Dafos stands out for his strong track record in PE and venture capital investments in Iberia.

Spain > EU and competition Tier 2

Praised for the 'proactive, flexible and international nature of its competition team', Latham & Watkins LLP is retained by a host of national and international companies seeking legal support in merger clearances at the domestic and European level, antitrust investigations, and private enforcement actions. State aid matters and litigation are other areas of expertise for the team, which is led by José María Jiménez-Laiglesia, a key contact for financial institutions and private equity firms looking for representation before the competition authorities. A range of Spanish and international clients regularly turn to Carlos Betoret for assistance with conduct investigations. The team also draws on the support of various competition law professionals based in Brussels.

Spain > Private equity Tier 2

Noted for providing ‘a holistic service covering all potential angles in a transaction', Latham & Watkins LLP‘s Madrid-based private equity practice acts for a stellar client roster comprised of leading global investment funds, PE houses and multinational corporations. With extensive expertise in both sale and buy-side mandates, the team handles big-ticket investments in a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, real estate, technology and financial services. Department head Ignacio Pallarés, a key point of contact for several of the firm’s most significant PE clients, leverages his international experience to advise on high-end divestments and acquisitions across Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America. In addition to his solid credentials in the PE market, Jose Antonio Sánchez Dafos is a reference for venture capital deals in Iberia. Alejandro Ortiz, who joined from Linklaters in September 2022, has a proven track record in leveraged buyouts and exits.

Spain > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s restructuring and special situations practice excels in handling cases involving complex financing structures and capital market instruments. The team provides regulatory advice on business restructurings, debt refinancings, distressed M&A, and insolvency litigation; it offers guidance under Spanish, UK, and New York law, frequently collaborating with its global offices. Pedro de Rojas leads the practice, and serves as a key contact for debtors, creditors, and investors with a focus on cross-border restructurings. Other key figures include Ignacio Gómez-Sancha, who specialises in high-value restructurings and special situations, Óscar Franco, an expert in insolvency disputes, and Fernando Colomina, whose wide-ranging practice spans banking, finance, and restructuring transactions.

Spain > Tax Tier 2

The tax practice at Latham & Watkins LLP advises across a range of transactional tax issues, including those arising from M&A transactions, capital markets offerings, structured finance, as well as banking and restructuring matters. The team is particularly well positioned to assist with international mandates, frequently collaborating with the firm’s offices in the US, London, and continental Europe. Jordi Domínguez - a key point of call for sponsors, financial institutions, and multinational corporates for cross-border tax issues - co-leads the team with Iván Rabanillo, who is triple-qualified in Spain, Brazil, and New York, and focuses on the structuring of high-end M&A, private equity and financing transactions. Associate Blanca Vázquez de Castro is also noted for her expertise in the real estate, telecoms, and financial services industries.

Spain > Capital markets: Equity Tier 3

Spain > Real estate and construction Tier 3

With corporate finance partner Rafael Molina at the helm, the real estate group at Latham & Watkins LLP offers expertise in corporate real estate matters, attracting instructions from a host of investment funds, international investors and financial institutions. Key support is provided by Veronika Miskovichova, who has a wealth of experience in real estate M&A, including NPL and REO portfolio deals. According to clients, the duo is ‘a perfect tandem to bring any real estate transaction to a successful conclusion’.

Spain > Dispute resolution Tier 5

Latham & Watkins LLP represents clients in all types of commercial disputes, including private equity, investment funds, and restructuring and insolvency-related litigation. It is also adept at handling arbitration matters, advising on breach of service and share purchase agreements. The team, which is led by Óscar Franco, has secured instructions from a wide range of international clients that include private equity houses, funds, and corporates. Also of note, Roberto Muñoz handles business-critical matters, frequently appearing before Spanish courts and various institutional arbitration venues, such as the ICC, CIMA, and SCC.

Latin America: International firms > Corporate and M&A

Latham & Watkins LLP has a highly integrated Latin America practice with many team members crossing various disciplines at the same time as having high levels of core specialisation. Over the years, it has advanced to the forefront of energy and infrastructure transactions in the region, which now includes growth areas such as renewables and energy transition. While it has historically focused on investments going into Latin America, it is now increasingly active in cross-border transactions into North America by businesses in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and other jurisdictions. Moreover, it is leveraging its status as a leader in start-ups and emerging companies to target this sector in Latin America; it advised Avenir Growth Capital on its $111m Series B funding of Chile-based Xepelin, a provider of B2B payments and financial services for SMBs in Latin America. New York partner Antonio Del Pino, global chair of the Latin America practice, has an outstanding record in M&A and private equity transactions. Madrid’s Ignacio Pallarés has a long history of representing Spanish corporates in their investments in Latin America. Washington DC’s Carlos Ardila, a Colombian native, was promoted to partner in January 2023; he has impressive experience in corporate transactions and financings. Dual-qualified (Argentina/New York) associate Francisco J Lanusse is one-to-watch.