Marc Gericó analyses the arrival of Latam law firms in Spain

Many Latin American law firms have arrived in Spain in recent months. Madrid is becoming the destination for many of them. Our managing partner, Marc Gericó, after observing the market, has analysed this situation for Cinco Días.

The latest to arrive has been the Mexican law firm Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, which, as stated by its partner responsible in Spain, Iker Arriola, is not arriving to compete with the firms here, but rather to “serve as a conduit for Mexican investors seeking business opportunities in Europe”.

Before the end of 2022, other Latam law firms also landed in our country to meet the needs of European companies with operations in Latin America. This is the case, for example, of the Peruvian firm Bullard Farra Ezcurra + (BFE +); the firm Untitled Strategic Legal Consulting, also based in the British Virgin Islands and Uruguay; the Mexican firm Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa; or the Central American firm BLP.

So what about national firms with a presence in Latin America?

There are those who think about how this situation could end: what will happen to Spanish firms with a presence in Latin America, such as Garrigues, Cuatrecasas, Uría Menéndez or Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, and to international law firms with a strong presence in Spain and offices in Latin America, such as DLA Piper, Hogan Lovells, White & Case or Jones Day?

Gericó reflects on this and considers that the entry of the latter law firm in Spain should not be a problem for anyone. “Our intention is not to compete with national law firms, but rather to accompany its clients and generate new opportunities”.

He also points out that Spain will continue to attract legal business activity, given that other firms will arrive in the country in the coming months: “Family offices, who want to protect their wealth, real estate investors and Latin American corporate clients are looking to Spain, thanks to the language factor, among other reasons, as the optimal Latin American partner that facilitates entry into Europe,” he concludes.

If you want to read the full article in Cinco Días, click here.