Chambers and Partners has recently published the 2026 edition of its NewLaw Guide, the leading directory which, for several years, has assessed and ranked alternative legal service providers on a global scale.

In this regard, our partner, María Sol Rubio, shares her analysis and insights on this year’s results in comments provided to Cinco Días.

What began as an emerging category within the legal directories landscape has steadily evolved, incorporating new practice areas that reflect the transformation of the legal sector. These range from Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs) to Flexible Legal Staffing, Contract Lifecycle Management and Legal Transformation Consulting, among others.

This year, the guide introduces Intellectual Property Management Services and Legal Project Management specialists within law firms, as well as a new European ALSP category, which includes several Spain-based ranked firms (AMBAR, Lawyers for Projects, Abroading and Andersen Spain).

Spain is the only country with a dedicated Alternative Legal Service Providers category

One of the most noteworthy aspects of the guide’s structure is that Spain is the only country to benefit from a standalone Alternative Legal Service Providers category. While all other markets are grouped within regional or global rankings, the Spanish market has been afforded its own dedicated classification, a distinction that speaks volumes about the dynamism and maturity this segment has achieved in Spain.

The 2026 edition of the Spanish ranking confirms this trend. The number of ranked departments has increased from eight to ten firms, while the number of recognised individuals has risen from eight to twelve practitioners. Within the departmental rankings, Abroading, AMBAR, Afiens Legal Services by Auxadi and Legal Army retain their Band 1 positions, with PwC joining this band. The most significant developments occur in Band 2, where Andersen Spain and LOIS Legal Operations Institute Studies enter the rankings for the first time, broadening the range of recognised profiles and introducing operators with differentiated approaches into the directory.

At the individual level, the most notable movement is the promotion of Irma Cebrian of Abroading to Band 1. Meanwhile, Lawyers for Projects makes a strong entry with two new Band 2 ranked practitioners: Laia Moncosí Barasoain and Raquel Arenas Fradera. Teresa Forcada of FYR Legal also enters the rankings in the same band.

Globally, the most relevant development for the Spanish market comes from the Flexible Legal Staffing ranking, where AMBAR has been promoted to Band 1 worldwide, a significant achievement for a Spanish firm in a category historically dominated by Anglo-Saxon providers. In Contract Lifecycle Management, Afiens Legal Services by Auxadi consolidates its position in Global Band 3, making it one of the few Spanish operators to achieve international recognition within this category. In Legal Transformation Consulting, Ecija Abogados retains its Global Band 1 ranking and LOIS remains in Global Band 2. Eugenia Navarro of LOIS continues to be the only Spanish professional to hold an individual ranking in this category.

Latin American rankings remain disproportionately limited

In Latin America, the 2026 edition introduces two new firms to the regional Alternative Legal Service Providers ranking: AWL Consultores, a Dominican Republic-based provider operating a flexible talent model, and PredictaBill. Both additions are noteworthy as they bring greater geographical diversity to a list that had previously been limited to a single firm.

Nevertheless, the Latin American ranking remains strikingly small relative to the size and actual activity of the region’s legal market. With only two ranked departments and a single ranked individual, Latin America’s representation in the NewLaw Guide continues to fall significantly short of its true market weight. This remains an unresolved issue and stands in contrast to the growth experienced by the alternative legal services sector in markets such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Brazil.

Overall, the 2026 edition of the NewLaw Guide depicts an expanding market, with Spain leading in terms of recognition and maturity, while also demonstrating increasing internationalisation among some of its most established operators. The growth in the number of ranked firms and individuals across all categories confirms that the alternative legal services segment is no longer a novel development but has become a structural component of the legal industry.

The full Cinco Días article can be read here.