The Legal Marcom Awards, as highlighted by Marc Gericó, Managing Partner of Gericó Associates, ‘have become an essential forum for excellence in the legal sector. What truly sets these awards apart is the rigorous selection process, led by an elite jury composed of general counsel and top legal journalists. This panel analyses each nomination with absolute independence, ensuring transparency and objectivity through debate, consensus, and the use of a legally valid electronic voting platform, thereby guaranteeing the highest prestige and credibility in recognising the best’.

In this edition, the jury awarded 27 prizes across thirteen categories for Spain and Latin America. Among the awardees were Uría Menéndez (firm with the best reputation in Spain), Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uria (firm with the best reputation in Latin America), Iñigo del Val, partner at A&O Shearman (lawyer with the best reputation in Spain), Luis Miranda, founding partner of Miranda & Amado (lawyer with the best reputation in Latin America), and Lola Conde, General Counsel of Banco Santander, who posthumously received the professional career honour award, which was accepted on her behalf by her son, Fernando Donoso.

The awards ceremony was preceded by two high-level panel discussions, featuring Eduardo García, Managing Partner of Clifford Chance, José Giménez Cervantes, Managing Partner of Linklaters, and Álvaro Iza, Managing Partner of Freshfields. Moderated by Marc Gericó and María Sol Rubio, Managing Partner and Partner at Gerico Associates, they discussed the future of business law and the adaptation to the new challenges of the market.

In this panel discussion, the three managing partners highlighted their focus on the US market. Eduardo García stated that Clifford Chance has ‘a clear focus on expansion in the United States,’ highlighting moves such as the opening of the Houston office to invest in the energy market. Álvaro Iza confirmed that Freshfields’ international strategy is also focused on this country: ‘We want to continue investing in the United States, it is an extremely attractive market for us. We continue to hire partners in key areas: in the past 5 years, we have incorporated 50 partners. It represents 50% of the global M&A market’.

Finally, José Giménez explained that for Linklaters 2024 has been a decisive year in the race to the United States: ‘In the race to the United States, we have been the ones who have thought about it the most. In 2024, we have hired a team of M&A partners from leading firms, we have incorporated a team of finance, energy, structured finance, etc. We have recruited many high-profile professionals from the American market, and just last year, we already saw a 30% increase in revenue compared to the previous year. It is the most significant strategic change we have made. However, the United States is important, but we do not want to resemble American firms; we want to maintain our philosophy’.

Subsequently, Ana Gómez, Group Corporate Director and Deputy Secretary of the Board of Directors at Amadeus IT Group; Teresa Mínguez, General Counsel at Porsche Ibérica; Asier Crespo, Legal Director for Spain and Portugal at Microsoft; and Cristina Álvarez, Head of Legal Europe at Cintra, discussed the topic “The Legal Department as a Catalyst for Business Growth,” moderated by Camilo Martínez, Managing Partner at Martinez Quintero Mendoza Gonzalez Laguado & De la Rosa.

In this panel, Ana Gómez asserted that the in-house lawyer has always been a fundamental part of business operations: “The in-house lawyer has always been regarded as a member of the executive team, both on the board of directors and within executive committees. The business team must be continually educated about ever-changing restrictions.” Meanwhile, Asier Crespo explained that at Microsoft, the legal department plays a crucial role in the creation of every product from the outset: “There’s a team of lawyers for Windows, another team for Office, and so on. This is a phenomenon being replicated across companies of all kinds, not just tech firms. Microsoft is essentially an infrastructure company—not a software company—and the ‘country risk’ factor is key.”According to Teresa Mínguez, the role of the in-house lawyer has evolved into a highly strategic function, integrating as a key member of the management committee: “Their role transcends risk management to position themselves as promoters of opportunities, especially in the context of increasing hyper-regulation. By anticipating legal changes and engaging in advocacy, in-house lawyers can significantly contribute to the development and implementation of business strategies.” Finally, Cristina Álvarez highlighted that: “The role of the lawyer has evolved significantly: we are no longer just the ‘litigators’ speaking a foreign language to the business and putting brakes on initiatives. At Cintra and Grupo Ferrovial, legal teams have fully integrated as strategic business partners. Operating in the field of concessions, lawyers play a critical role and are part of the management team, offering key insights for the development and sustainability of projects.”

Regarding artificial intelligence, Ana Gómez added: “Artificial intelligence is a revolution that is only just beginning, and its impact on the legal sector should not be perceived as a threat but as a transformative tool. I don’t believe it will replace lawyers, but it will allow less value-added tasks to be performed far more efficiently. Additionally, we must consider that younger generations are growing up in an environment where AI is part of their everyday lives, which will radically change how they use and leverage it in the future. It’s an unstoppable revolution, and as such, we must not only adapt to it but ensure its implementation in businesses is ethical and responsible. While its potential is vast, the lawyer’s role will remain irreplaceable in the more complex and strategic aspects of law.”

For his part, Asier Crespo concluded that: “Generative AI will transform multiple sectors, such as manufacturing and retail, but its impact will be particularly profound in professions where language is the primary tool. In legal departments, the challenge lies in learning to harness it effectively at a time when its development is still in its early stages. Beyond automation, AI holds enormous potential as a driver of innovation. It will change how we work, offering not just speed and efficiency but also disruptive ideas and advanced legal reasoning. This will empower lawyers, providing tools to enhance their analysis and enabling them to make final decisions with sound and well-founded judgment.”