Competition/European Law | Europe

Clifford Chance has a front-running competition practice with a stellar bench advising leading clients from the sports, telecommunications and technology industries. The law firm acts at an international level on a wide range of EU and Spanish competition law matters, supported by a substantial network of offices across multiple jurisdictions. It provides expertise across the full range of competition mandates from merger filings to appealing fines before local courts and the Supreme Court for anti-competitive practices. Abuse of dominance and cartel investigations remain a key part of the firm's practice. Clifford Chance additionally advises on state aid matters.

Garrigues boasts an acclaimed competition department spread between offices in Brussels, Madrid and Barcelona. Its highly experienced team assists clients with the full range of complex contentious and non-contentious matters, including merger control, cartel and abuse of dominance investigations and appeals against CNMC decisions. The law firm handles cases that have significant implications for Spanish or European competition law. It remains a popular choice for prominent companies from diverse industries including TMT, aviation and pharmaceuticals.

Uría Menéndez has a highly acclaimed competition practice with offices in both Spain and Brussels, as well as collaborating with its highly regarded Portuguese office on pan-Iberian matters. The pre-eminent law firm provides strong expertise assisting clients with cartel investigations, from the initial dawn raids all the way to the appeals against adverse decisions by the CNMC. The team also offers expertise representing clients in damages claims and preliminary rulings. It has proven capacity to handle high-value global merger notifications in heavily consolidated sectors, including standout mandates for financial services clients. Its client roster also includes blue-chip clients from the construction and aviation sectors.

Cuatrecasas has an outstanding team spread across offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Brussels, offering clients a full service in EU and competition law. It also collaborates with its strong Portuguese team on pan-Iberian matters. Its lawyers are frequently instructed by clients to advise on cartel investigations and abuse of dominance proceedings before the CNMC, as well as subsequent appeals before the Spanish courts. The law firm is particularly visible assisting clients with both local and international merger control notifications. It is popular with clients from the construction, sports and transport sectors.

Linklaters is an international full-service firm with a solid competition department. The team has strong experience in cartel investigations, abuse of dominance proceedings and investigations into price-fixing agreements. Its expertise extends to representing clients before the European Commission and CJEU, as well as the CNMC. Linklaters is a popular choice for notable blue-chip corporates with merger control proceedings and state aid investigations at both a Spanish and EU level. The law firm services an impressive list of clients from a wide range of industries, including finance, energy and construction.

MLAB Abogados is a well-regarded boutique firm with longstanding expertise in advising clients from the Spanish market and abroad on competition law issues. The team demonstrates particular prowess in behavioural investigations and appeals against authority decisions arising from abuse of dominance cases and cartel allegations, as well as subsequent follow-on damages claims. It has additional experience assisting clients with disputes concerning gun-jumping claims.

Pérez-Llorca is a well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition law arena, earning it a higher position in the rankings this year. The team's expertise centres on obtaining antitrust clearance for significant corporate transactions, representing Spanish and multinational companies from sectors such as financial services, energy and TMT. The firm provides additional activity assisting clients with damages actions and state aid proceedings initiated by the European Commission. Key individuals assist with CJEU challenges on consumer protection legislation and other EU regulatory matters.

Allen & Overy boasts a solid competition department with a strong international practice and expertise in local competition law. The law firm possesses particular skills assisting clients with merger control proceedings before the local and EU authorities, being additionally well placed to advise on litigation and investigations, including appealing fines imposed by the CNMC. The team often acts for private equity firms and companies operating in the energy and finance sectors.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a dynamic global firm with a respected competition department in Spain. The competition team offers a solid merger control practice with experience handling the Spanish side of global transactions, including joint venture notifications. The law firm's expertise further extends to defending clients in antitrust litigation and damages claims in Spain for multinational clients, as well as behavioural investigations led by the CNMC. Freshfields handles a wide range of multi-jurisdictional mandates, often acting on cases involving Latin America, the USA and other European countries.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo has a well-regarded competition department fielding a team of experienced practitioners in this field, earning it a higher position in the rankings this year. The law firm assists domestic and international companies with an array of competition and EU matters, such as merger control issues and compliance programmes, often involving state aid or distribution agreements. Its expertise extends to damages actions and CNMC investigations. In addition to the team in Spain, the firm also benefits from a presence in Brussels for matters before the European Commission.

Baker McKenzie is an established firm with a global reach that enables the team to advise on local and cross-border merger control mandates. The team handles a variety of behavioural matters, including representing clients in CNMC investigations into alleged infringements and in subsequent Supreme Court appeals, as well as subsequent follow-on damages claims. Its expertise further extends to advising clients on competition compliance.

Herbert Smith Freehills regularly advises on the competition implications of mergers and joint venture agreements, often acting alongside its offices in other jurisdictions on multinational filings. The law firm represents clients in investigations into alleged breaches of Article 101 and 102, as well as acting for them in appeals before the Spanish and European courts. The team is a popular choice for clients from the retail, manufacturing and rail sectors.

Hogan Lovells is a respected international firm fielding a varied team comprising experts in antitrust investigations and appeals against fines. The lawyers are well positioned to advise clients from a range of sectors, particularly the transport and financial services industries, on follow-on litigation and competition compliance mandates. The team further acts on merger clearance and FDI mandates.

Climbing the rankings this year is Marimón Abogados, which is a prominent local firm with vast expertise in handling contentious competition law matters, including appeals before Spanish local courts and infringement proceedings before the CNMC. The law firm additionally advises on damage claims, distribution cases and merger control clearances. Marimón boasts coverage in both Madrid and Barcelona. Team members also offer experience advising on EU legislation.

Ramón y Cajal Abogados is a well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition arena. Its expertise particularly centres on contentious proceedings, representing clients in investigations into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, as well as in appeals before the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court and in damages claims.

CMS joins the rankings this year, leveraging its established network to assist clients with cross-border merger control mandates before the CNMC and EU competition authorities. Its practice is further bolstered by expertise in handling behavioural and contentious matters, including abuse of dominance allegations and damages claims. Its client base is composed of private equity firms and multinational companies active in sectors such as consumer goods, energy and TMT.

DLA Piper is a renowned international firm with a respected competition practice in Spain. The team undertakes cases within all areas of competition law, including competition filings for M&A or joint venture transactions. The law firm provides additional activity assisting clients with day-to-day regulatory competition advice, dawn raid policies and CNMC investigations. Its expertise extends to representing clients in follow-on damages claims and state aid cases.

Jones Day offers an experienced team with global reach and expertise in all aspects of competition law. Its activities centre on cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, as well as coordinating with colleagues across Europe and the USA in global merger control proceedings. The law firm assists local and international clients with appeals against CNMC investigations and the competition compliance of commercial agreements.

Latham & Watkins is recognised for its participation in key competition matters in the Spanish market. The team is well placed to represent clients before the CNMC in infringement cases, as well as assisting with appeals against sanctions imposed by the authority. In collaboration with its network of international offices, it also advises clients on merger clearance and foreign direct investment filings. Additionally, the firm assists clients with the antitrust compliance aspects of commercial agreements and state aid issues. Its client list comprises domestic energy players, investment managers and healthcare and telecoms companies.

MVA ASOCIADOS has a notable practice handling a wide range of competition matters advising on antitrust infringement proceedings, representing clients in cartel investigations, and on merger control matters, including phase II notifications. The law firm offers expertise in administrative appeals before the Supreme Court, as well as compliance-related mandates. It routinely assists leading clients from the technology, energy and environmental arenas with antitrust and European law mandates.