Europe Spain Competition/European Law

Clifford Chance has a front-running competition practice with a stellar bench advising leading clients from the aviation, telecommunication 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 filing to appealing fines before local courts and the Supreme Court for anti-competitive practices. Abuse of dominance and cartel investigations remains a key part of the firm's practice. Clifford Chance additionally advises on state aid matters.

Cuatrecasas has an outstanding team spread across offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Brussels, offering clients a full service in EU and competition law. Its strong bench of lawyers is frequently instructed by clients to advise on cartels, abuse of dominance proceedings and safeguard investigations by the CNMC, as well as subsequent appeals before the Spanish courts. The law firm is particularly visible assisting clients from the insurance, transportation and media sectors with preventative antitrust advice and the implementation of compliance programmes. The team's expertise further extends to sanction proceedings, damages claims and both local and international merger control notifications.

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 benchmark manipulation investigations, infringement proceedings and state aid cases before European courts. The law firm handles cases that have significant implications for Spanish or European competition law. Remains a popular choice for prominent companies from diverse industries including telecommunications, aviation and food and beverages.

Uría Menéndez has a highly acclaimed competition practice with offices in both Spain and Brussels. The pre-eminent law firm provides strong expertise assisting clients with cartel investigations, from dawn raids to the subsequent appeals before the CNMC and leniency applications. It has proven capacity to handle high-value global mergers in heavily consolidated sectors, including standout mandates for financial services clients. The team also offers expertise representing clients in damages claims, state aid cases and preliminary rulings before the ECJ. Its client roster includes blue-chip clients from the financial services, telecommunication and automotive 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 EC and CJEU, as well as the CNMC. Linklaters is a popular choice for notable blue-chip corporates with merger control proceedings at both a Spanish and EU level. The law firm services an impressive list of clients from a wide range of industries, including retail and construction.

MLAB Abogados is a revered boutique firm with a long-standing expertise advising clients from the Spanish market and abroad on competition law issues. The team demonstrates a particular prowess in behavioural matters such as abuse of dominance cases and cartel investigations. It has additional experience assisting clients with unfair competition claims, damage claims and infringement proceedings before the CNMC. MLAB's expertise further extends to advising clients on general regulatory strategies, as well as administrative procedures related to licensing and public service obligations.

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 investigations, including abuse of dominance allegations and appealing fines imposed by the CNMC. The team also provides experience in infringement proceedings.

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. It also boasts a strong practice in sector-related behavioural practices such as cartel investigations and abuse of dominance cases. The law firm's expertise further extends to state aid, infringement proceedings and follow-on damages claims in Spain for multinational clients. Freshfields handles a wide range of multi-jurisdictional mandates, often acting on cases involving Latin America, Canada, China and the USA.

Well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition law arena. The team's expertise centres on obtaining antitrust clearance for significant mergers and acquisitions, with additional capabilities in cartel investigations and follow-on damages claims. Provides additional activity assisting clients with state aid proceedings initiated by the European Commission. Key individuals assist with CJEU challenges on consumer protection legislation.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo is a well-regarded competition department fielding a team of experienced practitioners in this field. The law firm assists domestic and international companies with an array of competition and EU matters, such as merger control issues, cartel investigations, and compliance programmes. Its expertise extends to appealing CNMC fines, damages claims, public procurement and abuse of dominance investigations. Sectors of focus include food and drink, life sciences and retail.

Hogan Lovells is a respected international firm fielding a varied team comprising experts in sanction proceedings and cartel investigations. The lawyers are well positioned to advise clients from a range of sectors, particularly automotive, on follow-on litigation against decisions by the CNMC, leniency applications and the design and implementation of global antitrust compliance programmes. Hogan Lovells is additionally respected for its expertise representing clients in internal audits and competition-related regulatory advice.

Jones Day offers an experienced team with global reach and expertise in all aspects of competition law. Its practice activities centre on bid rigging and abuse of dominance investigations, as well as coordinating with colleagues across Europe and the US in global merger control proceedings. The law firm assists local and international clients with cartel investigations, distribution agreements and unfair competition mandates. Jones Day is also involved in advising foreign clients on antitrust compliance reviews and training.

Ramón y Cajal Abogados is a well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition arena. Its expertise centres on contentious-administrative proceedings and damages claims, with additional capabilities in abuse of dominance investigations, pricing derivatives and infringement rulings. The law firm's practice further encompasses merger control and appealing CNMC decisions.

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 merger control requirements 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 cartel investigations. Its expertise extends to risk assessments, bid-rigging investigations and improving competition compliance programmes.

Eversheds Sutherland is an established firm with global reach and strong presence in the Spanish market. The team enjoys a strong reputation for its involvement in competition law matters spanning both high-profile investigations into cartel activity and complex merger control. The law firm advises local and international companies on the competition law implications of their agreements with distributors in Spain and abroad, whilst also offering expertise on abuse of dominance cases and appealing CNMC fines before the Supreme Court.

MVA Asociados has a notable practice handling a wide range of competition matters including infringement proceedings, compliance and merger control. The law firm offers expertise in cartel investigations before the Supreme Court, as well as advising on administrative appeals. It routinely assists leading multinationals from the construction, telecoms and energy arenas with antitrust mandates.