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. Advising on the Digital Markets Act remains 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 and foreign direct investment filings, 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 behavioural 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 and damages actions. 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.

Pérez-Llorca is a well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition law arena. 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 behavioural investigations initiated by the Spanish authorities and 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 and damages actions. 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 and foreign direct investment filings. 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 and gun-jumping 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. 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.

Ashurst houses a respected competition department with a strong presence in this field. The law firm provides particular expertise in competition law matters arising from M&A deals, providing activity in high-profile merger control and foreign direct investment proceedings at both a local and EU level, as well as advising clients on allegations of gun-jumping. The team handles a variety of antitrust instructions including cartel and abuse of dominance proceedings, appeals against fines and damages claims.

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 law 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.

Marimón Abogados 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, as well as acting for third parties on objections to proposed mergers. Marimón boasts coverage in both Madrid and Barcelona. Team members also offer experience advising on EU legislation.

CMS leverages 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 challenges to authority decisions.

MVA ASOCIADOS has a notable practice handling a wide range of competition matters advising on antitrust infringement proceedings, such as cartel investigations, and on merger control matters. 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.

Ramón y Cajal Abogados is a well-known local firm boasting significant involvement in the competition arena, often acting for clients from the financial services sector. 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.

rēgula is a local boutique law firm founded in early 2024 and specialising in competition matters. The law firm has already gained recognition for its particular strength in antitrust damage claims and reviews of authority decisions. It has further strength in behavioural investigations and competition law compliance mandates.