Euro Elite 2024: Iberia – Out the other side

Euro Elite 2024: Iberia – Out the other side

It first appeared that cautious optimism would characterise the Iberian legal market in 2023 but no-one predicted quite how turbulent the year would turn out to be. Rising interest rates, mounting geopolitical tensions in Europe, and a risk-averse investment environment created arduous conditions for deal-making across the continent. Portugal and Spain were no exception.

In 2022, both countries exhibited signs of a robust recovery following the relaxation of pandemic restrictions and a surge in investment in the infrastructure and energy sectors. The year that followed proved to be more challenging. ‘2023 was not the year for M&A,’ says Paula Gomes Freire, managing partner of VdA. Continue reading “Euro Elite 2024: Iberia – Out the other side”

Euro Elite 2023: Iberia – Back on track

Euro Elite 2023: Iberia – Back on track

The past three years have been nothing but challenging for Portugal and Spain. The neighbours, whose economies are hugely reliant on the hospitality and tourism sectors, were hit hard by the series of lockdowns imposed to battle soaring rates of Covid-19 infection in 2020. But fast forward to 2023, and the outlook has shifted significantly.

Emerging from what could understatedly be described as a turbulent period in 2020, with a 10.8% economic downturn, the Spanish legal sector has successfully regained its footing and competitive outlook. While the pandemic made economic constriction inevitable, it has also heralded an opportunity for significant year-on-year growth. Continue reading “Euro Elite 2023: Iberia – Back on track”

Sponsored briefing: Looking ahead: What does 2023 hold for Portugal?

Sponsored briefing: Looking ahead: What does 2023 hold for Portugal?

In past years, Portugal was on the radar for all the wrong reasons, primarily due to the accrued debt problem, but also due to the consequences of the lack of structural projects or investment. Now things seem to have changed and 2023 looks like a promising year.

Not only is Portugal the furthest European country from the war in Ukraine, but it is also one of the countries least impacted by that war, as it does not depend materially on Russian gas and has other sources of supply. As a consequence, energy prices have not climbed as much as in the rest of Europe and Portugal seems to be one place where energy prices will be more attractive in the future. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Looking ahead: What does 2023 hold for Portugal?”

Sponsored briefing: Q&A with Nuno Galvão Teles, managing partner of Morais Leitão

What do you see as the main points that identify Morais Leitão as a leading firm in the Portuguese legal market?

One of our key points of recognition has always been the innovation in legal advisory and the significance of being a full-service firm. We regularly advise across many areas and sectors and take on multidisciplinary projects, thus establishing future trends and models while covering all grounds. The main challenge in our very competitive market, with new entrants and a geographical disadvantage, is to continue providing in-depth legal advice while remaining economically sustainable. In order for this kind of approach to be effective, we privilege internal innovation. From project and knowledge management to legal tech, from legal design to AI, we pioneer an innovative approach to procedures and content that produces real benefits for the client, both in terms of the output and of the process that leads to it. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Q&A with Nuno Galvão Teles, managing partner of Morais Leitão”

Iberia focus: New world order

Iberia focus:  New world order

The past three years have been nothing but challenging for Portugal and Spain. The neighbours, whose economic and social development are hugely reliant on the hospitality and tourism sectors, were hit hard by the series of government-mandated lockdowns imposed to battle soaring rates of infection in 2020. But fast forward to 2022, and the outlook has shifted dramatically.

Emerging from what could understatedly be described as a turbulent period in 2020, with a 10.8% economic downturn, the Spanish legal sector has successfully regained its footing and competitive outlook. While the pandemic meant a constriction of the economy was inevitable, it ultimately provided an opportunity for significant year-on-year growth.
Continue reading “Iberia focus: New world order”

Sponsored briefing: How the Climate Law may change the Portuguese economy

Sponsored briefing: How the Climate Law may change the Portuguese economy

Recently, Portugal took another important step to consolidate its commitment to fighting climate change, previously made in the Paris Agreement, by the publication on 31 December 2021 of the new Framework Law on the Climate (Law 98/2021 of 31 December), which establishes the guiding principles of climate policy and governance. It also introduces targets and provides for mechanisms to combat climate change, to decarbonise the economy and to achieve sustainable development.

The Framework Law on the Climate is a comprehensive and programme-based law that focuses on various sectors, including the energy industry, construction, agriculture and fisheries. It also addresses financial assets and green taxation. The assumption of an integrated vision of the different sectors of the economy as a fundamental vector to mitigate and adapt to climate change is the realisation of one of the structuring principles of public policy on the environment – the principle of transversality and integration. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: How the Climate Law may change the Portuguese economy”

Iberia focus: Banking on Success

Iberia focus: Banking on Success

Announced more than a year ago, the largest merger in the Spanish banking sector for some time became a reality in early 2021. The Spanish competition authority cleared CaixaBank’s acquisition of state-owned financial entity Bankia – which was bailed out during the country’s banking crisis in 2012 – at Phase I, subject to conditions. This transaction is a merger between the third and the fourth largest banks in Spain, with €623.8bn in assets.

The new entity is expected to dominate the Spanish market, especially in retail banking. As executive chair José Ignacio Goirigolzarri said when the deal was confirmed: ‘The merger between CaixaBank and Bankia marks a milestone in the history of the Spanish financial system. We face this challenge from a position of strength that allows us to be an active part of the solution to the current crisis, as well as to become an important stakeholder for the socio-economic recovery of our country’. Continue reading “Iberia focus: Banking on Success”

Letter from Iberia – Despite global meltdown, local lawyers remain upbeat

Letter from Iberia – Despite global meltdown, local lawyers remain upbeat

For most, May 2019 will feel like a lifetime ago, and Iberia is little different. When Legal Business last visited its legal market, the major talking point was the impact of highly-regarded dealmaker Juan Picón’s move from DLA Piper to Latham & Watkins the year before.

Less than 12 months later on 14 March 2020, the Spanish government imposed a national lockdown in response to the Covid-19 crisis. On 29 March, it was announced that, beginning the following day, all non-essential workers were ordered to remain at home for the next 14 days. It quickly became the case that Spain became one of Europe’s worst-affected countries, being the second country after Russia to record half a million cases of the disease. Continue reading “Letter from Iberia – Despite global meltdown, local lawyers remain upbeat”

Letter from Iberia – Despite turbulent politics, Madrid lawyers sustain bullish mood

Letter from Iberia – Despite turbulent politics, Madrid lawyers sustain bullish mood

In spring 2018, Legal Business found the Madrid legal elite still recovering from a jolt that unsettled the local establishment. As one of the best-regarded deal makers in Spain, Juan Picón had at the end of 2017 given up his role as DLA Piper senior partner to join Latham & Watkins as Madrid head and Latin America co-chair.

Off the back of three consecutive years of GDP growth above 3% and mounting interest from international investors, Spain had been moving back onto the radar of leading international firms – the list of those stepping up investment in the country going well beyond the US giant to range as wide as Allen & Overy (A&O) to Fieldfisher. Some believed signs of renewed investment would shake up the staid local talent market and bring fresh challenges to the elite independents – Uría Menéndez, Garrigues and Cuatrecasas. Continue reading “Letter from Iberia – Despite turbulent politics, Madrid lawyers sustain bullish mood”

Iberia: Off the Richter scale

Iberia: Off the Richter scale

‘An earthquake’; ‘very shocking’; ‘difficult to understand’; ‘one of the most relevant moves in the market over the last few years’: if you want members of the Spanish legal elite to come up with the most melodramatic expressions they can find, mention Juan Picón and Latham & Watkins.

You can easily see why. The news in November that DLA Piper’s senior partner and global co-chair was joining the US giant as Spain managing partner alongside fellow DLA corporate partners Ignacio Gómez-Sancha and José Antonio Sánchez-Dafos put Spain in the headlines of the global legal press. That does not happen every week. Continue reading “Iberia: Off the Richter scale”