Iberian Lawyer Forty under 40 2023, the winners
The winners of the Iberian Lawyer 2023 Forty under 40 awards were announced at the ceremony gala held on Tuesday 17th of October at the Wellington Hotel in Madrid.
The award ceremony gathered numerous representatives of prestigious law firms of Spain and Portugal to recognise the most promising young lawyers and teams in the Iberian market. The awards were an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the top lawyers and teams under 40 years of age, who will lead the legal profession in the future and deserve to be recognised for their work and dedication in their respective practices.
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
The law firm can count on a remarkable number of under 40 lawyers, which despite the age, have been able to make the difference in all the areas in which they have been involved, gaining the trust of the principal players in the Iberian market.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR
Madalena Bernardes Coelho – Abreu Advogados
The lawyer is considered a talent in the Iberian legal field as proven also by her recent promotion. During the last 12 months she operated alongside the prominent companies of the market obtaining excellent results.
MARKET LEADER
Rosa Espín – Ambar Partners
The professional is co- CEO and co-founder of the firm, she is leading some of the most disruptive projects in the legal field in the Iberian market. The lawyer is capable to guide this alternative legal service provider through the affirmation in the market.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Mónica De San Román – Pérez Llorca
She is an excellent professional with a solid knowledge and experience. She has also become a role model for junior lawyers. Over the past 12 months the professional stood out for her involvement in major banking & finance deals.
TEAM OF THE YEAR ARBITRATION
Sérvulo & Associados
The dispute resolution team is formed by several under 40 lawyers able to stand out in the field, during the last year they successfully faced a series of very delicate arbitration proceedings with important companies.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR ARBITRATION
Alberto Manzanares – Ashurst
The lawyer is considered unanimously an expert in national and international arbitration proceedings. During the last year the professional consolidated even more his position in the practice adding crucial operations to his track record.
TEAM OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
KPMG Abogados
The team is composed by first profile professionals, which in the recent period have been involved in important deals with prominent financial institutions.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
Alfonso García-Freire – White & Case
The lawyer operates at the pick of the banking and finance field, he concluded crucial deals, relevant for their economic and strategic values.
TEAM OF THE YEAR CAPITAL MARKETS (DEBT & EQUITY)
KPMG Abogados
The law firm team is formed almost totally by under 40 professionals, which have been very positively recognised by the market and the competitors. During the period taken in exam the team advised very important companies in complex operations.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR CAPITAL MARKETS (DEBT & EQUITY)
Miguel Duarte Santos – SPS Advogados
The professional has distinguished himself for technical and managing skills, he gave a fundamental contribution to the growth of the practice area in the law firm having gathered new clients and two securitization operations in the last twelve months.
TEAM OF THE YEAR ENERGY
Watson Farley & Williams
The law firm team is composed by professionals capable to coordinate high level operations, they are recognised by the principal players in the sector as an excellence in the Iberian legal field as proven also by their remarkable track record.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR ENERGY
Pedro Silveira Borges – Sérvulo & Associados
The lawyer contributed to the development and the consolidation of the law firm practice; the professional participated in several complex operations advising very important names in the energy sector obtaining remarkable results.
TEAM OF THE YEAR ENERGY EU & COMPETITION
PRA – Raposo, Sá Miranda & Associados
During the period taken in exam the law firm team managed a series of complex operations alongside important entities in the market. The under 40 professionals have proven their technical skills and efficiency even in the most delicate circumstances.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR ENERGY EU & COMPETITION
Enrique Ferrer – Allen & Overy
The lawyer is an expert in administrative and judicial proceedings before Spanish and European authorities and courts earning the trust of his clients. His expertise covers various aspects of the practice area.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR FINTECH
ECIJA
The team supported the legal aspects of ambitious operations regarding important fintech companies. The lawyers have proven to be able to comfortably manage the most innovative challenges of the sector.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR FINTECH
Jessel A. Contreras – Ambar Partners
The lawyer obtained remarkable results advising in particular an influent Spanish fintech company on various aspects of the operation. The professional skills such as competence and timing were highly appreciated by the clients.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE & CONSTRUCTIONS
VdA
The lawyers of the law firm coordinated large scale infrastructure projects. They are highly regarded between the clients which appreciate their problem-solving attitude and timing.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE & CONSTRUCTIONS
Filipa Veiga Gomes – CS’Associados
The lawyer has been involved in several projects, regarding road infrastructure, water and renewable energy. During the recent period she has been advising ambitious operations both on the lender and borrower side.
TEAM OF THE YEAR INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING
Broseta Abogados
The law firm team is formed by several skilful under 40 professionals, they cover a full range of services, from the implementation of pre-insolvency mechanisms to the handling of insolvency proceedings. The team stand out in the practice for the quality of the advice.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING
Eduardo Frutos Ramírez – Kepler-Karst Law Firm
The lawyer during the last year was involved in crucial operation also for their economic value. He is esteemed by the competitors and appreciated by the clients for his multidisciplinary approach.
TEAM OF THE YEAR INSURANCE
PRA – Raposo, Sá Miranda & Associados
The law firm team is significantly active in the field of insurance litigation, the professionals during the last 12 month advised important companies regarding complicated matters, being able of successfully managing them.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR INSURANCE
Miguel Duarte Santos – SPS Advogados
The lawyer is particularly significant for the development of the Insurance Regulatory area in the law firm, augmenting the prospects in the field. During the period taken in exam he successfully coordinated valuable operations regarding insurance regulation.
TEAM OF THE YEAR IP & TMT
Travassos, Albuquerque & Associados
The law firm team is mostly formed by under 40 professionals which contributed to the practice area growth and consolidation. Due to the operations managed in the field the law firm is well recognised by the market as an excellence.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR IP & TMT
Lidia Vidal Vallmanya – Pinsent Masons
The lawyer can count on a remarkable track record, especially regarding information technology and intellectual property operations for national and international companies. She can rightfully placed among the best young lawyers in the field.
TEAM OF THE YEAR LABOUR
Simmons & Simmons
The law firm team is formed by several skilful under 40 lawyers active in the employment sector. During the period taken in exam the professionals managed operations for high profile companies from various sectors.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LABOUR
Alberto Gilarranz Gilaranz – Auren
The professional, during the period taken in exam, has taken part in significant negotiations in employment field. He has been involved in a notable negotiation regarding the collective bargaining agreement of the audiovisual sector.
TEAM OF THE YEAR LIFE SCIENCES & PHARMA
Eversheds Sutherland
The law firm team stand out in the practice for the deep knowledge of the industry, as proven by a series of operations managed with efficiency. For this and other reasons the law firm is the legal advisor of the most influential pharmaceutical companies in the Iberian market.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LIFE SCIENCES & PHARMA
Diana Abegão Pinto – SRS Legal
The professional, during the last 12 month, assisted clients developing and implementing strategies to increase garnering end-user trust to biopharma and MedTech. She proved to be very competitive in a fast-changing sector.
TEAM OF THE YEAR LITIGATION
CCA Law Firm
The law firm dispute resolution team, during the last 12 months, faced several operations with important international companies. The lawyers collected outstanding results and the recognition by the market.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LITIGATION
Luís Falcão Ramos – Eversheds Sutherland FCB
The lawyer is one of the youngest partners of the law firm, during the last year he obtained excellent results advising important financial institutions in complex operations remarkable also for their economic values.
TEAM OF THE YEAR M&A
Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
The law firm team is composed by numerous under 40 lawyers, active, during the last 12 months, in important deals in the corporate sector. The law firm operates at the pick of the market advising acquisitions deals for clients from various sectors.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR M&A
Jorge Carmona – Dentons
The lawyer has been involved in several M&A transactions of entities in various sectors, notable for the multidisciplinary of the advice provided and the complexity of the process. He is highly regarded by clients for his technical skills.
TEAM OF THE YEAR PRIVATE EQUITY
King & Wood Mallesons
The law firm team is rightfully considered a reference in the private equity transactional sector in the Iberian market. During the last months, the managed more than 25 private equity deals with an aggregate value that exceeds 3 billion.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR PRIVATE EQUITY
Carlos Blanco Morillo – Squire Patton Boggs
The lawyer is highly specialised in the sector, his track record includes important operations for their strategical and economic values. Between his clients figure international and domestic private equity funds.
TEAM OF THE YEAR PUBLIC LAW
Cerejeira Namora, Marinho Falcão
During the period taken in exam the law firm advised public institutions for several matters, the team is composed by numerous under 40 lawyers capable of managing complex operation.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR PUBLIC LAW
Carlos Tallón – Deloitte Legal
The lawyer obtained during the recent period important results affirming his position in the field. The professional advised clients from energy and fashion sectors in complex operation, showing technical skills and client-oriented mindset.
TEAM OF THE YEAR LIFE REAL ESTATE
Abreu Advogados
The law firm took part in numerous operations with national and international companies regarding real estate matters. The team is composed by very promising lawyers highly appreciated by the market for their skills.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LIFE REAL ESTATE
José Manuel Silva Nunes – CMS Portugal
The lawyer during the last year assisted very important companies in the real estate and financial sector, being able of managing complex issues. For this and other reasons the professional is considered a prominent figure in the sector.
TEAM OF THE YEAR STARTUP
EJASO
The law firm team stand out in the practice for the quality of the advice and problem-solving mentality, quality needed in such a fast-changing environment. The lawyers have managed matters with growing companies keeping to affirming themselves in the legal sector.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR STARTUP
Carlos Gerpe – FILS Legal
The professional has been involved, with a team of under 40 lawyers, in several operations regarding some of the most prominent startup companies. He distinguishes himself for the ambitious projects he took part of and the results consequently achieved.
TEAM OF THE YEAR TAX
EY
The tax law firm team, during the last twelve months, managed complex deals from the value worth tens of millions of euros. The professionals were capable to manage multidisciplinary matters always focus on the client’s needs.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR TAX
José Maria Cabral Sacadura – TELLES
The professional is well recognised in the national and international tax market having a wide experience in coordinating transactions, with a particular focus on structuring and international taxation. Recently he has been involved in several deals with a focus on efficiency and business optimisation.
TEAM OF THE YEAR WHITE COLLAR CRIME
Ayuela Jiménez
The law firm team is formed by affirmed lawyers in the field, they have gained a precious experience, making them able to manage complex cases and to consolidate their positions in the market.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR WHITE COLLAR CRIME
Juan Gonzalo Ospina – Ospina Abogados
The lawyer is highly appreciated by the clients, which can count on his vast expertise and competitivity. During the last twelve months he coordinated various cases notable for their complexity and values.
TEAM OF THE YEAR SUSTAINABILITY
Mariscal Abogados
The law firm, with a team composed entirely by under 40 professionals, advised one of the most important European entities active in the urban green mobility in its entry in the Spanish market.
BEST PRACTICE CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS
Ceca Magán Abogados
The M&A department of the law firm has concluded several transactions with teams fully composed by under 40, starting from the leading partner. The most important one was a sale of a well-known brand of spirits to a large American company active in the spirits and wine business.
BEST PRACTICE LABOUR COLLECTIVE DISMISSAL
María Royo Codesal – Maroy Legal
The founder of her firm has taken part in one of the most important labour restructuring in Spain, on the part of the large amount of employees dismissed. Their agreement was the most remunerative all around Europe.
BEST PRACTICE PROJECT FINANCE
Maria José Sousa Leite – Linklaters
The lawyer advised a lender on a project finance operation for the construction, development and operation of a portfolio of dozens of small-scale solar power plants located across Portugal.
BEST PRACTICE CRIMINAL COMPLIANCE
Diogo Santana Lopes – Diosalo
This year the young founding partner of his own firm has provided legal representation, advice, and training to entities of all sizes, including major retail, real estate, and transportation entities operating in Portugal, as well as to investment funds from several regions worldwide.
BEST PRACTICE VENTURE CAPITAL
Javier García Cueto – Ambar Partners
The lawyer, during the period taken in exam, was involved in challenging operations with important companies. He is considered by the market and competitors a trustable and competitive professional as proven by the outstanding outcomes obtained in the sector.
