Revolving doors: key partner changes and appointments in 2024
Iberian Lawyer tracked 109 partner moves and 66 new partner appointments (plus 19 executive roles within firms) throughout 2024
by ilaria iaquinta
The 2024 has proven to be a pivotal year for the Spanish legal market, marked by significant partner movements and internal appointments, underscoring a strong commitment to talent and diversity. In total, 109 partners transitioned between firms – and, in some cases, from companies or administrative roles – with the most activity in tax, corporate/M&A/commercial, and employment sectors. Internal growth has also surged, with a 40% increase in partner appointments compared to last year. These findings are part of Iberian Lawyer’s annual market analysis, summarising news shared throughout the year on its website.
From January to 25 October 2024 (this year’s analysis covering one month less than the 2023 report), 109 partners moved firms, with 66 new partner appointments and 19 senior leadership positions also recorded. These figures draw on official communications from law firms and LinkedIn information compiled by the editorial team.
PARTNERS MOVEMENTS
In terms of movement origins, 87% of partners came from other firms, while the remaining percentage transitioned from administrative roles or companies. One example is Diego García Diego, who joined Ontier as managing partner in the Sports & Entertainment area in September after leaving RC Deportivo de la Coruña (link to news).
Regarding the gender breakdown, 33% of partners who changed roles were women. Notable examples include Yoko Takagi, who left White & Case in September to join DLA Piper as a capital markets partner (link to news); Emma Morales, who transitioned from A&O Shearman to Simmons & Simmons in July, specialising in litigation and arbitration (link to news); and Marta Núñez, who joined Pérez-Llorca as a tax partner from Deloitte Legal in April (link to news).
The most active area was tax, representing 19% of these moves. Examples include Javier Gazulla, who moved from Hogan Lovells to Gómez Acebo & Pombo (link to news), and Iván Zaldua, who joined Garrigues from Zaldúa Etxebarría (link to news). Following tax was corporate/M&A/commercial at 18%, with notable moves such as Ricardo Torres García, who left Zurbarán Abogados for Andersen in February (link to news), and Jacobo Ollero, who joined Ceca Magán from Toda & Nel-lo in March (link to news). Las áreas laboral, bancario y financiero, litigación y arbitraje, propiedad intelectual y tecnología, y competencia han registrado también significativos movimientos. Employment, banking and finance, litigation and arbitration, intellectual property and technology, and competition also saw substantial movement. In employment (10% of relocations), notable hires include Iván Gayarre, who joined Pérez-Llorca from Sagardoy Abogados (link to news), and Albert Martínez Rodríguez who joined RocaJunyent from Vàzquez Advocats (link to news). Banking and finance saw 9% of appointments, including Juan Gelabert at Baker McKenzie (link to news) and Sergio Cires at Herbert Smith Freehills (link to news). Additional sectors include litigation and arbitration (7%), intellectual property and technology (6%), competition (5%), and others (18%).
Among firms, Andersen led with the highest number of lateral hires, adding eight new partners (Beltrán Sánchez Villaamil, Paloma Angulo Pozuelo, Ricardo Torres García, Elena Esparza, Francisco Ferrandis, Alicia Sáez, José Ignacio Gelpí y Javier Toribio). Following close behind was Ecija with seven new partners.
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