Concepción Pilar Barrio President of Spain’s Notarial Council

Concepción Pilar Barrio del Olmo, Dean of the Madrid Notarial College, has been elected as the first female president of the General Council of Notaries, a position she will hold for the next four years. Barrio succeeds José Ángel Martínez Sanchiz, who led the Council for eight years.

As the new president, Barrio will represent nearly 3,000 active notaries both nationally and internationally. She emphasizes her commitment to maintaining Spain’s system of legal security, ensuring the protection of individuals’ rights in property transactions, wills, and business formations.

Barrio also underlined the notaries’ role in addressing social challenges, such as providing legal support to vulnerable groups, improving housing access, and combating loneliness. She pledged to continue advancing the digitalization of notarial services while maintaining accessibility for citizens, even in remote areas.

Recognizing her historic role, Barrio hopes her presidency will inspire young women, stating, “It’s important for women to see that they can lead institutions or businesses without limits. When I passed my exams, women made up 30% of the notarial profession; today, in some cohorts, that number has reached 60%.”

The Council’s new leadership includes Vice President Manuel Antonio Seda Hermosín, Dean of the Andalusian Notarial College, and a diverse permanent committee representing regions across Spain.

The General Council of Notaries, comprising the deans of Spain’s 17 notarial colleges, coordinates the profession’s national functions and supports legal innovations like the recently implemented electronic notarial protocol, enhancing service efficiency and security for individuals and businesses alike.

This appointment marks a significant step toward gender equality in leadership within Spain’s legal institutions.