External legal counsel: brand, price or people?
How in-house teams weigh expertise, technology and the human touch when selecting the law firms that will support their business
Experts: Ursula Rodríguez Robles, head of legal for Spain and Portugal at Kiabi; María Echeverría-Torres, head of legal at Nokia; Mariana García Fernández de Mesa, general counsel for Iberia at Accor; Natália Veiga Rebelo, country legal manager at Ikea Portugal; Carlos Menor Gómez, legal director &
compliance officer at Renault Group; Javier Ramírez Iglesias, vice president and associate general counsel, regions litigation at HP and head of advocacy at ACC Europe
by glória paiva
Among the daily tasks of an in-house lawyer, one in particular has been gaining new layers of complexity: choosing the right external legal advisers. This was the topic of the round table “Choosing the right law firm: brand, price, or people” at the latest Iberian Lawyer’s Inhousecommunity Day in Madrid, held last 5th November 2025.
If in the past a simple referral or the familiarity of a “friendly name” among shortlisted firms was enough, new criteria and technological tools are now making this choice more technical and efficient. However, the participants in the debate — in-house leaders who shared valuable insights — agreed on one key point: specialisation, business understanding and the human element remain decisive.
There is broad consensus that choosing the right firm has a direct impact on the efficiency of the legal function and the success of the department itself. That was the starting point of the discussion. “We have a small team. Every good and every bad decision regarding the choice of external legal support can directly impact our work. External law firms need to be constructive, business-oriented, and provide solutions”, said Ursula Rodríguez Robles, head of legal for Spain and Portugal at Kiabi.
According to María Echeverría-Torres, head of legal at Nokia, choosing the right law firm can significantly influence outcomes in legal matters, cost management and risk mitigation. “Selecting the right law firm is a strategic decision. The right law firm can be your best ally, while selecting the wrong one can trigger misunderstandings, budget deviations, frustration and create unnecessary risks”, she said.
