General counsel champions list 2025
The 50 most influential in-house lawyers in the Iberian Peninsula for 2025, according to Iberian Lawyer
by ilaria iaquinta and glória paiva
Who are the 50 most influential and standout in-house lawyers of 2025 in the Iberian Peninsula? These are professionals with a legal background who occupy strategic roles within their respective companies, underscoring the evolving scope of the in-house counsel’s role and the expansion of their areas of expertise within the business sphere.
The following is not a league table but rather an analysis of the market from Iberian Lawyer’s perspective, the result of a year of daily, comprehensive attention devoted to in-house lawyers. This diverse professional category is symbolically encapsulated here under the term “general counsel”, but in reality, it encompasses various roles and broader responsibilities entrusted to corporate lawyers (ranging from compliance and corporate affairs to privacy and sustainability). The multifaceted nature of in-house lawyers also reflects the numerous dimensions of value these professionals bring to their companies and, more broadly, to the legal services market. Therefore, assessing the in-house counsel community requires consideration of various elements, not solely the numerical data of their respective organisations. Numbers matter insofar as one has contributed to achieving them, but innovations to which one has contributed are equally significant. But what specifically makes these professionals the most influential in-house lawyers of the year?
Firstly, their popularity and prestige. The entire legal market, both internal and advisory, recognises them as rainmakers. A corporate career is no longer a Plan B for lawyers disappointed by private practice but a deliberate choice. Those pursuing this professional path hold these colleagues in high regard, viewing them as true role models for younger professionals. For business lawyers, they are the “big fish,” the clients everyone aspires to have.
Secondly, their leadership. They exemplify the managerial aspect of the in-house counsel role. Beyond legal expertise and knowledge of corporate development models, most of them manage large teams. Being a leader means guiding one’s team or company towards success. It can also mean steering the profession’s development, actively contributing to its future, and enabling colleagues to advance.
Furthermore, their track record —the major activities and achievements these professionals have successfully overseen in the past 12 months. These lawyers have worked on and continue to handle significant operations (mergers and acquisitions, listings, bond issuances, securitisations, and restructurings) that have shaped the Iberian market and continue to influence its international footprint. They have personally managed or expertly coordinated the legal aspects of these operations. These accomplishments are “invisible” to most. Working in-house also involves restructuring processes, implementing new technological tools, and effecting transformations that benefit not only legal teams but all divisions and, importantly, the group’s finances.
Finally, their career paths. A trajectory of excellence is the common thread linking the in-house lawyers listed below. Among them are those who, this year, have added a significant milestone to their career by assuming important roles within or outside their current company.
The criteria by which these professionals have been included in the Champions List 2025 are graphically represented in each profile and highlighted according to the weight they carried for inclusion in this year’s list. The list is presented in alphabetical order and by country.
