Uría Menéndez (Europe)

Iberian firm Uría Menéndez has a highly respected EU Competition team in Brussels and is recognised by peers and clients as one of the leading firms for Spanish and Portuguese client work in this area in the market. The firm also benefits from its ‘best friend’ network around Europe that includes the likes of Bredin Prat, Bonelli Erede, Hengeler Mueller and Slaughter and May. 

Edurne Navaro, Jaime Folguera and Patricia Vidal are the firm’s key lawyers in the EU competition market. 

During the research period, the firm were involved in a range of national and EU level merger control cases. A case highlight saw the firm represent Liberty Media in a merger control case in relation to the acquisition of Formula 1

Uría Menéndez is a leading firm in Spain across all dispute resolution practice areas and is highly respected by clients and peers alike in the market. The firm also benefits when it comes to cross border work from its ‘best friends’ arrangement with other leading firms in Europe including the likes of Bonelli Erede, Bredin Prat, Hengeler Mueller and Slaughter and May. 

The firm has a host of notable figures in its ranks including Jesús Remón Peñalver who focuses on commercial litigation, the IP focused Agustín González, white-collar crime specialist Carlos Bueren, and competition partners Jaime Folguera, Antonio Guerra, Alfonso Gutiérrez and Edurne Navarro. 

Financial services and media are sectors that have proved happy hunting grounds for the firm during the research period. One case saw the firm represent Banco Santander/ Optimal Investment Services in relation to civil and criminal proceedings related to investments in Bernard L Madoff Investment securities. 

The competition team has advised on a number of cases before the Spanish competition authority including cases in the pharmaceutical and IT sectors. Example cases include representing Rolls-Royce in merger control proceeding before the European Commission and the Spanish authorities in a case relating to approval for the acquisition of Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP).  

Another case saw the team advise DAF trucks in a damage claims case in relation to the European trucks cartel case. A new claims damages regulation provided a challenge to the case, as the case was the first after the enactment of the new damages claim in May 2017. 

In the intellectual property space, the firm’s publishable cases involved work in relation to trade marks and patents. The firm advised Spanish broadband and telecommunication operations company Telefónica on a patent infringement matter related to TV services. Another case highlight saw the firm advise Acciona on a trade mark matter, providing advice to the utilities company on the cancelation of its trade marks.  

In the insolvency space, one highlight case saw the firm act for Global Asset Capital on a restructuring deal involving insolvency, tax and litigation aspects. 

Client feedback 

“Strong and deep knowledge of the legal issues; deliver on time and accurate work.” 

“Uría Menéndez is a different law firm. They are competent, efficient, with a high sense of professional responsibility. They manage to identify with your needs and problems, making them their own.” 

“Serious, transparent, efficient.” 

“Reliable because of their very good technical knowledge and full availability for the client.” 

“Very knowledgeable, practical approach.”  

“The law firm has supported us in several highly specialised legal fields ranging from commercial through to compliance. Highlights are their flexibility, practical and pragmatic approach, always the highest quality of advice.” 

Agustín González  

“Agustín has managed our position for many years. He is already part of our company. He knows every detail of our files and acts with certainty, speed and full knowledge. In front of the judge, he is brilliant and accurate.”  

Antonio Guerra 

“Highest quality of service, always availabe, absolutely flexible and customer oriented, precise, fast, reliable, good team spirit, and supported by a very good team.” 

“High level of expertise and knowledge, good customer orientation and flexibility.” 

Patricia Vidal 

“Always available, high quality advice.”