Cuatrecasas boasts a multidisciplinary team with expertise across various aspects of Spanish and EU food law. The firm is well placed to advise on matters related to production, transportation, marketing and advertising within this sector, and earns particular recognition for its corporate M&A, litigation, IP and financial advisory work. With extensive experience in transactional, contractual and contentious matters, Alejandro Negro acts for major food companies on a wide range of issues, including IP and data protection.

Garrigues fields a large team of legal specialists with significant experience advising food industry players on M&A and private equity transactions. The firm draws on its ‘sector-specific expertise’ to further assist food conglomerates and cooperatives with contractual, labour, tax, IP, litigation and public law mandates. Miguel Ángel López Mateo, who co-heads the agribusiness department, is noted for his experience in M&A. Jose Ramón Tenor works alongside López Mateo, and is a key point of contact for several significant industry associations.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo offers cross-departmental expertise to a variety of clients operating in the food and beverage sector. Its service offering encompasses issues related to M&A, nutrition and health claims, regulation, food compliance, litigation and IP. Co-head José Luis Palma has a wealth of experience in food and administrative law and actively handles matters related to regulation, quality and animal welfare. Fellow co-leader Mónica Weimann undertakes a range of work, from M&A to advertising, and regularly advises food manufacturers and distributors on digital food marketplaces. IP specialist Sofía Martínez-Almeida has vast experience in advertising matters.

Uría Menéndez handles a plethora of matters related to the food and beverage industry. The team ‘covers all relevant legal aspects on an excellent professional level’, advising sector-related domestic and international clients on M&A, joint ventures, marketing issues, IP, distribution matters and unfair competition. Based in Barcelona, Montiano Monteagudo brings together experience in IP, contract, competition and corporate law, while Francisco Javier García is noted for his expertise in M&A, litigation and regulatory issues involving the food industry. Other noteworthy practitioners include Borja Sainz de Aja, a key contact for IP and data protection matters, and Patricia Vidal, who focuses on competition law.

Andersen acts for a variety of clients from the food sector in commercial, IP, regulatory, tax, competition and dispute resolution matters. The team also offers its national and international clients specialist advice on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) issues. Ignacio Aparicio has a wealth of experience in corporate and M&A, while José Miguel Soriano is a key adviser on food regulatory issues, particularly those related to the Food Chain Act.

The team at Baker McKenzie is a popular choice for foreign and Spanish food industry clients seeking assistance with a wide range of legal matters, including corporate transactions and IP matters. Barcelona-based Cristina Duch, whose areas of expertise include IP, unfair competition and advertising, leads the team alongside Juanjo Corral, a key contact for food companies seeking advice on M&A.

Bird & Bird offers food and beverage clients a ‘one-stop-shop’ for a wide range of legal services, including competition, intellectual property, data protection, and transactional matters. Lourdes Ayala leads the corporate and M&A department, while Antonio Cueto handles IP issues. Manuel Lobato and Mariano Santos are also experts in IP issues, with Lobato specialising in patent litigation and Santos focusing on trade mark prosecution. Santiago Lardies oversees the private equity practice.

Singled out for its extensive experience in food safety, labelling, packaging, advertising and distribution issues in the food sector, DLA Piper is noted for its wide-ranging expertise in this space. Spearheaded by Diego Ramos, the team handles a wide range of matters, including food regulation, M&A transactions, commercial agreements, trade relations, brand management, and product liability. Paula González De Castejón is a key contact for regulatory matters, while Joaquín Hervada focuses on EU and competition law.

Noted for its ‘unique experience’ in food chain law, Ramón y Cajal Abogados enjoys a strong reputation within the agri-food sector. Jointly led by Jose Ignacio Vega and Javier Salinas, the practice is well versed in regulatory matters at the Spanish and EU levels, and is a trusted adviser to prominent domestic food and beverage clients. Salinas leads oversees competition matters, receiving key support from Claudia Castillo.