Hugo Écija Bernal

Practice Areas

Hugo is the founder and executive chair of ECIJA. The most prestigious rankings and directories in the legal sector have ranked him as the best Spanish lawyer in media law and intellectual property by (Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Best of the Best).

Selected from among the top 10 Spanish lawyers at the 2017 and 2018 Expansión Awards and ranked in Band 1 in Audiovisual and Media Law for seven consecutive years by the prestigious British ‘Legal 500′ ranking, Hugo has been placed among the top 30 Spanish lawyers according to The Best of the Best.

In July 2017, he received, on behalf of ECIJA, the award for “Best Law Firm in Intellectual Property, Technology and Personal Data Law”.

For six consecutive years, the British Chambers and Partners ranking has rated him in Band 1 in Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT),

Legal Advisor to the European Commission and Advisor to the Spanish Government on the preparation of the Draft Spanish Intellectual Property Act [Ley de Propiedad Intelectual] and the new Spanish General Audiovisual Communication Act [Ley General de Comunicación Audiovisual], he has participated in the largest mergers and concentration transactions in the media sector.

In addition, Hugo is an international arbitrator of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) in matters of media, telecommunications and internet disputes.

He has served on the board of the Commercial Television Association (UTECA), as Secretary of La Sexta TV, as general secretary of Globomedia, as secretary and director of Imagina Media Audiovisual, a holding company of the Mediapro Group, and currently on the boards of various companies in the field of Media and Technology.

He holds an LLB in Law (Licentiatura en Derecho) from Madrid Autonomous University, completed research studies in comparative law and European Union law at the University of Oslo and holds a diploma in Business Studies from the University of New York and the University of Oregon, USA.