Employment: Elite | Europe

The international law firm Baker McKenzie's employment team is sought after by prominent domestic and multinational clients from the automotive, technology, pharmaceutical and retail sectors. Its elite team is particularly well placed to handle complex collective dismissal procedures and collective bargaining agreements. Subsequent collective litigation challenging the closure of plants and industrial sites are also effectively handled by Baker McKenzie. Furthermore, the team assists with whistle-blowing investigations, labour inspections and compliance audits. Complex individual dismissals, especially those of top executives, also fall within the firm's excellent service offering. Additionally, the team assists with temporary measures on behalf of international companies responding to the COVID pandemic. It harbours further expertise in the design of equality and remuneration plans. With its strong international network, Baker McKenzie is well placed to assist with local employment laws across multiple jurisdictions, benefiting Spanish companies that operate on a global scale.

Across its offices in Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, Cuatrecasas boasts an impressive employment law department. This elite practice advises on temporary collective redundancies and salary reduction programmes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The firm also handles the implementation of redundancy plans as a result of the loss of commercial contracts, as well as collective bargaining agreements. Large corporations benefit from the firm's experience designing new policies for working conditions, including in cases that are collectively contested by unions through court proceedings. Furthermore, the firm advises on M&A and restructuring-related employment mandates. Its clientele comprises domestic and international players from the finance, manufacturing, energy and retail sectors.

The Spanish law firm Garrigues is renowned for its excellence in employment mandates, often catering for a diverse clientele from the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors. The team is frequently instructed to handle large-scale collective redundancies, advising on negotiations with trade unions and local or European works councils in high-profile matters involving the closure of travel agencies, offices and manufacturing plants. Garrigues has been further involved in assisting corporates with furlough schemes. Collective bargaining agreements are often handled by the firm, as are employee restructurings, while also supporting employers in subsequent mediation or litigation where unions seek to oppose new measures. Clients also benefit from a huge team of lawyers spread across multiple offices, which enables the firm both to provide sufficient resources for major matters and to offer local expertise on smaller contentious mandates. With its prowess in defending high-value claims brought by top executives, Garrigues complements its excellent offering.

Employment boutique law firm Sagardoy is widely considered one of Spain's top addresses for comprehensive labour law advice. High-calibre domestic and international companies from the banking, healthcare, pharmaceutical and retail pharmaceutical sectors often seek the firm's assistance with complex cases. A particular strength lies in company restructurings and new collective agreements that entail complex negotiations with trade unions or works councils. Redundancies and collective dismissals are effectively handled by the team, as are collective employee transfers and transactional mandates. Sagardoy is also experienced in the drafting and implementation of new working conditions policies. Furthermore, clients benefit from the firm's prowess in handling litigation pertaining to employment status disputes.

Across its various offices in Spain, Uría Menéndez houses a highly reputed employment practice. Prominent domestic and international corporates from the transportation, banking and public sectors seek the firm's advice on collective redundancy procedures, bargaining agreements and workforce restructurings. The team is additionally well equipped to handle terminations of executives' contracts, often involving court and out-of-court negotiations. Litigation in front of the nation's highest courts also falls within Uría Menéndez's expertise. Clients likewise benefit from the firm's extensive experience in handling labour inspectorate investigations and infringement proceedings that often deal with complex questions as to the employment status of workers. Another strength is in employment law questions pertaining to M&A transactions.

The Spanish law firm Pérez-Llorca houses a renowned employment team in its office in Madrid. Major Spanish employers often seek the firm's assistance with comprehensive collective employment matters ranging from lay-offs and redundancies to collective bargaining agreements including flexibility in working hours. Furthermore, the team assists with the design and implementation of incentive and equality plans and is well versed in handling internal investigations. Clients also benefit from the firm's strength in litigation, often representing corporates against compensation claims brought by former top executives as well as collective disputes.

Ceca Magán Abogados is a boutique law firm with notable expertise in employment law mandates across Spain. The team is particularly active on collective dismissals, large lay-offs and subsequent collective bargaining agreements as well as related litigation, often in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. The handling of disputes over individual dismissals, with notable experience on both the employer and employee sides, further strengthens the firm's offering. Furthermore, the firm assists clients with workplace injury claims and labour inspections as well as the implementation of equality and incentive plans. Ceca Magán complements its offering with its strength in transactional employment mandates.

The employment team at DLA Piper assists prominent national and international corporates with often complex employment mandates in Spain. Temporary lay-offs and redundancy procedures are regularly handled by its team, often acting for well-known clients from the retail and hospitality sectors. DLA Piper is also highly active in contentious issues, with a particularly strong caseload relating to individual terminations. Defending sanctions proceedings and civil claims relating to workplace accidents and assisting with harassment investigations also fall within the firm's expertise. With its strength in labour aspects of M&A transactions and restructurings, DLA Piper complements its offering.

The international law firm Allen & Overy often assists the Spanish subsidiaries of international clients from the banking, automotive and transportation sectors with a range of ongoing and standalone employment law matters. The team is experienced in handling collective redundancies, the dismissal of senior executives and compliance procedures. Similarly, clients benefit from the firm's expertise in M&A-related employment mandates. The firm additionally handles litigation brought by former executives. Investment funds also belong to Allen & Overy's client roster, boosted by its international office network.

Due to its international presence, the law firm Deloitte Legal is well placed to handle international advisory projects requiring Spanish employment expertise. The team is experienced in handling collective dismissal procedures and temporary lay-offs as well as corporate reorganisations. Further strength lies in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, immigration matters and equality plans. The firm also assists with social security and COVID-19 vaccine mandates, in addition to employment litigation. The team also assists with the due diligence of M&A transactions. The firm's client roster comprises domestic and international players from the telecommunications, banking and hospitality sectors.