Ashurst's former Spanish corporate head set to leave firm

Almoguera, a leading corporate lawyer in Spain, established the UK firm’s fully-fledged domestic Spanish base in 2001 on joining as a partner from local firm Ariño y Almoguera (1 October 2001).

Before Almoguera joined Ashurst, the firm’s Madrid office was mostly focused on servicing its international clients and not domestic Spanish clients.

His client base has included international private equity groups such as Apax Partners, many of which will retain their existing ties to the firm’s London head office.

He is understood to be considering setting up a boutique after 11 years, a move that could see him return to his pre-Ashurst role running a law firm under his own name. His departure is expected at the end of February.

He headed Ashurst’s Madrid corporate team from his arrival at the firm in 2001 until December 2012, when he passed on the role to fellow partner María José Menéndez. Menéndez joined Ashurst in 2005 from Clifford Chance, where she was also a partner (29 July 2005).

Almoguera’s exit leaves the firm with two corporate partners in Madrid in the form of Menéndez and Jorge Vázquez, who was made up in 2011 (14 April 2011).