Lovells solves Madrid question with Cuatrecasas corporate star

Lovells has solved its Spanish problem with the recruitment of Cuatrecasas’ Madrid head of corporate Jose Maria Balana de Eguia, who will open a Madrid office for the firm.

Balana will formally resign from Cuatrecasas, Herbert Smith’s best friend next week. He and Lovells have a list of partners at top Spanish firms whom they will now try to cherry-pick in order to quickly build up a full-service office.

As revealed by The Lawyer (17 March 2003), the firm abandoned merger talks with its Spanish best friend and rated corporate boutique Albinana & Suarez De Lezo. The firm then decided the best way to plug the gap in its European network was to open a greenfield Madrid office.

Lovells and Balana declined to comment.