Spanish giant ties with Portuguese and South Americans in Ibero-American first

CUATRECASAS, the largest independent Spanish firm, has formed an alliance with firms in Portugal and South America, with the aim of merging to form the first Ibero-American law firm.

The other partners in the alliance are Goncalves Pereira, Castelo Branco in Portugal, Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice in Brazil, and Perez Alati, Grondona,

Benites, and Arntsen & Martinez de Hoz of Argentina.

The combined resources of the firms will total nearly 650 lawyers in 17 offices in Spain, Portugal Brazil, Argentina Belgium and Mozambique. Firms from other South American countries may be invited to join the alliance as it takes shape.

The process of merging the firms will include the creation of a company in which all firms will invest. It will provide services to common clients and global integration of the practices and their resources.

A Cuatrecasas spokeswoman says there is no fixed target date for the eventual merger of the firms.

Emilio Cuatrecasas, managing partner of Cuatrecasas, says that the practices are "joining forces to face the challenges of increasing globalisation".