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Garrigues celebrates 25 years in Brussels

Garrigues celebrated its 25th anniversary in Brussels with an event that saw over 150 people gather together at the Palais des Académies. European Commission Vice-President Joaquín Almunia was the guest of honor at the event, also attended by the Firm's Chairman, Antonio Garrigues, and Managing Partner Ricardo Gómez, alongside the entire Brussels-based team, headed by José Luis Buendía, the partner in charge of the office.

"These past 25 years bear witness to Garrigues unwavering and ever-present commitment to the field of EU law”, stated Antonio Garrigues, who thanked those in attendance, with numerous Firm clients among their number, for the support received and the trust placed in the Firm, going on to add, “we trust that over the next 25 years we will be able to offer services of the very highest quality in a market as competitive as that of the EU capital”.

Garrigues’ history in Brussels dates back to January 1, 1986, the date on which it became the first Spanish law firm to open a dedicated office in the Belgian capital. Its HQ is located in the Belgian capital’s European neighborhood, also home to the EU’s leading institutions and bodies.

Today, it can boast the largest presence of any Spanish practice, with a team made up of eight experts in EU and, in particular, competition law. Of particular note in this area is Garrigues' in-depth knowledge of state aid, a field in which partner José Luis Buendía is a lawyer of choice Europe-wide. Moreover, the Brussels-based professionals can boast a proven track record in internal market-related issues, EU funds (on which they have assisted various Spanish autonomous communities) and anti-dumping procedures. Throughout these years, they have also amassed significant know-how in the representation and defense of companies before the European courts. In the words of José Luis Buendía, "the team has acquired great technical expertise and renown in fast-growing areas such as state aid. Our aim is not only to continue to be Iberia’s number one law firm in Brussels, but also to expand the legal services on offer to clients from across Europe".

Elsewhere, thanks to an ever-greater overlap between EU and Spanish law, the Brussels team also makes its presence felt in a wide range of domestic engagements and collaborates actively with other Garrigues offices, contributing a multidisciplinary overview of the regulations put forward by the European institutions.