Alfonso Lamadrid is the head of the firm's Brussels office and a member of our EU & Competition practice.
He holds a Law Degree from San Pablo CEU University, an LL.M. from the College of Europe and an LL.M. from Harvard University.
He has extensive experience in relation to competition investigations, litigation before EU Courts, strategic advice, compliance programs, merger control and the application of State aid rules across a wide variety of sectors. He has participated in some of the most important international competition law cases. He is recognized by all major legal directories as one of the most prominent lawyers in his practice internationally.
Alfonso is professor at the College of Europe (Bruges), visiting professor at the Brussels School of Competition (Brussels) and codirector of the EU and Spanish Competition Law Course at the IEB (Madrid) and has lectured at several national and international universities and institutions.
Alfonso is a member of the Madrid Bar Association, the Brussels Bar Association (List E) and the Spanish Antitrust Association.
Alfonso Lamadrid joined Garrigues in 2007 and has been a partner since 2019.
He has extensive experience in all areas of competition law. He has represented clients in close to a hundred cases before the EU Courts, and has participated in some of the most relevant international competition law proceedings, including, among others:
- Representing Alphabet and Google before the General Court of the European Union and the Court of Justice of the EU in the annulment and appeal proceedings concerning the European Commission's decision in the Google Android case, which imposed the largest fine in the history of EU competition law.
- Representing CCIA (Computer and Communications Industry Association) before the Court of Justice of the EU in the appeal proceedings in the Google Shopping case.
- Representing Banco Santander, AXA, Prosegur and World Duty Free before the EU Courts in legal proceedings concerning European Commission decisions on State aid (financial goodwill saga).
- Representing more than 40 investors in proceedings before the EU Courts concerning the annulment of the European Commission's decision ordering the recovery of state aid granted under the Spanish “tax lease” regime.
- Representing Abengoa before the European Commission in an investigation and settlement procedure in relation to the Ethanol Benchmarks case.
- Representing Cementos Portland Valderrivas before the European Commission and before the General Court of the EU in the framework of an investigation in the EU cement sector and in court proceedings relating to requests for information.
- Representing Cellnex Telecom and other applicants, private and public administrations, in proceedings before the General Court and the Court of Justice of the EU in State aid matters.
- Representing PACT (Producers Association for Cinema and Television), the association of British film producers, in the European Commission's investigation into geoblocking clauses in agreements between the major Hollywood studios and Sky UK (Pay TV - Hollywod Studios).
- Representing the European Commission before the General Court and the Court of Justice of the EU in various proceedings concerning the Commission's decision sanctioning a cartel in relation to the marketing of prestressed steel.
- Representing Cisco Systems in its action for annulment of the European Commission's decision authorizing Microsoft's acquisition of Skype.
- Representing Google in various proceedings brought by national competition authorities in the EU.
Alfonso also regularly provides competition advice to a number of large multinationals.
Alfonso speaks Spanish, English and French.
- Master in Law (LL.M.), Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (2010).
- Master in Law (LL.M.), College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium (2007).
- Degree in Law and European Community Law, Universidad San Pablo CEU (Valedictorian) (2006).
Alfonso is Professor at the College of Europe (Bruges), Visiting professor at the Brussels School of Competition (Brussels) and codirector of the EU and Spanish Competition Law Course at the Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles (Madrid).
He has lectured at several national and international universities and institutions, including Harvard Law School, the European University Institute, the Academy of European Law, the London School of Economics, the Global Competition Law Centre, the European Association of Competition Law Judges and the Spanish Antitrust Association, among others. He has also trained competition enforcers from China, Japan, India, Korea, Spain, ASEAN countries and the EFTA Surveillance Authority.
- Madrid Bar Association.
- Brussels Bar Association (List E).
- Spanish Antitrust Association.
- Chambers & Partners 2023
Competition EU; Competition/European Law: State aid; Competition: Spain.
According to his clients:
“Alfonso Lamadrid treats each case as if it was his own company that he represents and understands the business complexities underlying each step we take”; “He is very knowledgeable of the law and jurisprudence, sharp in formulating arguments, creative, an inclusive team player and a joy to work with.” (Chambers, 2023).
“one of the brightest lawyers of his generation (…) clients enthuse that Lamadrid “thinks strategically, is smart, empathetic and understands the business.” (Chambers, 2019).
“a dream lawyer in that he combines technical skills of the highest level and absolutely outstanding public relationship skills” (Chambers, 2018).
“widely regarded as the rising star in EU competition law” with “outstanding experience in court appeals” (Chambers, 2017).
- Legal 500 2022
EU and Global. Next Generation Partner (since 2018).
According to interviewees, “Alfonso Lamadrid is one of the rising stars in EU competition law” (Legal 500, 2022). - Who’s Who Legal 2023
Global Leader: Competition, Global Leader: State aid; Global Thought Leader
Recent awards:
- “Lawyer of the Year – Under 40”, Global Competition Review, 2019 (finalist in 2022).
- “Client Choice Award”, Competition Law, Belgium, 2021 and 2022.
- “40 under 40” list of top competition lawyers worldwide, Global Competition Review, 2020.
- “EU Competition Procedure from the perspective of an outside counsel”. Regulation 1/2003 and EU Antitrust Enforcement: A Systematic Guide. Kluwer. 2022.
- “State aid’s stress test”. EU Law Live. 2022.
- EU Competition Procedure (Chapters 3, 7, 10 and 12). Oxford University Press. 2021.
- "Why the Proposed DMA Might be Illegal Under Article 11 TFEU, And How to Fix It". Journal of European Competition Law and Practice 12(7). 2021.
- “A Moment of Truth for the EU: A Proposal for a State Aid Solidarity Fund". Journal of European Competition Law and Practice 11(1-2). 2020.
- “Shortcuts and Courts in the era of Digitization”. Competition Policy International Antitrust Chronicle. 2019.
- “Competition Law at a Crossroads”. The Lawyer. 2019.
- “Case T-289/03: BUPA, The Illusion of Flexibility that Confirmed Altmark”. Milestones in State Aid Case Law, EStAL’s First 15 Years in Perspective. Lexxion. 2017.
- “Competition Law as Fairness”. Journal of European Competition Law & Practice 8(3). 2017.
- “Big Data, Privacy And Competition Law: Do Competition Authorities Know How To Do It?”. Competition Policy International. 2017.
- “On the Notion of Restriction of Competition: what we know and what we don’t know we know”. The Notion of Restriction of Competition: Revisiting the Foundations of Antitrust Enforcement in Europe. Bruylant. 2017.
- “The Double Duality of Two-Sided Markets”. Competition Law Journal, 2015.
- “La prueba de los cárteles en derecho español”. La lucha contra los cárteles en España. Aranzadi. 2015.
- “El procedimiento sancionador en materia de cárteles”. La lucha contra los cárteles en España. Aranzadi. 2015.
- “Antitrust and the Political Center”, CPI Antitrust Chronicle. 2013.
- “Nullity/Voidness: An overview of EU and national case law", e-Competitions Special Issue on Nullity/Voidness. 2012.
- "EU Competition Law Enforcement: Elements for a discussion on effectiveness and uniformity”, International Antitrust Law & Policy: Fordham Competition Law 2011". 2012.
- "Expert Economic Evidence and Effects-Based Assessments in Competition Cases” in Merola, M and Derenne, J. (eds), The Role of the Court of Justice of the EU in Competition Law Cases, Global Competition Law Center Annual Conference Series, Bruylant, 2012. (Co-authored with Luis Ortiz Blanco).
- “Defensa de la Competencia made in China”. Derecho de la Competencia europeo y español- Volumen XII, Dykinson. 2009.
- “El procedimiento sancionador y sus garantías”. Los acuerdos horizontales entre empresas, Marcial Pons. 2009.
- “Fine Arts in Brussels: Punishment and Settlement of Cartel Cases under EC Competition Law”. Antitrust: between EC Law and National Law. Bruylant. 2008.
- Manual de Derecho de la Competencia. Tecnos. 2008.
Alfonso is the author of the specialist EU competition law blog Chillin'Competition
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