José Manuel Hernando is a partner of the Corporate Law department of Garrigues where he heads this practice in the region of Levante. Throughout his professional career, José Manuel has advised companies from different industries such as the alimentary, agricultural and aquaculture, real estate and residential, chemical, renewable energy, public infrastructures and services, industrial and audiovisual sectors. Many of those companies, which are privately held corporations whether family-owned or part of relevant multinational corporations, are regional and national leaders in their respective industries. His accumulated professional experience enables José Manuel to have a global view of legal advice, always business-driven and focused on the clients’ needs.

José Manuel has represented clients in numerous corporate acquisition deals in their different approaches, shareholders' agreements, financing deals, corporate restructuring transactions, the incorporation and regulation of joint ventures, the advice and the negotiation and settlement of conflicts among shareholders. At the same time, he acts on an ongoing, long-term basis as legal counsel for many clients in connection with corporate law and commercial contracts.

He was an international visiting lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (New York office) between 2007 and 2008, integrated in its General practice, where he participated in project finance deals in Latin America, namely in the mining sector, as well as in various debt and stock offerings (senior notes, preferred stock, hybrid securities) being a member of the legal team which represented issuers (mainly financial institutions) and underwriters.

José Manuel was awarded with the First Prize for Young Jurists (Premio Jóvenes Juristas) by the University of Navarra and the Garrigues Foundation and was 1st of his class (XXVII promotion) and Summa Cum Laude LLM degree at the Instituto de Empresa (Madrid).

Between 2010 and 2011 he lectured at Curso Superior de Derecho Empresarial offered to the incoming classes of new associates of the firm by Centro de Estudios Garrigues in collaboration with Harvard Law School.

Additionally, José Manuel has also participated as a speaker in different seminars and conferences such as “Primer Encuentro Garrigues-Facultad de Derecho sobre el nuevo régimen para las sociedades no cotizadas por mejora del gobierno corporativo” promoted by the University of Murcia, “Jornada sobre la Ley de Mejora del Funcionamiento de la Cadena Alimentaria” organized by AILIMPO and PROEXPORT, “Decidir en Tiempos Revueltos” organized by Inforges, Garrigues, Portavoz and Banesto Banca Privada, “Aprendiendo a Exportar” organized by ICEX, the seminar “Actualización Fiscal y Legal para la Empresa” organized by Garrigues, or “Jornadas sobre la Empresa Familiar” organized by FUNDESEM Business School, Asociación de Empresa Familiar de Murcia and Consejería de Trabajo de la Región de Murcia.

José Manuel is a member of the Murcia Bar Association.