Best Lawyers® proudly launches the first edition of Best Law Firms™ – Spain, establishing a new benchmark for firm-level recognition in legal practice.
While individual lawyers in Spain have been honored in The Best Lawyers™ in Spain awards for nearly two decades, this marks the first time entire firms are being evaluated and recognized for their collective performance.
Only 1% of firms in the Spanish market earned this distinction, making inclusion not just a mark of quality, but of exclusivity.
With this inclusion, acknowledged firms join an international network of legal excellence already established in the United States, Australia, Germany and Canada, where Best Law Firms rankings are widely respected by clients and professionals alike.
Highlights from the 2026 Edition of Best Law Firms – Spain
This inaugural edition is the result of extensive research, close engagement with the legal market and a clear understanding of what clients look for in trusted legal counsel.
The rankings span 55 practice areas and 22 regional jurisdictions, resulting in 4,197 regional awards and 345 national-level recognitions. Additionally, 15 firms have been named “Law Firm of the Year” in 20 national practice categories.
Among the most represented practice areas in this year’s recognitions are:
- Litigation
- Tax Law
- Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Labor and Employment Law
This distribution reflects the broad scope of legal expertise honored in the 2026 edition. The awards serve as the driving force behind a broader initiative to provide transparency and insight into the legal profession.
A robust research process underlies this launch, driving both the firm distinctions and two in-depth industry reports.
Together, the Spanish Client Insights Report and Legal Market Report offer unmatched visibility into what law firms are doing, how clients perceive them and what distinguishes leaders in the market.
A Ranking Built on Depth and Integrity
Eligibility for Best Law Firms consideration begins with lawyer-level recognition in The Best Lawyers in Spain. From there, we conduct an extensive, multi-phase research process that combines:
- Peer evaluations and lawyer voting
- Firm-submitted data about structure, practice group performance and client representation
- Client surveys gathering feedback on firm responsiveness, trust, expertise and value
- Practice group interviews with firm leaders across the country
For Spain’s inaugural edition, this effort yielded an exceptional volume of participation:
- 4,600+ lawyers surveyed during voting
- 1,600+ client references were received
- 1,000+ firms surveyed for firmographic data
- 100+ practice group interviews informed our national analysis
This same dataset, refined, verified and anonymized forms the foundation of the two accompanying reports. Together, these rankings and insights create a dual-purpose platform: one that helps clients find qualified legal counsel and one that helps firms benchmark their performance and adapt strategically.
Inside the Client Perspective
The Spanish Client Insights Report draws on survey responses collected through the Best Law Firms research process, with more than 900 clients and 200 firms contributing. These insights offer a rare look at what clients value most and where firms are focusing their growth efforts.
One of the clearest signals in this year’s data is that client acquisition is a priority across the board. An overwhelming 90% of firms reported actively seeking new clients. This trend held across firm sizes, from major players to solo practitioners. In a crowded market, standing out remains a priority.
How Firms Are Reaching Clients
Standing out in a competitive legal market requires more than expertise. It demands visibility. Across all firm sizes, the data shows that firms increasingly rely on an omnichannel approach.
They combine traditional relationship-driven tactics with digital tools to reach prospective clients across multiple touchpoints.
The most widely used method remains referrals and word-of-mouth, though many firms are also broadening their visibility through sustained brand-building efforts and strategic positioning in the market.
In terms of client mix, 61% of firms serve corporate, nonprofit, government or business entities, while 39% serve private clients, particularly high-net-worth individuals and family offices.
This split is vital, as it reflects not only how Spanish firms define their audience, but also how they position their services in a globalizing legal market.
How Firms Present Themselves
Overall, Spanish firms are broadly positioning themselves around client-centric values, emphasizing personalized attention and tailored solutions.
Many describe their work as multidisciplinary and highlight their ability to provide comprehensive legal services. Firms also appear to adjust their messaging according to their market position.
These topline trends only scratch the surface. For deeper analysis and firm-level insight, see the full Client Insights Report.
A Mirror to the Legal Market
While client perception is key, internal self-assessment offers additional perspective. The Spanish Legal Market Report draws from responses submitted by 237 corporate and consumer law firms — the most extensive research effort to date focused on law firm structure and strategy in the country.
Like the Client Insights Report, this data was collected during the official Best Law Firms research process.
The findings paint a picture of a legal market that is both self-confident and self-aware. A full 94% of firms rated their legal expertise as above average. Likewise, 88% described themselves as responsive, trustworthy and focused on results. Yet some areas, particularly those related to diversity, ESG and firm structure, reveal room for growth.
This contrast becomes even more evident when looking at how firms are adapting their internal operations, starting with billing.
Billing Models Are Shifting
The billable hour, while still dominant, is no longer unchallenged. 63% of firms now offer alternative fee arrangements, including fixed, capped and hybrid billing models. These are especially valued by clients seeking predictability and cost control. As the market grows more sophisticated, these offerings are likely to evolve further.
But innovation in pricing isn’t the only area where firms face pressure to modernize. Leadership structures also reflect deeper imbalances.
Gender Imbalance at the Top
Women represent 66.8% of associates, but just 37% of equity partners — a leadership gap that reflects trends seen across other jurisdictions. Moreover, only 1% of firms surveyed reported employing a full-time diversity and inclusion officer. While diversity is often cited as a value, the data suggests few firms have formal structures in place to support equity.
Want to know how your firm compares? Access the full Spanish Legal Market Report for strategic insights on structure, positioning and market perception.
Research That Drives Value
One of the unique strengths of the Best Law Firms initiative is its ability to turn research into real-world value. The rankings themselves provide visibility and credibility for recognized firms, particularly important for smaller or specialized practices competing in crowded markets.
At the same time, the underlying research provides a roadmap for firms to better understand their position, client expectations and market trends. Firms that participated in the research process can receive access to their own feedback and aggregate insights, enabling them to improve performance and better align with what clients want.
Whether it’s learning that clients prioritize trust and responsiveness, or that competitors are experimenting with fixed-fee billing models, the takeaways are clear: the firms that succeed are those that listen, adapt and invest in both service and strategy.
Recognition With Purpose: Value for Clients and Firms
In a time when clients have more legal options than ever and when firms must compete not only on expertise, but on clarity, value and digital presence, Best Law Firms offers both guidance and recognition.
For Clients: A Trusted Resource
For clients, the rankings simplify decision-making. Each listed firm has been vetted through a process combining peer recognition, client feedback and firm-level data, making these acknowledgements a trusted starting point for legal selection.
For Firms: Proof of Market Leadership
For firms, inclusion in this exclusive network affirms market leadership. And for those looking to grow, the research behind the awards offers tools to better understand what clients value, how competitors differentiate and where opportunities lie.
Explore the 2026 Rankings of Best Law Firms – Spain
The Best Law Firms – Spain awards are now live, spotlighting firms that stood out for their professional excellence across practice areas and jurisdictions. This first edition offers clients, companies and legal professionals a trusted reference point when evaluating legal counsel.
Discover which firms earned distinction in the inaugural Best Law Firms – Spain 2026 rankings.
