Best Lawyers Recognizes More Than 6,800 Leading Lawyers Across Spain and Portugal

AUGUSTA, Ga. (November 12, 2026) — Best Lawyers®, the most established global network of vetted legal professionals, announced the 2027 editions of The Best Lawyers in Spain™ and The Best Lawyers in Portugal™, recognizing a combined 6,838 lawyers across the two countries based on confidential peer evaluations. 

The awards recognize 5,489 lawyers from 1,130 law firms in Spain and 1,349 lawyers from 199 law firms in Portugal, representing the top 3.6% and 4.3% of each country's legal market, respectively. 

Best Lawyers also announced the 2027 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Spain™ and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Portugal™, recognizing a combined 1,722 emerging legal professionals who are typically in private practice for three to eight years. 

Spain's 2027 Awards Highlight Growth in Employment Law and Corporate Transactions 

Now in its 19th edition, The Best Lawyers in Spain™ recognizes lawyers across 85 practice areas and 31 metropolitan regions, with Madrid accounting for the highest concentration of honorees. 

Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law leads the rankings by number of recognized lawyers, followed by Tax Law, Litigation, Labor and Employment Law, and Insolvency and Reorganization Law. 

The 2027 results highlight year-over-year growth across several practice areas. Labor and Employment Law recorded the largest increase at 12.1%, growing from 488 recognized lawyers in the previous edition to 547. Tax Law and Litigation each gained more than 50 recognized lawyers, while Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law increased from 1,097 to 1,149. 

These areas of recognition coincide with developments in Spain's legal and regulatory landscape, including changes to corporate taxation, competition oversight and civil litigation procedures. 

In December 2024, Spain enacted legislation establishing a supplementary tax framework designed to ensure a minimum effective tax rate of 15% for qualifying multinational and large domestic groups. Procedural reforms under Organic Law No. 1/2025 also introduced a general requirement to attempt an appropriate form of alternative dispute resolution before filing many civil and commercial lawsuits. 

Portugal's 2027 Awards Reflect Growth in Litigation and Real Estate Law 

The 17th edition of The Best Lawyers in Portugal™ recognizes lawyers across 54 practice areas and five metropolitan regions, with Lisbon accounting for the highest concentration of honorees. 

Litigation leads the rankings by number of recognized lawyers, followed by Corporate Law, Tax Law, Labor and Employment Law and Real Estate Law. 

The 2027 results highlight growth across several leading practice areas. Litigation increased from 240 recognized lawyers in the previous edition to 261, an 8.8% increase. Real Estate Law also gained 21 recognized lawyers, growing 17.8%, while Labor and Employment Law increased 11.9%. 

These findings coincide with developments in Portugal's legal market, including reforms to civil court procedures, corporate taxation and urban planning regulations. 

In July 2025, Portugal amended its Code of Civil Procedure to introduce changes to the electronic distribution of court cases, establishing additional requirements for documenting and overseeing judicial assignments.

Corporate taxation has also undergone changes. Under Law No. 64/2025, Portugal's general corporate income tax rate decreased to 19% for tax periods beginning in 2026, with further reductions scheduled to 18% in 2027 and 17% beginning in 2028. 

Emerging Legal Professionals Recognized in Spain and Portugal 

The 2027 editions of Ones to Watch recognizes emerging legal professionals across Spain and Portugal, highlighting lawyers in the earlier stages of their careers who have earned recognition from their peers.

The sixth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Spain™ recognizes 1,226 lawyers across 42 practice areas and 20 metropolitan regions, representing approximately 3.2% of the country's legal profession. 

Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law recorded a 28.4% year-over-year increase among emerging lawyers, rising from 236 to 303. Labor and Employment Law also had notable growth, increasing 32.2% from 121 to 160 recognized lawyers. 

The fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Portugal™ recognizes 496 emerging legal professionals across 29 practice areas and three metropolitan regions, representing approximately 6.3% of the country's legal profession. 

Corporate Law recorded a 72.4% year-over-year increase among Ones to Watch honorees, rising from 58 in the previous edition to 100. Mergers and Acquisitions Law also increased 73.2%, from 41 to 71 recognized lawyers. 

The results also highlight female representation among emerging legal professionals in both countries. In Spain, women account for 60.6% of Ones to Watch honorees in Labor and Employment Law and 79.2% in Intellectual Property Law. In Portugal, women represent 73.5% of recognized emerging lawyers in Labor and Employment Law, 65.9% in Litigation and 60% in Corporate Law. 

Leading Law Firms in Spain and Portugal 

Firms with the highest number of recognized lawyers in The Best Lawyers in Spain™: 

• Cuatrecasas SLP
• Garrigues
• Pérez-Llorca
• Uría Menéndez Abogados SLP
• Deloitte Legal

Firms with the highest number of recognized lawyers in The Best Lawyers in Portugal™: 

• Abreu Advogados
• Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados RL
• Vieira de Almeida & Associados
• PLMJ
• SRS Legal

Recognition Based on Peer Review 

Best Lawyers recognition is determined through a rigorous peer-review process that draws on confidential evaluations from legal professionals.

In addition to the rankings, the prestigious "Lawyer of the Year" distinction is awarded to lawyers receiving the highest overall peer feedback in a respective practice area and metropolitan region.  

In Spain 198 lawyers received a "Lawyer of the Year" award and in Portugal 51 recipients were honored.

Explore The Best Lawyers in Spain™ results by region and/or practice area. 

Explore The Best Lawyers in Portugal™ results by region and/or practice area.