Prominent International Arbitration and Litigation Lawyer José María Alonso Puig Joins Baker & McKenzie in Madrid
Firm News
6 February 2012
Madrid, Spain, 6 February 2012 – José María Alonso Puig, one of the most renowned and well-respected litigation and arbitration lawyers in Spain, is to join the Dispute Resolution practice of global law firm Baker & McKenzie in Madrid on March 1.
“It is a great coup for us to gain a lawyer of José Maria’s caliber for our international arbitration practice,” said Grant Hanessian. “He is one of the world’s leading arbitration figures, greatly respected by colleagues and clients alike,” added Guenter Pickrahn. Both are co-chairs of Baker & McKenzie’s International Arbitration practice.
Mr. Alonso comes to the Firm with more than 30 years’ experience in litigation and arbitration and began his law career in 1980 at the Spanish law firm Garrigues. From 2000 to 2009, he was Managing Partner of the firm and more recently, head of its International Arbitration practice.
Mr. Alonso focuses his practice on the civil and commercial law areas of contracts and agreements; corporate disputes; disputes over agreements and transactions of a financial (loans, guarantees, deposits, etc.) and insurance nature; and insolvencies. In the area of sports law, he is highly experienced in disputes relating to commercial image rights agreements of sportspersons; employment contracts between sportspersons and clubs; agreements for the permanent and temporary transfer of player registrations between football clubs; audiovisual rights agreements; and sponsorship agreements.
Mr. Alonso has also represented clients on all sides in more than 2,000 cases before Spanish courts involving domestic and international issues and advised on the Spanish legal aspects in proceedings conducted at courts in Portugal, France, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel, Morocco and Australia. As an arbitrator, he has acted in more than 100 proceedings, whether as a sole arbitrator, a party-appointed arbitrator or as the chairman of the Arbitral Tribunal, both in Spain and internationally at the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the LCIA, the AAA and the TAS.
A prolific writer and speaker, Mr. Alonso has authored, edited and lectured on numerous arbitration-related topics. Moreover, he is Chairman of the Arbitration Court of the Madrid Bar Association, Honorary Chairman of the Spanish Arbitration Club and Vice President of the International Law Association as well as a member of the Governing Board of the Madrid Bar Association, the CPR European Advisory Committee and the Commission on Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. He has been ranked Tier 1 from 2007 to 2011 in the Chambers Global directory and was most recently named “one of the most in-demand arbitrators” in the 2011 edition.
“We welcome José María to the Firm,” said Luis Briones, Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie in Madrid. “His experience and proven leadership complements and enhances our already strong practice and international profile for the benefit of our global clients.”