Law Firm Practice

Charles & i has a team of experts who are leaders in their field, supported by many other associates with substantial arbitration experience among our substantial global disputes team.

We have experience on a growing number of arbitrations under the rules of major international institutions such as the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, and CAM, CIMA or the Spanish Court of Arbitration. We also have experience in arbitrations under UNCITRAL rules.

Many of our specialists have strong individual reputations either in the arbitration world in general or within a specialised industry niche. A number are actively involved in the leading international arbitration bodies or in industry-specific institutions such as engineering and construction. Our core team and their colleagues handle cases in English, French, German, Portuguese, italian and Spanish.

In a practice area where technical skill must be combined with knowledge of the leading players, our involvement allows us not only to handle the case but to advise who would be the best arbitrator for that case.

A number of our team act as arbitrators for panels across the world.  This gives us a unique insight and an understanding of arbitration from both sides.

With more than 40 associated law firms around the world we have a global network of arbitration expertise. This ‘on the ground’ experience gives us a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and subtleties of each región and allows us to ensure that we know the leading arbitration practitioners where we do not have a presence, in order to have a truly global offering, particularly when it comes to issues of award enforcement.

This experience and knowledge of frontier markets and complex multi-jurisdictional settings, together with our in depth understanding of our key sectors, sets us apart from other law firms.

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is an essential element of the dispute resolution process and can often conclude a dispute to the commercial benefit of all participants. Our global ADR group spans all over the world. Our specialists have extensive experience of all forms of ADR, including mediation, adjudication and expert determination.

Our knowledge of your industry is comprehensive and unsurpassed. Leading global financial institutions and corporates instruct us to handle their mediation cases in sectors as diverse as engineering and construction, transport, oil and gas, shipping and international trade.

Our Engineering, Construction and Procurement team is one of the largest specialist practices around the world, encompassing both commercial and contentious expertise.  We have an unsurpassed track record of advising on major Spanish and international projects, acting for many of the leading industry players.

Recognised by the legal directories, clients and peers as a market leader, our team provides expert advice through every stage of the construction cycle.  From procurement strategy, contract structures and negotiation of construction contracts through to professional appointments, PFI/PPP project agreements and development/funding arrangements.  In addition, we deliver proactive advice on risk management, problem solving and all forms of dispute resolution

Whether performing board secretarial duties at companies or acting as legal counsel, Charles & i’ corporate/commercial law practitioners have longstanding experience in advising on corporate law.

Among other aspects, this area takes in everything from advice on setting up companies to bylaw amendments and business restructuring.

Charles & i’ corporate/commercial lawyers specialize in advising enterprises, above all listed companies, on rules of good governance, and on their adaptation to and compliance with the codes established and recommendations made in this area.

This professional team regularly participates in the preparation and drafting of regulations for shareholders’ meetings, boards of directors and board committees, as well as codes of conduct in the securities market. It also advises on the corporate governance reports required by the current legislation.

Charles & i has in place a multidisciplinary team of practitioners (tax experts, labor and employment lawyers, experts in civil law, etc.) who spend all their time advising family businesses. As far as the corporate/commercial law practice is concerned, the Firm has a team of lawyers dedicated exclusively to advising on all structure-, organization- and succession-related matters at these business groups. Of particular importance in this area is legal advice on the negotiation of family protocols, along with any additional agreements or corporate modifications that may be necessary.

Our team of energy lawyers are based throughout our international network and have experience across every major energy producing area in the world.

Coupling our industry expertise with local knowledge, we are ideally placed to advise across the entire energy value chain, including:

• Oil and gas
• Power and utilities
• Renewables
• Natural resources

Many of our partners and their respective teams have worked in-house at major energy companies and understand the challenges faced by our clients on a day to day basis. Whether you are looking for corporate, finance, projects, dispute resolution, compliance or employment expertise, our lawyers are at the top of their profession and are experts in their chosen fields.

Our international energy group advises in relation to international oil and gas exploration and production (E&P), project work for downstream projects and related infrastructure and power projects. We act for developers, investors, sponsors, operators and non-operators and contractors internationally as well as in Spain in a wide range of matters across the entire spectrum of upstream and downstream activity. Our construction and engineering group has also advised on contracts for a number of energy projects, both onshore and offshore
in an industry which values straight talking, our clients rely on us for realistic and incisive advice.

Across the power sector we advise on all aspects of the financing, construction and operation of major power and water projects including generation, transmission and distribution.  Our experience in many of the key markets gives us an in depth experience of a range of work in this sector.  We act for state owned and privatised power generation, transmission and distribution companies and large industrial consumers, including many of the major players within the industry on all aspects of the construction, financing and ongoing maintenance of these projects, with both a transactional and a contentious focus.

We cover all forms of power generation – conventional ones such as fossil fuels and nuclear as well as newer, innovative renewable forms such as solar, wind, biomass, fuel cell and hydropower.

Our lawyers advise lenders, developers, operators, contractors, governments and other participants in power projects on corporate structures and joint ventures, sector regulation and the negotiation of all related project contracts including power purchase agreements, fuel supply agreements, transportation agreements, product sales agreements, EPC agreements, operation and maintenance agreements and connection agreements.  We also advise on all aspects of power project financing

With the real estate market transitioning towards recovery, we understand that many of our clients continue to face tough business decisions and challenges.  Working with a wide range of real estate clients across the globe, we know and understand the industry and what drives key business decisions.

We focus on identifying and offering the specialist services required by each part of the market and on working with those clients on the development of their interests for many years.  Our work varies from advising investors on acquisitions and disposals to securing planning permission on various developments.

We have acted on some of the most iconic development projects in the Middle East and we are at the forefront of real estate law development in emerging markets.

Charles & i takes part in the drafting and negotiation of all kinds of business agreements, advising the parties on their terms and conditions, having regard to their legal nature.

The Firm can also draw on a wealth of experience in the analysis and interpretation of agreements, and delivers legal opinions on their validity, scope and terms.

It can also call on the services of specialists who have amassed extensive knowledge of the main sectors of activity, who are able to analyze and develop the specific aspects to be borne in mind in each case.

Commercial disputes are all different. We recognise that your long-term strategic objectives will vary from case to case, and tailor our approach accordingly. We do not subscribe to any particular style of dispute resolution and are expert in all areas of dispute resolution, including litigation, international arbitration and ADR, and regularly provide dispute avoidance, risk management and contractual advice. Our aim is to resolve your dispute in the most appropriate way for you.

We understand that considered legal advice at an early stage can help our clients avoid expensive and time consuming legal proceedings. Even when a dispute does result in legal proceedings, we know that prolonged litigation is not always the most suitable path, particularly when the parties are trying to preserve a commercial relationship.

The flexibility of our international network ensures that we create the appropriate team for each assignment, tailoring our approach to suit your requirements. We combine substantial technical ability and experience with deep sector knowledge. This gives our clients a unique advantage when they need our support and advice.

We have the resources to handle the most complex matters in both the domestic and international market.

We advise, at an early stage, on how to avoid getting into disputes. In situations that do become contentious, we have the experience and depth of knowledge to manage and resolve your cases efficiently and effectively with as little disruption and cost to your business as possible.

We are advocates of, and regularly use, alternative dispute resolution methods including mediation, expert determination, adjudication and bespoke processes. In situations when litigation or arbitration are the right course of action, we will defend your case rigorously.

On construction and engineering projects, disputes sometimes happen. You want them resolved to your satisfaction as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Our market-leading construction disputes lawyers will work alongside you to achieve this.

We will provide practical advice, fight hard when necessary and maintain pressure on the opponents, whilst always looking to achieve the earliest possible resolution, often through proactive use of mediation and other forms of ADR.

We work with many of our clients at an early stage, preventing problems on site escalating into formal proceedings.

We are able to assist you in all international engineering and construction disputes involving parties from many different jurisdictions and a variety of international arbitrations conducted under institutional and ad hoc rules (including LCIA, ICC and UNCITRAL) and wherever the venue.

Charles & i has the knowledge necessary to become one of the best law firms in the projects and construction industry worldwide.  Our lawyers are at the cutting edge of developments being made in the way our clients structure their large scale projects.  We understand the changing nature of the projects market and our lawyers are at the forefront providing commercial, flexible and innovative solutions.

Our team provide the full range of non-contentious and contentious projects and construction advice and can be engaged at every step along the way.

On the transactional side, our work spans a wide variety of infrastructure, construction and engineering projects, PPP and PFI transactions and project finance.  We are extremely familiar with all forms of procurement methods, standard form documents and regularly draft and advise on bespoke agreements that suit our client’s needs.

On the contentious side, we assist our clients resolve construction related disputes using all forms of dispute resolution including early settlement of claims, mediation, international arbitration (particularly ICC), conciliation, adjudication and litigation.

No matter how large your project may be, our client focused and cost conscious approach to resourcing means that all our projects are handled economically and efficiently.  Our integrated team works across legal disciplines – with property, planning, environmental, tax, corporate and commercial, and banking lawyers assisting our projects and construction specialists to advise on all aspects of a project or construction dispute.

With a network of offices globally, our projects and construction team can provide advice no matter where your project is located.

Fuelled by the changing economy, our experience covers the sectors that continue to grow and develop.  We take the time to understand the nature and context in which our clients operate.  Our experience covers a wide range of industry sectors including:

• Transport infrastructure
• Energy (power, utilities, oil and gas)
• Natural resources

Our clients include a broad cross-section of the projects and construction industry from developers, purchasers, landowners and public bodies through to contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, facility managers, architects, engineers, surveyors, banks, investors and insurers.  This varied client base gives us the rounded view you need for your project, both commercially and legally.

Charles & i advises on international project finance matters throughout the world and handles the full range of multi-national project finance initiatives in both the public and private sectors.  Our in depth experience includes advising on all aspects of a financing arrangement for the full range of projects (including oil, gas, power, infrastructure, transport and water projects).

Our project finance lawyers have advised clients in many different jurisdictions and we focus on the locations where our clients need us to go.  Charles & i’s project finance team offer local experience and knowledge with the support of an international firm.

Our lawyers are familiar with drafting and negotiating finance agreements, facility agreements, turnkey contracts, off-take agreements, investor documents and sponsor support arrangements.

Many of our project finance lawyers have experience in other areas of finance including acquisition finance, real estate finance, trade and commodity finance, offering you access to the broad spectrum of finance related advice.

Transport issues continue to make their way to the top of business and political agendas across the globe. From the developing markets in Asia and Central Europe, to the mature economies of North America and Western Europe, governments have sought to increase competitiveness through the delivery of new or replacement transport infrastructure. Meanwhile, the business community has looked to the efficient movement of their human resources and supply chains to enhance profit margins and give service differentiation.

The efficient delivery of infrastructure projects and transportation services increasingly relies on the quality of relationships between public organisations and private businesses. It is only through identifying with both corporate and public sector objectives that we can soundly advise on the regulatory environment created by such partnerships.

We advise both governments and the private sector in relation to all aspects of the transport industry, specialising in rail, aviation, shipping, logistics and roads.

Our knowledge of the structure and economics of these industries allows our lawyers to anticipate and advise on the widest range of legal issues. Our practice brings together an integrated team of lawyers who specialise in corporate, comercial, finance, tax, projects, construction, real estate, dispute resolution, competition and employment law.

The Department occupies a commanding position in the field of planning and zoning, not only in terms of planning per se but also in matters of planning management and enforcement.

As far as planning instruments are concerned, Garrigues advises on the preparation of master plans, specific and special plans, neighborhood development programs, etc.. Other advisory services include issuing reports and opinions, conducting due diligence reviews of planning and zoning matters, and advising on all types of proceedings to contest or defend administrative planning initiatives.

Moreover, the team regularly provides legal assistance on the negotiation and drafting of, and formalities for, planning agreements with the public authorities.

The Planning and Zoning team has extensive experience in forming and managing approved development entities (development apportionment boards, development upkeep and maintenance entities, etc.), drafting and handling procedures for the approval of equitable distribution plans (reparceling, apportionment, etc.), and acting in condemnation proceedings.

The team also advises on procedures to apply for, and obtain municipal licenses (construction, activity, occupancy, opening and operating licenses, etc.), on due diligence reviews of such licenses, and on all planning enforcement-related matters, whether in the administrative or judicial review jurisdiction.