Lawyer

Rafael Suárez de Lezo

President emeritus

Languages

English
Spanish

Rafael Suárez de Lezo is Chairman of CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo, a Partner of the Corporate / M&A department and a Member of the CMS Executive Committee. He specialises in the securities market, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, finance, competition, insolvency law and dispute resolution.

In 2010 he was named as the top Securities Market lawyer in Spain by the International Law Office organisation.

He has been selected as a standout lawyer in the Corporate area by Chambers & Partners. He appears in PLC Which Lawyer as a leading lawyer in the area of Restructuring and Insolvency and as a recommended lawyer in the Corporate field. Moreover, he is listed in Best Lawyers in Spain as a leading lawyer in the areas of Banking and Finance, Corporate and Dispute Resolution.

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

Quote

"He has great knowledge of the economy and how businesses function".

Chambers & Partners

Relevant experience

Mergers and acquisitions:

Securitas Group | Establishment of the group in Spain, advising on the purchase of companies and other transactions relating to its implementation in the country.
Heineken | Purchase of Grupo Cruzcampo advising the purchaser, Heineken, as well as the subsequent merger between El Águila, Heineken España and Grupo Cruzcampo. De-listing of Heineken from the stock exchange. Advice on the sale of breweries owned by the Heineken Group to two multinational groups. Acquisition of a stake in brewer La Cibeles.
Inversiones Ibersuizas | Advice on the investment in B1998, majority shareholder of FCC. Among other issues, advice on the shareholders’ agreement. Advice on the acquisition of Cementos Selva Alegre (Ecuador) during its privatisation, representing Inversiones Ibersuizas.
Portobello Capital | Advice on the acquisition of 55% of Iberconsa, an entity based in Vigo, Spain, dedicated to the distribution of frozen products. Advice on the acquisition of Blue Sea.
Acciona | Advice on the sale of Acciona Windpower, a wind turbine manufacturer, as well as the acquisition of 29.9% of Nordex in collaboration with CMS Hamburg. Multijurisdictional notification of a merger before the competition authorities of the European Union, Turkiye, South Africa, Pakistan and the US.
UBS Asset Management Funds Ltd | Advice on the acquisition of a Portuguese group of companies.

Contracting:

Suzuki and Land Rover | Technical assistance agreement between Suzuki and Land Rover Santana for the manufacture of the Jeep Suzuki.

Privatisations:

Daimler Benz-M.A.N Consortium | Advice on the privatisation of ENASA.
Canal Plus Televisión | Public auction for a private television licence.
Tender and privatisation of the Spanish steel industry, advising the industrial partner, Arbed.

Publications

Court protection in the Securities Market. Doctoral thesis. Madrid, 1998.
Informal power of the CNMV and private guarantees. In: "A decade of transformations in the securities markets". Spanish Securities and Exchange Commission, 1999.
Analysis of a practical case on the execution of a pledge over company shares. In: "Civil Laws in Spain". Aranzadi and Banco Santander, 2000.
Regular collaborator in widely distributed press and publications.

Lectures list

The Energy Sector and Competition Law. In: “VII Conference on European and Spanish Competition Law. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Madrid, 2000.
Draft Law regulating State and Autonomous Community Competency on Competition Law. In: "XII Conference of the Anti-Trust Board", Madrid, 2001.
Coordination of Anti-Trust Law and State Autonomy. In: "II Conference of the Cátedra Fundación ICO-Nebrija de Derecho y Economía de la Competencia". Universidad Antonio de Nebrija. Madrid, 2002.
The new transparency of Listed Companies. In: “I Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2004.
Remuneration of directors and senior executives. In: “II Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2005.

Education

Doctor of Law (Cum Laude), Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Qualified Insurance Broker, Ministry of Economy and Finance (Spain).
Course on International Contract Law, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (United States of America).
Specialist Course on EU Law, University of Exeter (United Kingdom).
Degree in Business Science, Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Graduate of Law, Universidad de Deusto (Spain).

Rafael Suárez de Lezo is Chairman of CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo, a Partner of the Financial Markets & Services department and a Member of the CMS Executive Committee. He specialises in the securities market, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, finance, competition, insolvency law and dispute resolution.

In 2010 he was named as the top Securities Market lawyer in Spain by the International Law Office organisation.

Relevant experience

Listing of Banco Santander on the New York, London and Tokyo stock exchanges, advising the issuer. Advice to the bank on its IPO in New York as a result of a capital increase.
Listing of BBV on the New York stock exchange, advising the issuer.
Public tender of Petróleos del Mediterráneo, Petromed (presently known as BP España), owner of oil refineries, advising the seller.
Public tender of Carburos Metálicos by Air Product, representing the seller Grupo Banesto.
Public tender of Heineken over 100% of El Águila (presently known as Heineken España). Delisting of Heineken España by way of a standing purchase order.
Initial public offer of Befesa Medio Ambiente, advising the issuer.
Unipapel | Advice to Unipapel (presently known as Adveo) on capital increases with paid-up shares.
Acciona | Public tender of Endesa, advising one of the purchasers (Acciona, successful bidder against EON and Gas Natural). The transaction amounted to EUR 43bn and was the largest in Spanish history.
Public tender of Fadesa, representing one of the two offering parties.
Public tender of Itinere, representing the offering party (Citibank Infrastructure Fund).

Publications

Court protection in the Securities Market. Doctoral thesis. Madrid, 1998.
Informal power of the CNMV and private guarantees. In: "A decade of transformations in the securities markets". Spanish Securities and Exchange Commission, 1999.
Analysis of a practical case on the execution of a pledge over company shares. In: "Civil Laws in Spain". Aranzadi and Banco Santander, 2000.
Regular collaborator in widely distributed press and publications.

Lectures list

The Energy Sector and Competition Law. In: “VII Conference on European and Spanish Competition Law". Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Madrid, 2000.
Draft Law regulating State and Autonomous Community Competency on Competition Law. In: "XII Conference of the Anti-Trust Board", Madrid, 2001.
Coordination of Anti-Trust Law and State Autonomy. In: "II Conference of the Cátedra Fundación ICO-Nebrija de Derecho y Economía de la Competencia". Universidad Antonio de Nebrija. Madrid, 2002.
The new transparency of Listed Companies. In: “I Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2004.
Remuneration of directors and senior executives. In: “II Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2005.

Education

Doctor of Law (Cum Laude), Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Qualified Insurance Broker, Ministry of Economy and Finance (Spain).
Course on International Contract Law, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (United States of America).
Specialist Course on EU Law, University of Exeter (United Kingdom).
Degree in Business Science, Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Graduate of Law, Universidad de Deusto (Spain).

Rafael Suárez de Lezo is Chairman of CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo, a Partner of the Dispute Resolution & Arbitration department and a Member of the CMS Executive Committee. He specialises in the securities market, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, finance, competition, insolvency law and dispute resolution.

In 2010 he was named as the top Securities Market lawyer in Spain by the International Law Office organisation.

Relevant experience

National scope:

Rafael has participated in all types of proceedings: civil, judicial review and arbitration, at all stages and instances, including appeals to the Supreme Court. Among others:

Insolvency proceedings, representing Río Tinto Minera, Grupo Torras (Kuwait Investment Office – KIO), Fesa, Enfersa, Mecánica de la Peña, Hipódromo de Madrid, Esabe Express (representing Securitas), Inmobiliaria Chamartín, and others.
Advice to Sindicato Obligacionista throughout the whole insolvency of Gran Tibidabo.
Advice on judicial claims exceeding EUR 50 million.
Representation of Tafisa and Heineken España in relation to the challenge of corporate agreements.
Advice to National Commercial Bank of Jeddah on the foreclosures in relation to the La Zagaleta property.
Judicial reviews against sanctions, in particular within the securities market.
Arbitration proceedings, including appeals.
Achievement of subsidiary civil liability of two banks worth EUR 8 million.
Advice to a leading Spanish company in the media on the challenge of the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of a leading company in the media.

International scope:

The High Court of London | Acting as a "Witness in Spanish Law", appointed by the General Directorate for State Assets.
Supreme Court of Ontario | Acting as a "Witness in Spanish Law", appointed by the Canadian mining company "Cominco Ltd".
Arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce against a Latin American Republic.

Publications

Court protection in the Securities Market. Doctoral thesis. Madrid, 1998.
Informal power of the CNMV and private guarantees. In: "A decade of transformations in the securities markets". Spanish Securities and Exchange Commission, 1999.
Analysis of a practical case on the execution of a pledge over company shares. In: "Civil Laws in Spain". Aranzadi and Banco Santander, 2000.
Regular collaborator in widely distributed press and publications.

Lectures list

The Energy Sector and Competition Law. In: “VII Conference on European and Spanish Competition Law". Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Madrid, 2000.
Draft Law regulating State and Autonomous Community Competency on Competition Law. In: "XII Conference of the Anti-Trust Board", Madrid, 2001.
Coordination of Anti-Trust Law and State Autonomy. In: "II Conference of the Cátedra Fundación ICO-Nebrija de Derecho y Economía de la Competencia". Universidad Antonio de Nebrija. Madrid, 2002.
The new transparency of Listed Companies. In: “I Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2004.
Remuneration of directors and senior executives. In: “II Conference on Transparency and Corporate Governance”. Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2005.

Education

Doctor of Law (Cum Laude), Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Qualified Insurance Broker, Ministry of Economy and Finance (Spain).
Course on International Contract Law, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (United States of America).
Specialist Course on EU Law, University of Exeter (United Kingdom).
Degree in Business Science, Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, Madrid (Spain).
Graduate of Law, Universidad de Deusto (Spain).

Practice Areas

Corporate / M&A Dispute Resolution Banking & Finance Insolvency & Restructuring

sectors

Private Equity Infrastructure & Project Finance

Insights

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Rafael Suárez de Lezo

President emeritus

Languages

Relevant experience

Publications

Lectures list

Education

Relevant experience

Publications

Lectures list

Education

Relevant experience

Publications

Lectures list

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

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