Garrigues (law firm)
Encyclopedia
Garrigues is the largest law firm
on the Iberian Peninsula
. It has 29 offices across Spain
and Portugal
.
Born in 1899, Joaquín Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate became a professor of commercial law at age 29. According to the Garrigues company’s Web site, he oversaw reforms to Spanish company law in 1944 at the Institute of Political Rights, he founded the Revista de Derecho Comercial (Commercial Law Review) in 1946, and soon after he prepared the draft legislation that would become the Spanish Corporations Law (1951) and the Limited Liability Companies Law.
The younger brother, Antonio Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate, was born in 1904. He practiced law until his appointment in 1931 as director-general of registries and notaries during the days of the Spanish Republic
. He was ambassador to the United States
(1962-64) and to the Vatican
(1964-72), and he became the minister of justice in the first government of the returned Spanish monarchy
(1975-76).
In 1997 it merged with Arthur Andersen
, Asesores Legales y Tributarios (ALT) and became Garrigues & Andersen. In March 2002, with the disappearance of the Andersen Worldwide network, the firm became independent, and today it operates under the name of Garrigues . In 1991 the company set up the Portuguese Legal Group, along with other firms from Portugal, Brazil and the United Kingdom . Garrigues’s Portuguese practice has been operating since January 2005 through Garrigues Portugal, which incorporated the firm Leónidas, Matos & Associados .
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
on the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. It has 29 offices across Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Founders
In 1941, two brothers, Joaquín and Antonio Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate, founded J&A Garrigues.Born in 1899, Joaquín Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate became a professor of commercial law at age 29. According to the Garrigues company’s Web site, he oversaw reforms to Spanish company law in 1944 at the Institute of Political Rights, he founded the Revista de Derecho Comercial (Commercial Law Review) in 1946, and soon after he prepared the draft legislation that would become the Spanish Corporations Law (1951) and the Limited Liability Companies Law.
The younger brother, Antonio Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate, was born in 1904. He practiced law until his appointment in 1931 as director-general of registries and notaries during the days of the Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
. He was ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1962-64) and to the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
(1964-72), and he became the minister of justice in the first government of the returned Spanish monarchy
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
(1975-76).
History
The company says that “During the second half of the 20th century, J&A Garrigues played an active role in Spanish legal life and played host to reforms to the country’s legislation, particularly during the transition to democracy, placing the firm in an ideal position to dominate the legal services market.”In 1997 it merged with Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen LLP, based in Chicago, was once one of the "Big Five" accounting firms among PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and KPMG, providing auditing, tax, and consulting services to large corporations...
, Asesores Legales y Tributarios (ALT) and became Garrigues & Andersen. In March 2002, with the disappearance of the Andersen Worldwide network, the firm became independent, and today it operates under the name of Garrigues . In 1991 the company set up the Portuguese Legal Group, along with other firms from Portugal, Brazil and the United Kingdom . Garrigues’s Portuguese practice has been operating since January 2005 through Garrigues Portugal, which incorporated the firm Leónidas, Matos & Associados .