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The Financial Times recognises Uría Menéndez for Innovation in Social Justice (Europe)

October 15, 2021

Uría Menéndez received the award for Innovation in Social Justice at the 16th annual Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards held on 14 October.

The firm, which had been shortlisted together with nine other international firms, was named winner in this category for the advice provided in connection with the demise of a young woman from the Democratic Republic of the Congo — Ms Samba Martine — at the Centro de Internamiento de Extranjeros (CIE) in Madrid. A team of lawyers from Uría Menéndez, led by partner José Alberto Navarro, and the Professor Uría Foundation, together with a panel of civic organisations (including Pueblos Unidos and the Jesuit Migrant Service), secured an acceptance of liability for the death by the State. The fatal outcome was caused by healthcare failings by the CIE and the lack of a protocol for the referral of medical information among different public authorities. This case represents a key precedent, signalling the need to defend the fundamental rights of people held in CIEs and requiring the Government to improve its action protocols to prevent this from happening in the future.

Uría Menéndez was also shortlisted as a nominee for Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe (Non-UK) and for the Innovation in Dispute Resolution award, for the advice given on a deal headed by partner Borja Sainz de Aja in relation to the large-scale automated use of a social network.

The prestigious Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards recognise the most innovative law firms and deals in the European legal sector in the last 12 months. This year, the winners were chosen from more than 500 submissions put forward by firms from all over Europe. RSGi Consulting, which was in charge of analysing the submissions, interviewed hundreds of clients referred by multiple European law firms.