URÍA MENÉNDEZ recognised by Financial Times as one of the ten most innovative firms in Europe
FT 50 Law highlights the firm’s innovations in legal expertise, client service, human resources, and corporate social responsibility
July 12, 2007Uría Menéndez is numbered among the ten most innovative European law firms in a ranking published annually since 2006 by Financial Times (the “FT Law 50”). This year the scope has been broadened to include mainland European law firms.
Uría Menéndez was listed tenth and is the only Iberian law firm in the top thirty. The FT Law 50 report placed particular emphasis on the firm’s innovations with respect to legal expertise, client service, human resources, and corporate social responsibility.
| Rank | Firm |
| 1 | Allen & Overy |
| 2 | Clifford Chance |
| 3 | Linklaters |
| 4 | Eversheds |
| 5 | Wragge & Co |
| 6 | DLA Piper |
| 7 | Ashurst |
| 8 | Addleshaw Goddard |
| 8 | Slaughter and May |
| 10 | Latham & Watkins |
| 10 | Uría Menéndez |
| 12 | Freshfields Bruckhaus |
| 12 | Deringer |
| 14 | Pannone |
| 16 | Simmons & Simmons |
| 16 | Taylor Vinters |
| 16 | Norton Rose |
| ... | ... |
Specifically, in terms of legal expertise, Financial Times applauded the firm’s tax department for an innovative operation that “made disclosures easier by introducing a web-based reporting system, which collects, processes and submits information about the identity and tax status of US owners of Spanish securities.”
In the client service category, the report highlighted a feature that enables “clients of the firm to receive a daily legal news bulletin and access to a database” containing legal information compiled by the firm’s knowledge management team. With respect to the firm’s human resources policy, the report praised the professional development plan for administrative assistants, since “Uría Menéndez is offering training to all of its secretaries.”
In terms of corporate social responsibility, FT Law 50 report underscored the firm’s ongoing work with prison centres, noting that “the programme has been so successful” that it will be expanded to include additional centres next year.
URÍA MENÉNDEZ has offices in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Bilbao), Portugal (Lisbon and Porto), the United Kingdom (London), Belgium (Brussels), the United States (New York), Brazil (São Paulo), Chile (Santiago de Chile), Argentina (Buenos Aires), Mexico (Mexico D.C.), Peru (Lima) and Poland (Warsaw).