England & Wales‑qualified Lawyer | Cross‑Border M&A
Madrid | 5+ PQE
A top‑tier Iberian law firm, recognised for advising on the largest and most complex transactions in the Spanish market, is seeking an England & Wales‑qualified lawyer (5+ PQE) to join its English law M&A practice in Madrid.
The team is led by a UK‑qualified partner who trained and practised at a Magic Circle firm and a leading US firm before relocating to Spain. He now heads the firm’s English law offering, acting on high‑value, cross‑border mandates involving international corporates, private equity and infrastructure investors.
This is a rare opportunity to step into a Magic Circle‑style platform outside London — technically demanding, top‑end transactional work, but in a significantly more sustainable environment.
The work includes:
* Leading roles on large cross‑border M&A and corporate transactions
* Advising international clients on English‑law governed acquisition structures
* Working alongside Spanish teams on flagship domestic and inbound deals
* Exposure to boards, investment committees and global deal teams
* Genuine responsibility and visibility on headline transactions
The firm & team:
* Elite reputation in the Spanish market
* Matters comparable in scale and complexity to Magic Circle mandates
* Lean teams, high standards, no hierarchy‑heavy bureaucracy
* English law capability embedded into core transactions (not peripheral)
The profile:
* England & Wales qualification
* 5+ PQE with strong cross‑border M&A experience
* Background from a leading UK, US or international firm
* Commercial, autonomous and internationally minded
* Spanish not required (but welcome)
Why Madrid?
* Excellent quality of life and significantly lower cost of living than London
* More flexible and humane working culture
* Lawyers relocating to Spain may benefit from the Beckham Law, offering a highly favourable tax regime for qualifying inbound professionals (a flat rate on employment income for up to six years)
* A genuine opportunity to build a long‑term international career without compromising technical quality or deal size