20 leading criminal law lawyers in Spain in 2026
Impact Lawyers’ editorial selection brings together twenty professionals with particularly significant experience in criminal law in Spain. The table is ordered alphabetically by first name and does not establish internal positions or claim that one professional is superior to another.
| Lawyer | Firm | Main profile |
|---|---|---|
| Adriana de Buerba | Pérez-Llorca | White-collar crime, investigations and compliance |
| Alberto Pimenta Hernández | Garrigues | White-collar crime, litigation and investigations |
| Carlos Gómez-Taylor | Cuatrecasas | Criminal litigation, compliance and investigations |
| Enric Carulla Mur | Garrigues | White-collar crime and corporate defence |
| Enrique Molina | Ramón y Cajal Abogados | Criminal procedure and defence of companies and executives |
| Gabriel Castro Salillas | Garrigues | White-collar crime and internal investigations |
| Gonzalo Susaeta | Cuatrecasas | Criminal procedure, compliance and investigations |
| Helena Prieto González | Garrigues | Corporate criminal law and compliance |
| Ismael Clemente Casas | Uría Menéndez | Business crime and internal investigations |
| Jaime Alonso Gallo | Uría Menéndez | White-collar and tax crime and investigations |
| Jesús Urraza Abad | Garrigues | White-collar crime and investigations |
| Joaquín Burkhalter | Cuatrecasas | White-collar criminal litigation and investigations |
| José de Bonilla Pella | Cuatrecasas | Criminal procedure and corporate defence |
| Josefa Teresa Roselló Monserrat | Garrigues | Corporate criminal law and litigation |
| Josep Riba | Cuatrecasas | White-collar crime, compliance and investigations |
| Juan Palomino | Pérez-Llorca | White-collar crime, sanctions and investigations |
| Judit Gené | Cuatrecasas | Criminal litigation and corporate liability |
| Luis Carlos Molero Pellón | Garrigues | Criminal law and internal investigations |
| Pablo Villaseca | Cuatrecasas | Criminal procedure, compliance and crisis management |
| Patricia Porras | Ramón y Cajal Abogados | Criminal procedure and white-collar litigation |
How the ranking was prepared
This selection was built from scratch through an editorial review of professional and public information available through 2026. It does not reproduce or adapt the order of third-party directories, awards or rankings. Profiles were identified and cross-checked using biographies and team pages published by the law firms themselves, professional track record, practice leadership, publicly verifiable matters and transactions, institutional and academic activity, publications and international experience.
For this practice area, particular attention was paid to white-collar crime, corporate and tax offences, corruption, internal investigations, compliance and criminal defence of companies and executives.
The editorial assessment combines five dimensions:
- Depth, continuity and genuine specialisation in the practice: 30%.
- Complexity and relevance of publicly verifiable matters, transactions or responsibilities: 25%.
- Technical command and ability to handle complex matters within the specialty: 20%.
- Professional leadership, independent judgement and ability to lead significant mandates: 15%.
- International profile and doctrinal, academic or institutional contribution: 10%.
Impact Lawyers’ own editorial approach
Inclusion does not depend on firm size, media visibility or presence in other rankings. The selection seeks to combine major firms, boutiques and professionals with a particularly distinctive individual practice. Nor is the apparent number of wins or transactions used as an automatic measure, because public information is uneven and many matters remain confidential.
How to interpret the selection
The ranking is an editorial snapshot of the Spanish market based on public information available in 2026. It does not measure fees, guarantee outcomes or claim that any included professional is the right choice for every matter. The choice of counsel should take into account the precise specialty, possible conflicts of interest, jurisdiction, availability, language, budget and relationship of trust.
Professional careers and firm structures can change. Future editions should therefore verify partner moves, new firms, changes of role and potential incompatibilities before publication.
