The firm has announced its entry into the Spanish market with the appointment of Armando Albarrán as a leading partner in private equity and mergers and acquisitions, a move that anticipates the opening of its Madrid office and further underscores the city’s appeal to global capital and institutional investors.
Founded in 1890 and headquartered in the United States, Gibson Dunn is one of the world’s most influential law firms, with more than 2,000 lawyers and offices across the world’s major financial centers. The firm regularly advises investment funds, multinational corporations, and financial institutions on complex private equity, M&A, litigation, and regulatory matters. Its decision to establish a presence in Madrid reflects the growing sophistication of the Spanish market and the increasing volume of crossborder transactions that use the city as a platform for Europe and Latin America.
Gibson Dunn’s arrival forms part of a broader trend of expansion by top-tier U.S. and Anglo-American law firms in Madrid, driven by sustained growth in foreign investment and, in particular, international private equity activity. According to market data and sector rankings from organizations such as TTR Data, Chambers & Partners, and Legal 500, these firms account for a significant share of legal advisory work on Spain’s largest institutional investment transactions, a segment that has gained consistent momentum over the past decade.
Since the mid-2010s, firms including Latham & Watkins, which opened its Madrid office in 2015, as well as White & Case and Jones Day, both established in the city in 2016, have built specialized teams to support complex M&A, financing, and private equity deals. This evolution has been further reinforced by the creation of A&O Shearman following the 2024 merger of Allen & Overy—present in Madrid since 1987—and U.S. firm Shearman & Sterling, which has operated in the city since 2001, strengthening Madrid’s capacity to host world-class legal advisory services.
Madrid has become an increasingly attractive destination for these firms thanks to its institutional stability, regulatory environment, depth of financial markets, international connectivity, and ability to attract highly qualified legal talent. Gibson Dunn’s commitment to Madrid confirms the growing interest of U.S. investors in operating from the region and reinforces the capital’s role as a hub for advanced professional services, capable of supporting high-impact investment projects and generating long-term value for the local economy.