Gibson Dunn enters Spain with Armando Albarrán, Freshfields veteran

Gibson Dunn has announced that Armando Albarrán, widely regarded as one of Spain’s leading corporate lawyers, will join the firm as a partner in its private equity and mergers & acquisitions practice groups. Albarrán arrives from Freshfields, where he spent 29 years, and his joining precedes the opening of Gibson Dunn’s new Madrid office, marking a significant step in the firm’s European transactional expansion.

"Armando brings a leadership spirit defined by client service, excellence, and collaboration — precisely the qualities that will drive the success of our new office," said Barbara Becker, chair and managing partner of Gibson Dunn. "Madrid is a vital European hub for private equity and cross-border M&A, particularly for sponsors and multinationals executing high-value transactions between Europe and the Americas. This expansion strengthens our ability to serve clients on their most sophisticated deals across the region."

"Armando has advised on many of the most important Spanish and cross-border transactions," said Federico Fruhbeck, co-head of Gibson Dunn’s European Private Equity Group. "His arrival from Freshfields, where he spent nearly three decades, positions us to advise clients on their most complex Spanish matters while collaborating with our teams in London and continental Europe to provide integrated, cross-border advice."

Gibson Dunn’s growth in Europe has been driven by sustained expansion in the UK, where the London office has grown from 84 lawyers in 2020 to 218 today, as well as continued investment across the continent. The Madrid opening follows last year’s launch in Zurich and adds to the firm’s longstanding presence in Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich, and Paris.

About Armando Albarrán

Armando Albarrán is widely recognized as one of Spain’s top corporate lawyers, ranked Tier 1 by Chambers and Partners in Capital Markets (Equity), Corporate/M&A (High-End Capability), and Private Equity. He brings extensive experience advising financial sponsors and companies on complex domestic and cross-border corporate finance transactions, including public and private M&A, IPOs, and bond issuances across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, real estate, and telecommunications.

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