Although based in Madrid, Plehn Abogados operates throughout Spain and is specialized in representing foreign clients in their commercial operations having some nexus with Spain.
We also represent clients in litigation matters before the Spanish courts, as well as obtaining the recognition in Spain of foreign court judgments and wills.
In addition to the lawyers described below, our firm also maintains an extensive network of associated lawyers throughout Spain capable of supporting our activities throughout the territory
Steven Plehn
Steven Plehn has over thirty years of experience as an international lawyer. His professional trajectory includes employment in major international law firms in both Madrid, Spain (J. y B. Cremades) from 1982 to 1986 and in New York City (Richards & O’Neil, now Bingham McCutchen) from 1986 to 1991. In 1991 he joined the French telecommunications group, Alcatel, where he worked in Paris for four years and Madrid for five, occupying the position of Legal Director of the worldwide Access Product Division before departing to set up the Spanish subsidiary of the British publicly-quoted company, Marlborough Stirling. Within Marlborough Stirling Spain he was a minority shareholder and held the position of General and Legal Director for nearly three years until selling his equity participation and setting up his own law practice in 2003.
Steven Plehn’s practice includes all those areas where he has worked in the past, in particular company law, mergers and acquisitions, international trade and distribution, infrastructure projects, technology, bankruptcy and international commercial arbitration and litigation. He is a listed arbitrator with the courts of arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of Arbitration and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and has acted as both party-appointed and sole arbitrator for disputes involving industrial groups, banks and telecom operators, amongst others. He is also one of the few non-Spaniards to argue cases before the courts of Spain, both at first instance and at the appellate levels.
Blanca Tornos Arroyo
Ms. Tornos began her career as an associate at the law firm of Antonio Sánchez Crespo (1988-1992) where she advised on tax and commercial matters primarily for closely held corporations. She subsequently joined the Zarraluqui firm (1992-1997) where she continued to advise on tax and commercial matters. After leaving the Zarraluqui firm Ms. Tornos established her own practice, specializing in tax planning, as well as administrative actions and litigation before the courts of Spain regarding commercial and tax matters. Ms. Tornos has advised on complicated company restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, as well as tax planning for high net worth individuals. She has extensive experience representing clients before the Spanish tax authorities and relevant tribunals, both at first instance and on the appellate level.
Ms. Tornos is fluent in Spanish and English.
José Luis Ortega Iglesias
Prior to joining Plehn Abogados, Mr. Ortega worked as an associate at the law firm of Raich Lopez & Diez where he specialized in commercial, company, and bankruptcy law. More specifically, he worked on numerous mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, as well as the advising of foreign private equity and foreign investment funds in various corporate transactions in Spain, the creation of joint ventures and similar. He also gained significant experience representing Spanish and foreign clients in commercial litigation before the courts of Spain and has intervened in numerous real estate transactions, including the purchase and sale of stressed assets, creation and administration of real estate holding companies and leveraged acquisitions.
Mr. Ortega is a native Spanish speaker and fluent in English.
Juan Ignacio Pajares
Mr. Pajares began his career with the Spanish firm of Gil Sanz from 1997 to 2000 and later joined the firm of Marin de la Barcena where he practiced until 2019 when he set up his own litigation practice in association with Plehn Abogados. He has dedicated his entire professional career to litigating before the Spanish courts, principally in the sphere of civil and commercial matters., but also with a significant practice in white collar and related economic crimes. He has represented clients in high-stakes litigation at both the district and appellate levels and is certified to practice before the Spanish Supreme Court where he has extensive experience as an advocate.