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Rafael Murillo

Partner

Commercial litigation | Energy | Financial services | International arbitration |

A very good lawyer, with a lot of experience and sound judgement.

Chambers Europe 2020 (market commentary).

Profile details

About Rafael Murillo

Rafael heads the disputes, litigation and arbitration practice in Spain.  He has broad general commercial expertise, focusing on contractual disputes, product liability, public law and arbitration. 

He has worked on refinancing, out of court restructurings and insolvency proceedings. He is an expert on regulatory issues and administrative disputes with the Spanish authorities advising on a broad range of matters governed by Spanish public law. 

He regularly acts for major financial institutions and investment banks, on contentious and non-contentious matters, as well as major national and international companies in the pharmaceutical, media and energy sectors.

He is a member of the firm’s financial institutions disputes group.

Rafael speaks English and Spanish.

Recent work

  • Advising APG Asset Management on several judicial and arbitration proceedings in relation to its agreement to acquire and exercise of other rights to acquire, together with certain funds managed by Corsair Infrastructure Partners, 59.2% of the interests in Itínere Infraestructuras, at a €1.3bn (on a 100% basis) valuation.
  • Defending a group of financial entities (Bankia, Banco Sabadell, Abanca, Banco Popular, BBVA, CaixaBank and UBI) in the litigation filed by Pescanova seeking for the nullity of a €300m facility granted within the implementation of the composition settlements agreed in Pescanova’s insolvency proceedings.
  • Successfully representing a major international investment bank on Spanish derivatives litigation, in relation to a €150m claim filed by the holding company of one of the major media groups in Spain.
  • Represent BBVA in a dispute with Bolivia regarding the nationalization of the pension fund administrator (BBVA Previsión AFP) adverse impact on its investments. We have likewise represented BBVA during its negotiations with the Bolivian government to produce a smooth and orderly transfer of the APFT to the regulator and authorities.
  • Advising a major financial institution from a €300m tort claim brought by a former employee.

Qualifications

Education

  • Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE), Spain (law)

Memberships

  • Member of the Madrid Bar