Madrid, Spain — A new player has emerged in the Spanish legal landscape with the launch of Hitchings & González (H&G), a boutique law firm focusing on competition defense and collective actions, two sectors that are rapidly gaining importance in Spain and across Europe.
H&G is a collaboration between Hitchings & Co. and Blas A. González Abogados (BGA). This new firm will take over BGA’s existing practice in competition defense and collective actions while BGA continues to handle cases related to insolvency, corporate litigation, and intellectual property, including trademarks and patents. The entire roster of work from Hitchings & Co. will also transition to H&G.
The firm is co-founded by Paul Hitchings and Blas A. González, both seasoned professionals in the legal field. Hitchings boasts over 30 years of experience in law firms such as Norton Rose and Squire Sanders, and he was instrumental in establishing Spain’s first private enforcement practice in 2005. Recognized as an expert in private competition enforcement at the European level, he holds a PhD from Complutense University of Madrid and directs the Madrid Competition Litigation Seminar.
González brings valuable experience from his 17 years as a commercial judge, where he participated in pioneering developments in Spanish commercial law. Since he transitioned to private practice in 2012, he has been actively involved in the country’s inaugural antitrust collective actions. Additionally, he holds a diploma in senior business management, enhancing his expertise in the commercial sector.
H&G aims to concentrate its efforts on litigation related to competition laws and collective redress. Current cases include civil claims associated with notable issues such as the Car and Milk Cartels, Vertical Fuel Distribution Agreements, and Pay-for-Delay agreements affecting citalopram.
The establishment of H&G comes at a pivotal moment as Spain prepares to implement a new collective actions law, an initiative aimed at facilitating group lawsuits and enhancing consumer protection. This move is expected to complement the growing trend of private enforcement in Spain and reflects the increasing influence of litigation funding in complex legal cases.
With its specialized focus and the combined experience of its founders, H&G is poised to make a significant impact on the evolving legal environment in Spain.
This article was automatically written by Open AI, and the people, facts, circumstances, and story may be inaccurate. Any article can be requested removed, retracted, or corrected by writing an email to contact@publiclawlibrary.org.