More than thirty years in practice
Where the firm comes from, how its way of working took shape and who makes it up today.
The beginning
The firm was founded by Francisco J. Villegas Romero and has been in continuous practice for more than thirty years since. His training explains much of what followed: a law degree from the University of Seville specialising in private law, a master's in administrative and financial management of companies from the Escuela de Negocios in Madrid, and four years — from 1985 to 1989 — preparing for the state examination for notaries.
An unusual grounding
To that base were added two subjects that rarely sit together in a law firm: urban planning, with a diploma in urban planning and property development from the Instituto de Práctica Empresarial, and the social economy, as a university expert in cooperativism and social economy enterprises from the University of Seville. To these was added, in 2011, the diploma in Senior Management of the Instituto Internacional San Telmo, at its Málaga campus. Hence the habit of looking at every matter through its three faces — legal, tax and financial — and not only the first. In May 2018 the European Association of Economics and Competitiveness awarded him the European Gold Medal for Merit at Work.
The clients
The client base is both Spanish and international, and has formed around a few sectors: aeronautics, the sherry wineries of the Jerez region, communications, tourism and property development. They are different from one another, and what they share is that in all of them a legal matter rarely arrives on its own.
The two offices
The registered office is in Guadiaro, San Roque, at the Centro de Negocios Sotovila I, the business centre serving Sotogrande. The second office is in Seville and has occupied the Edificio Viapol, on Calle Balbino Marrón, since 2022, having left the previous one on Demetrio de los Ríos.
The firm today
The team is made up of lawyers, economists and auditors, and the firm also maintains a standing working relationship with M. Cossío Abogados, dating back to 1887, and with Santiago Mediano Abogados.
«We understand the practice of advocacy and of law, which are our trade and our profession as jurists, as Science, as Craft and as Art.»
What we mean by each of them
- I
Science
We are driven by curiosity about the reasoning behind legal rules and decisions. From that study come actions that are clear, reasonable, intelligible and persuasive: those who come to us must understand at every moment why what is being done is being done.
- II
Craft
We accept only those matters that have real procedures and real prospects of resolution. For the same reason, we never guarantee the final outcome of proceedings or of a negotiation: to do so would fall short of the rigour we owe our clients.
- III
Art
We conceive of law as an instrument of social harmony. Our work consists in balancing rights and legitimate interests, and in opening channels of communication between parties in conflict where confrontation had closed them.
Who we are and who we mean to be
- I
Vision
To be the finest alternative in the provision of legal services, for companies and individuals alike, through a close and decisive relationship, offering solutions tailored to each situation.
- II
Mission
To grow in an orderly manner, innovating within the legal sector, adapting our practice to new technologies and anticipating events, so as to offer a comprehensive service of the highest quality.
- III
Values
We encourage everyone's participation towards a common goal, sharing information and knowledge. We act with professionalism, moral integrity and loyalty. We focus our efforts on client satisfaction, and we base our success on the personal merit and professional contribution of every member of the team.
Francisco J. Villegas Romero
Civil · Commercial
Founder of the firm. His practice combines civil and commercial law with a grounding in business and town planning that is uncommon at the bar.