Eversheds Sutherland hosts its ’Global Conference of Allied Firms’ in Madrid  

International law firm Eversheds Sutherland has hosted its annual ’Global Conference of allied firms’ in Madrid on 7 and 8 of March 2023.

More than 250 members from 80 countries within the firm’s main alliances in Latin America, Africa and Asia gathered at the Melia Castilla Hotel, in an event organized by the firm to secure the strategy proposed for all offices, based on the motto "Next Level Relationships". The main purpose of this gathering is to share best practices and promote the highest standards of legal service in all the countries in which the firm has a presence. The event was the first in-person gathering following two years of virtual online conferences due to the pandemic.

Within this context, ESLAA (Eversheds Sutherland Latin America Alliance), coordinated by Spanish partner Antonio Bravo; ESAA (Eversheds Sutherland African Alliance); and ESAPA (Eversheds Sutherland Asia Pacific Alliance), have come together to provide member law firms access to training, knowledge sharing programs and business opportunities both regionally and internationally.

The conference also included the intervention of external speakers with great international experience such as the editor of Wired magazine, and the former digital editor of the Financial Times, Jeremy White, who addressed the topic "The real metaverse and the impact on our work and our clients". During his presentation, he discussed what the metaverse really is, how companies can take advantage of this new reality, and what businesses should expect. Another speaker was Celine Barroche, General-Counsel of G4S, who shared her insights on "the global client".

Helen Thomas, managing partner for Europe at Eversheds Sutherland, also gave an exclusive session for the clients of the Spanish office where she addressed, among other things, the firm’s services in relation to global client management and the international coordination of legal services.

The program was completed with a series of keynote lectures, interactive sessions and discussion panels, as well as a networking forum for lawyers from the different offices of the firm, with the aim of exchanging experiences and strengthening ties between lawyers from the different offices and countries of the firm.

Among the topics discussed, ESG principles (environmental, social and governance factors) and their development in different jurisdictions was a main focus, including aspects such as the evolution of the disclosure of ESG standards or regulatory problems.

There was also a roundtable dedicated to M&A, where the discussions were focused on the progress of the firm’s practice and some of the factors that will influence the M&A market in 2023 (macro and microeconomic keys and market trend and valuations, among other aspects), as well as availability of debt, financing of operations, and regulatory aspects of transactions.

Finally, in the panel dedicated to Digitization, the future of digitalization in the context of law firms was addressed, as well as that of corporate responsibility, with an analysis of the key emerging trends in the adoption of digital technologies. The discussion also covered  ethical aspects, legal challenges, compliance, and governance challenges, in addition to the expectations that companies face in the context of digitization.

The event also brought together the entire European Executive Committee of Eversheds Sutherland, made up of a total of five partners of the firm of different nationalities and of which Jacobo Martínez, managing partner of the firm in Spain, is a part, as head of the area of ​​professionals and its development.

About Eversheds Sutherland Spain

Eversheds Sutherland has 20 partners and almost 100 lawyers in Spain, and offers legal advice in all areas of business law. Its global network of more than 750 partners and 3,000 lawyers is present in 35 countries and its 74 offices are located in major cities and financial centers in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Likewise, they maintain a close collaborative relationship with law firms in other jurisdictions, including Latin America and India.