Legal Team
URQUIOLA DE PALACIO DEL VALLE DE LERSUNDI
Practising lawyer since 1992, Urquiola de Palacio is the Managing Partner of Palacio y Asociados, Abogados. She has extensive experience in Civil and Commercial Law, European Law and International Law.
She has acted as an arbitrator since 2003, having been appointed in proceedings administered by the Spanish Court of Arbitration, the Madrid Court of Arbitration, the Arbitration Court of the Madrid Bar Association, the Madrid International and Ibero-American Arbitration Centre (CIIAM) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). She has participated in arbitrations both at law and ex aequo et bono, acting since 1993 as counsel, as well as secretary to the tribunal, sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator and chair of arbitral tribunals.
For many years, she has also acted as a mediator in civil and commercial matters and is included on the list of individual mediators drawn up by the Spanish Ministry of Justice for these areas.
Since September 2019, she has served as President of the Madrid Court of Arbitration, affiliated with the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Madrid, whose plenary she joined in 2017. In addition, since October 2019, she has been Vice-President of CIIAM, of which the Madrid Chamber of Commerce is a co-founder.
She is Honorary President and Co-Director of Revenue of the International Association of Lawyers (UIA) (www.uianet.org). She is a Member of the Council of Bar Associations of the Community of Madrid, currently serving her fourth (non-consecutive) term. She is a Trustee of the ICAM-Cortina Foundation (linked to the Madrid Bar Association) and a member of its Executive Committee, as well as a Trustee of the Mutualidad Foundation.
She is a Professor of Litigation before the European Court of Human Rights in the Master’s Degree for Access to the Legal Profession at Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICAI-ICADE) (since the 2015–2016 academic year). She has been a Member of the Academic Council of the Master’s Degree in European Union Law (MUDUE) at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid since May 2015. Since 2022, she has been Co-Director of the Master’s Degree in Business Law, Arbitration and ADR at ISDE and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce. Since January 2026, she has been a Member of the Advisory Board of Universidad San Pablo CEU. She also delivers lectures on an occasional basis at various universities.
Between September 2019 and September 2023, she served as President of the Madrid Business Mediation Centre, affiliated with the Madrid Chamber of Commerce. From March 2017 to March 2020, she was a member of the Governing Board of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club, and between 2019 and 2022 she was President of CEA Women within the same institution. From April 2018 to September 2019, she was President of the Committee for the Evaluation of Candidates for Arbitrators of the Arbitration Court of the Madrid Bar Association.
Previously, she served as a Member of the Governing Board of the Madrid Bar Association and as a member of the Interprofessional Union of the Community of Madrid; Vice-President of the Institution for the Protection of Orphans of the Legal Profession of the Madrid Bar Association; and as Board Member, Treasurer, Vice-President and President of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law of Universidad Complutense de Madrid. In 2012, Spain included her in the shortlist of candidates for ad hoc judge before the European Court of Human Rights. Between 2007 and 2009, she was part of the teaching team at IE University, responsible for the design and implementation of the Legal Practice course in its Law Degree. From 1993 to 2001, she acted as external counsel to the Commercial Legal Department of Banco Central Hispanoamericano, S.A.
Among other awards and distinctions, she has been honoured by the Madrid Bar Association with the title of Honorary Member, in recognition of her work as a Councillor of the Council of Bar Associations of the Community of Madrid and for her contribution to the Bar and the legal profession throughout her career. She has also received the “Humanist Lawyer Award 2023” and the “Puñetas de Oro 2023” Award.
She is a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation of Spain, affiliated with the 6th Section (Private International Law).
Born in Madrid on 9 December 1967, she holds a Law Degree from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She completed her secondary education at the Lycée Français of Madrid, obtaining both the French Baccalaureate (Economics specialisation) and the Spanish Bachillerato.
Working languages: English, Spanish and French
MARÍA DEL CARMEN OLÍAS RUBIO
She has extensive legal practice in the field of litigation in both judicial and arbitration proceedings, in civil proceedings – particularly related to property rights and contractual obligations – and commercial matters relating to corporate law.
At Palacio & Asociados she is responsible for the management of the firm, coordinates liaisons with governmental bodies and is in charge of human resources.
JOSE MARÍA DE PALACIO
Jose María de Palacio holds a degree in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid (1986). He previously studied at the Lycée Français de Madrid, obtaining both the French (major in economics) and Spanish (1981) high-school certificates.
He was admitted to the practice of law in January 1987, with a focus on administrative, civil and commercial law while also carrying out technical management on numerous other projects. He has held the following functions:
- Secretary Counsel of the Board of Directors of MEMOREX TELEX SA (American multinational in the sector of computing), INTER INNOVATION SA (Swedish multinational in the sector of information and technology), MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND COMPANY S.A. / HOSPITAL OF MADRID SA (Healthcare group that operates the Hospital of Madrid, Hospital Monteprincipe, Torrelodones Hospital, Hospital Madrid Norte Sanchinarro and Clara Campal Comprehensive Cancer Center).
- External Advisor for, amongst others, Bankinter, S.A., Ministry of Economy and Trade of the Government of the Canary Islands (Mr Luis Hernández Pérez Cruz being in office) and Cruz Mayor Supermarkets Group.
- After a period of interruption in the professional practice of law, he has returned to practice at Palacio y Asociados Abogados after serving as Manager Advisor of the Ombudsman Department.
Between May 1996 and October 2007, Mr Palacio held the following offices:
- Executive Advisor to the Cabinet of the Justice Minister from 28 May 1996 to July 2000. In this area, he coordinated legislative projects of the Ministry of Justice throughout the Legislature, also intervening on behalf of the Ministry on numerous committees and subcommittees. Apart from parliamentary activity, he also was in charge of the institutional representation of the Ministry in various national and international forums, in addition to carrying out the tasks of coordination with the Ombudsman.
- Head Advisor of the Interior and Defense Department of the Ombudsman from 3 July 2000 until March 2003. In this area, he directed the activity of the Department, preparing its Annual Reports. During this time, Mr Palacio also participated as a representative of an institution funded by the European Commission to modernize the administration of the Dominican Republic in 2002 program.
- Between 2003 and 2007, Mr Palacio served as City Councilor of the municipality of Ibarra, Guipuzcoa, elected by the People’s Party in the 2003 municipal election.During this period, he maintained his professional practice as lawyer while serving on the Council.
French: Bilingual, English: fluent, Italian: medium-high.
RAMÓN PEÑA GONZALEZ-CONCHEIRO
Ramón Peña, a lawyer since March 2003 (Palacio y Asociados Abogados and independent practice with his own office in Vigo between September 2005 and September 2010), specializes in the fields of civil, commercial and administrative law. Mr Pena has amassed extensive experience in the technical management of administrative procedures, arbitration and court records throughout Spain.
In advising commercial clients, Mr Pena has been especially dedicated to legal auditing, strategic management, corporate restructuring and the provision of legal assistance to senior management. He also has specialization in negotiating techniques and processes and is a qualified mediator.
Born in Vigo on November 1, 1974, he holds a Degree in Law from the Spanish Open University (UNED) and a Master’s Degree in Legal Practice from the Instituto de Empresa (IE).
High level of English.
