Mercedes Clavell

Arco Abogados y Asesores Fiscales is a firm formed by lawyers and tax advisors focused on providing the highest quality advice to companies and individuals.

Many of Arco’s lawyers have more than 20 years’ experience and a brilliant career at public administrations, leading law firms or private companies, always with an international approach. Our commitment is to provide quality advice and timely responses at competitive prices.

Our lawyers not only speak some foreign languages (English, French, Italian), but understand the clients businesses and needs in the fast moving international environment. We are proud to have very long lasting relationships with many of our clients, Spanish or international. Probably this is due to the fact that we always look for the most cost-effective solutions, while cultivating the personal relationship.

Arco provides the most of the legal services needed by corporations, and it is especially well known for the following practice areas:

-          Litigation and arbitration
-          Commercial agreements, distribution and franchising
-          M&A and joint ventures
-          Real estate & Property
-          Companies’ crisis (Insolvency and restructuration)
-          Public Law, including PPP
-          Company formation and start ups
-          Capital risk
-          Interim legal management
-          Taxation and groups’ reorganizations
-          Corporate Governance
-          White collar crimes
-          Tourism & leisure
-          Nautical law  

In addition, Arco renders some services for individuals, such as tax advice, civil & commercial litigation, real estate transactions, family law, and director’s liability.

Education

Graduated in Law by the University of Barcelona; Master in Business Administration by EAE (Escuela de Administración de Empresas); Master in Tax and Finance by CEF(Centro de Estudios Financieros).

Biography

Mercedes started her professional career as a tax advisor at one of the “Big Four” companies, but after some few years she focused her practice in three main areas of specialization: corporate, commercial and real estate, always with an important international component: many of her clients are foreign companies or individuals, or Spanish international companies.

Lecturer

“Types of strategic alliances for the international expansion of Spanish companies”, a series of seminars organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona (2005-2007); “M&A in Spain”, several annual conferences organized by Iber Business Group in Noordwijk (The Netherlands) (2005-2007); “Due Diligence in international M&A”, conference organized by the German law firm RWP in Krakow (2005); “Real estate transactions in Spain”, an in house training course for a French construction company operating in Spain (2006); “How to organize a network of international advisors for an expanding franchise”, conference organized by the Italian International Distribution Institute in Barcelona in 2009; “Real estate investments in Spain”, conference addressed to Finnish investors, held in Costa del Sol in 2009; “Franchising in China”, conference addressed to Spanish franchising companies, held in Madrid in 2014.

Moreover, Mercedes taught about franchising to students from worldwide in the master courses organized by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, during 2011-2013.

Experience:

In corporate issues, Mercedes has experience in starts-up, mergers, acquisitions, joint-ventures and other types of strategic alliances, due diligence, shareholders’ agreements, conflicts among shareholders, winding up companies, etc. She has closely worked with consultants; therefore she can provide a business and strategic approach point of view, apart from the legal advice.

In commercial issues, Mercedes has deep experience in agency, distribution, franchising, supply, turn-key and other types of commercial agreements and distribution networks. Unfair competition, publicity, IP rights, consumers’ protection and data protection are as well within her areas of practice. During 2.5 years she served as General Counsel of one of the biggest franchising companies in Spain, in order to prepare this company for its internationalization. Now Mercedes collaborates with several franchising consulting companies in three main areas: advising Spanish companies on their internationalization processes; advising Spanish companies on how to franchise their businesses, and advising foreign investors who wish to acquire a Spanish or European master franchise for their territory.

In real estate, Mercedes has experience in corporate transactions including real estate, where tax, corporate, regulatory and civil law issues are relevant, and in advising private clients from many different countries in their investments in Spain.