Key Takeaways
- • Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer hired Pablo González Mosqueira as a partner in Madrid to lead the firm's private equity practice in Spain, recruiting him from Pérez-Llorca after 20 years at that firm, including 12 years as a partner.
- • González Mosqueira's appointment follows the departure of PE and M&A partner Armando Albarrán to Gibson Dunn & Crutcher earlier in 2026, signaling competitive pressure for Spanish legal talent in the M&A and private equity sectors.
- • The hire bolsters Freshfields' European private equity capabilities at a time when global M&A volumes reached $861.1 billion in Q1 2026—the strongest quarter since 2021—with US investors driving 986 inbound cross-border transactions targeting European assets.
- • González Mosqueira brings 20 years of corporate and M&A transaction experience, including work on joint ventures and capital markets transactions for Spanish and international clients, complemented by previous academic roles teaching law at IE University (2010–2016).
- • Freshfields' Madrid office leadership described the hire as accelerating the firm's growth in the European private equity market, though near-term M&A trends may face headwinds from geopolitical uncertainty.
Summary
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bolstered its Madrid private equity operation by hiring Pablo González Mosqueira, a senior partner from peer firm Pérez-Llorca, to lead the office's PE practice. González Mosqueira brings two decades of experience, having spent the past 20 years at Pérez-Llorca, with the last 12 in a partner capacity. His appointment as partner at Freshfields is aimed at strengthening the firm's global M&A and capital markets practice.
The move comes amid leadership transitions in Freshfields' Spanish operations. Earlier in 2026, Armando Albarrán, who previously headed Freshfields' corporate/M&A and capital markets groups in Spain, departed to Gibson Dunn & Crutcher to help establish the firm's Madrid office. That departure underscores the competitive market for senior M&A and private equity legal talent in Spain and reflects broader consolidation dynamics in European legal services.
González Mosqueira's background spans corporate transactions, joint ventures, and capital markets work across Spanish and international client bases. He began his career as an associate in the corporate M&A department at CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo and also served as a law professor at IE University in Segovia between 2010 and 2016. His appointment aligns with strong market fundamentals: global M&A volumes reached $861.1 billion in Q1 2026, marking the strongest start to a year since 2021. US investors led cross-border activity, with 986 inbound transactions targeting European assets, positioning Europe as the most targeted region.
Bosco Montejo, managing partner of Freshfields' Madrid office, and David Franco, head of global M&A and capital, both emphasized that González Mosqueira's expertise and collaborative approach position Freshfields to capitalize on continued European private equity growth. However, both executives and market observers flagged that near-term M&A momentum may face near-term headwinds from geopolitical uncertainty, even as structural demand for cross-border M&A advisory services remains elevated.
The move comes amid leadership transitions in Freshfields' Spanish operations. Earlier in 2026, Armando Albarrán, who previously headed Freshfields' corporate/M&A and capital markets groups in Spain, departed to Gibson Dunn & Crutcher to help establish the firm's Madrid office. That departure underscores the competitive market for senior M&A and private equity legal talent in Spain and reflects broader consolidation dynamics in European legal services.
González Mosqueira's background spans corporate transactions, joint ventures, and capital markets work across Spanish and international client bases. He began his career as an associate in the corporate M&A department at CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo and also served as a law professor at IE University in Segovia between 2010 and 2016. His appointment aligns with strong market fundamentals: global M&A volumes reached $861.1 billion in Q1 2026, marking the strongest start to a year since 2021. US investors led cross-border activity, with 986 inbound transactions targeting European assets, positioning Europe as the most targeted region.
Bosco Montejo, managing partner of Freshfields' Madrid office, and David Franco, head of global M&A and capital, both emphasized that González Mosqueira's expertise and collaborative approach position Freshfields to capitalize on continued European private equity growth. However, both executives and market observers flagged that near-term M&A momentum may face near-term headwinds from geopolitical uncertainty, even as structural demand for cross-border M&A advisory services remains elevated.
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