The international alliances that shaped the growth of many local firms over recent decades are now being reassessed. In a context of consolidation, failed integrations in some projects, and the strategic manoeuvres of global firms, are we entering a new cycle for the legal market? Our founding partner, Marc Gericó, reflects on this evolution in the Abogacía Española blog.

In recent months, we have witnessed a series of strategic moves marking a turning point in the traditional model of alliances between local firms and multinational players in the legal sector. From leading Latin American firms severing ties with their former global allies to the emergence of new integrations with a Spanish presence — such as Pérez-Llorca’s entry into Mexico or Sánchez Devanny joining Garrigues — the international legal map is undergoing a full reconfiguration.

One of the most recent cases was Estudio Echecopar, which announced the end of its exclusive relationship with Baker McKenzie in Peru, regaining independence after more than a decade of alliance. The decision coincided with its 75th anniversary and was accompanied by a refreshed brand and institutional identity.

A year earlier, Colombian firm Martínez Quintero Mendoza González Laguado & De La Rosa, which had operated for several years under the DLA Piper brand, also opted to continue as an independent firm, marking a significant milestone in the Andean region.

A necessary debate: what do international alliances really offer?

During a recent Zoom session we organised with Pedro A. Freyre, Chair of Akerman’s International Practice, a Miami-headquartered firm, we addressed precisely this question: the growing reassessment — and, in some cases, the breakdown — of alliances between local firms and multinational legal players.

What is leading many firms to reconsider their place within these international alliances?

From our experience as consultants specialising in the legal sector, we identify four key factors:

• Strategic and cultural misalignment: what initially seemed an opportunity for growth over time becomes an obstacle to agile, market-focused decision-making.

• Operational restrictions and conflicts of interest: exclusivity agreements often limit the acquisition of key clients or the expansion of strategic practice areas.

• Limited real business transfer: the promised flow of international work does not always materialise. In some cases, the local firm ends up contributing more than it receives.

• Maturity and consolidation of local talent: once a firm has built recognition, a client base and a strong team, the need to depend on an international brand loses relevance. The desire to build an identity of its own and to control its strategic narrative prevails.

You can read the full article in Abogacía Española, here.