BPV: Mergers in the Legal World

Guillermo Briones proudly shows off the terrace of his law firm's offices in the upper district of Barcelona. This is where he likes to celebrate the milestones achieved by BPV, the firm he founded in 2010 with Jordi Biosca-Palau and Pau Vilaplana.

“We are a young, innovative firm, different from the city's more traditional firms. We are flexible with schedules and allow remote working. The average age of our 17 partners is 42,” says Briones as he removes the cover from the enormous barbecue on the terrace. The good weather has arrived, and there are reasons to celebrate. BPV has surpassed €10 million in revenue with a staff of 120 people, the vast majority of whom are young lawyers from Barcelona, ​​but also from Madrid, where it arrived last year and where it sees significant growth potential.

“We are a young firm that offers flexibility,” says Briones, who has also promoted the startup Enley

BPV's trajectory would be incomprehensible without the founders' drive to acquire competing firms. "We understand that the legal market is trending toward concentration because it's the only way to be competitive and offer a wide range of services to our clients," says Briones.

BPV is the result of the mergers of six firms: Grupo Gispert, Pazos, Jubert, Granados, North Legal, and Linares Barreda. "We are currently reviewing the latest mergers, but we already see new opportunities, especially in Madrid, and in the medium term, we see potential in the Balearic Islands, Valencia, and Andalusia," says the CEO.

Currently, BPV covers various legal specialties, including commercial, tax, labor, and other areas such as industrial property and all regulations related to new technologies and artificial intelligence. Its clients include family-owned industrial companies, as well as startups, foundations, and companies in the energy and tourism sectors. "The vast majority of our business is in Spain, and 15% comes from services to clients in the United States and Latin America," he adds.

In parallel and completely independently, Briones has launched the startup Enley, which offers digital legal advisory services for seemingly simpler processes, such as those related to the Second Chance Law, divorces, and the management of tax and employment matters. “Stuck at home during the pandemic, I had this idea. I thought there would be clients interested in hiring these services, which are cheaper because there are no in-person appointments,” he says. Under the leadership of Robert Brufau, the startup has an annual turnover of €5 million and employs around 80 people.