This month’s visit to Barcelona allowed Leeds Legal – the only city-based legal marketing campaign in the country – to build on the success of initial discussions which took place via video conference with the Barcelona Law Society last autumn, and has secured a return delegation to Leeds.The organisation will welcome a delegation of Spanish commercial, trade and academic professionals to meet with Leeds’ lawyers and business advisers this summer.
Led by Leeds Legal chairman Alan M. Baker, the delegates attended a range of meetings with key legal and business organisations in the city, including the Barcelona Bar Association, British Chamber of Commerce in Spain and leading Catalonian law firms - developing strong relationships for Leeds lawyers with Spanish business intermediaries. This partnership, according to figures from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), will tap into a 3,000-strong international business network based in and around Barcelona.
The two-day trip also created an opportunity to develop the Anglo-Spanish relationship further. Leeds Legal will be returning to Barcelona in April to deliver a seminar aimed at local key businesses.
Alongside meeting key partners from leading Barcelona-based law firms and legal academics from the city’s university Colegio de Abogados, the delegates benefited from constructive talks with Montse Ruiz, a legal journalist from Barcelona’s most popular newspaper La Vanguardia. She was keen to highlight the success of the campaign and the benefits it could bring to Barcelona’s business scene.
Accompanying Mr Baker for the organisation’s first delegation visit to the Spanish city were directors Deborah Green and Rosemary Edwards, alongside Colin Russell, regional sector specialist for professional and business services, from UKTI - the government organisation supporting domestic companies doing business internationally and overseas firms wanting to invest the UK.
Mr Baker, commenting on the success of the delegation visit, said: “Over a rather hectic two days we identified many possible opportunities for Leeds lawyers and the wider business community to work with Spanish businesses in the Catalonian region. This is a significant move for future collaboration work and will certainly open doors for cross-border referrals.
“We have been very encouraged from the responses we have received from many of the organisations we met with. This enthusiasm has already started the ball rolling on future key events and we are looking forward to returning to Barcelona in April, and welcoming a delegation back to Leeds in the summer.”
Colin Russell from UKTI, said: “There are a number of similarities between the commercial centres of Leeds and Barcelona, and this delegation visit has reinforced the forward thinking approach that the Spanish organisations share with our region’s businesses. The eagerness from the Barcelona Bar Association to develop a unique working partnership, further demonstrates the quality of legal services available from Leeds, as the largest centre for legal services outside of London.”
Leeds Legal is a unique organisation dedicated to raising the profile of the world-class expertise of the city’s legal services sector. It continues to be one of the most successful city agencies to utilise European and international trade missions.
