English-speaking lawyers in Barcelona
If you are looking for a solicitor, an attorney or a barrister in Barcelona, the equivalent in Spain is an abogado. Ajuridic is a law firm in El Clot whose principal, Noemí Ampurdanés Parés, is registered with the Barcelona Bar (ICAB) under no. 22359, and we advise in English on matters governed by Spanish and Catalan law.
Carrer del Freser, 104 · El Clot (Sant Martí), Barcelona · We advise in Spanish, Catalan, English and Arabic (Arabic by prior appointment).
Solicitor, barrister, attorney, abogado
In Spain one profession covers both legal advice and court work: the abogado. The same lawyer advises you, negotiates and defends your case in court, at every level. Two other professionals take part in some matters: the procurador and the notario.
- Abogado (lawyer)
- Advises, drafts, negotiates and defends the case in court, at every level. When you need one: For advice, negotiation and almost every court case.
- Procurador (court agent)
- Formally represents the party before the court, receives notifications and files documents. When you need one: When the law requires it: most civil cases, including divorce. Not needed, for example, in small civil claims of up to 2,000 euros (and the initial filing of a payment-order claim) or at first instance in the employment courts.
- Notario (notary)
- A legal professional and public official who authorises deeds: property sales, mortgages, wills, powers of attorney, acceptance of an inheritance. Acts impartially for both parties. When you need one: When a deed has to be signed. The notario does not defend either side.
- Gestoría (administrative agency)
- Prepares and files administrative paperwork. When you need one: For routine paperwork. It is not a law firm and cannot defend you in court.
- Traductor jurado (sworn translator)
- Translates documents with official effect in Spain. When you need one: When an authority or court asks for a sworn translation of a foreign document.
If you are used to the system in England and Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland, the abogado broadly does the work that is shared there between solicitors and barristers. If you are used to the United States, the abogado is the closest figure to an attorney. A Spanish notario is not the same as a US-style notary public, who mainly witnesses signatures: it is a legal professional and public official who authorises deeds.
These titles belong to other legal systems. Noemí Ampurdanés Parés practises in Spain as an abogada, and the firm advises on Spanish and Catalan law; we do not advise on the law of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States or any other country. When a matter also has a side abroad, that part is dealt with there by a professional from that country.
Matters we handle in English
The same areas the firm covers in Spanish, explained and handled in English.
Road traffic accidents
Car, motorbike, bicycle or pedestrian injuries in Spain: the claim against the insurer under the Spanish compensation scale (baremo).
Accident claimsEmployment and dismissal
Dismissals, unpaid wages and changes to working conditions, with the 20 working days to challenge a dismissal.
Employment lawImmigration and residence
Residence and work authorisations, arraigo, family reunification, EU family member cards, renewals, nationality and appeals.
Immigration lawBuying or renting property
Checks before buying, deposit (arras) contracts, tenancies, hidden defects and disputes with developers.
Property lawDivorce and family
Divorce and separation, parenting plans, child maintenance and changes to existing arrangements.
Family lawInheritance in Spain
Wills, declarations of heirs, acceptance of the inheritance, the Catalan legítima and inheritance tax.
InheritanceMedical negligence
Claims against public hospitals and private clinics: medical records, expert report and time limits.
Medical negligenceFines and penalties
Representations and appeals against Barcelona City Council fines and other penalties.
FinesPersonal injury and damage
Claims for injuries or damage caused by someone else, and dealing with their liability insurer.
Civil liabilityFree tools in English: the Spanish dismissal compensation calculator and the guide to road traffic accident compensation.
Working with us from the UK, Ireland, the US or anywhere else
You may live in Barcelona and speak English, or live abroad and have a matter in Spain: an accident on holiday, a property, an inheritance, a job.
- First visit. A guidance consultation at the office in El Clot, by telephone or by video call.
- Language. Your dealings with the firm can be in English: meetings, calls and emails. Documents filed with Spanish courts and authorities are in Spanish (in Catalonia, also Catalan), and we explain each one to you in English.
- Documents from your country. A foreign public document usually needs an apostille and a translation into Spanish, often a sworn translation, before a Spanish authority accepts it; some countries, such as EU member states, have simpler rules. We tell you which ones need it before you order them.
- If you cannot travel. Many steps can be taken without you being in Spain. For court proceedings, you can authorise the procurador and the lawyer through a power of attorney granted before a notary in your country, with an apostille and, usually, a translation into Spanish, or at a Spanish consulate. Some steps, such as giving fingerprints for a residence card, have to be done in person.
- Fees. Before any work starts, we tell you the scope and the fees, and you decide whether to accept. How fees and the first visit work.
First visit at no charge*
*The first visit at no charge covers an initial consultation to discuss the case. It does not include prior document review. If that review is needed, or the matter concerns employment or criminal law, a fee may apply. The firm will disclose the scope and amount beforehand; the client decides whether to accept.
Questions English speakers ask us
Is a Spanish abogado the same as a solicitor in the UK or an attorney in the US?
Not exactly, but it is the professional who does that job in Spain. The abogado advises, drafts, negotiates and defends cases in court, so it broadly covers the work that in England and Wales is shared between solicitors and barristers, and is the closest figure to an attorney in the US. The titles, training and rules are not the same. To practise, an abogado must be registered with a Spanish Bar Association: Noemí Ampurdanés Parés is registered with the Barcelona Bar (ICAB) under no. 22359.
Do I need a barrister for a court case in Spain?
No. There are no barristers in Spain: the abogado who prepares your case also argues it in court, at first instance and on appeal.
What is a procurador and will I have to pay one?
The procurador (court agent) is a separate professional who formally represents you before the court, receives notifications and files documents. The law requires one in most civil cases, with exceptions such as small civil claims of up to 2,000 euros (and the initial filing of a payment-order claim) and first-instance employment cases. Their fees are separate from the lawyer's, and we tell you beforehand when one is needed.
Is a Spanish notario the same as a notary public?
Not quite. In the US a notary public mainly witnesses signatures and generally needs no legal training. A notario is a legal professional and public official who authorises deeds (property sales, mortgages, wills, powers of attorney, the acceptance of an inheritance) and gives them special legal force. The notario acts impartially for both parties, so does not defend your interests in a purchase; that is the job of your abogado.
Can Ajuridic advise on UK, Irish or US law?
No. Ajuridic advises on Spanish and Catalan law. If your matter also has a side in another country, that part has to be dealt with by a professional qualified there; we deal with the Spanish side.
Can everything be done in English?
Your dealings with the firm can be in English: meetings, calls and emails. Court hearings and documents filed with Spanish authorities are in Spanish or Catalan; we explain them to you in English, and if you have to give evidence, the court can appoint an interpreter.
Do I have to travel to Spain?
Not always. The first visit can be by telephone or video call, documents can be sent electronically and, for court proceedings, a power of attorney can be granted in your country (with an apostille and, usually, a translation) or at a Spanish consulate. Some steps, such as giving fingerprints before the authorities, require you to attend in person.
How much does it cost?
The firm does not publish a general fee scale, because every matter has a different scope: before any work starts, we tell you the scope and the fees, and you decide whether to accept. How fees and the first visit work.
Tell us what has happened, in English
Call or send us a WhatsApp message, or request an appointment. We are at Carrer del Freser, 104, in El Clot, Barcelona, and we can also hold the first visit by telephone or video call.