Activlmmo has acquired various industrial and logistic assets for Alderan. Activlmmo acquired a property in Guadalajara recently for approximately EUR 9 million. M&B Abogados has advised Alderan on this acquisition since 2018.
“ Our commitment goes beyond transactional legal assistance, as we act as ‘interpreters’ of mentality and comparative law specialists for our non-Spanish customers”
Q&A with Marti Blanho
Tell us about the project you worked on and how you and M&B Abogados contributed to its completion.
We have advised the Alderan strategy asset management company and its real estate trust, ActivImmo, since they decided to expand in Spain in 2018 (i.e.). This real estate investment fund is specialized in logistics assets. Its presence in Spain was greatly enhanced between 2022-2023 by the acquisition of several assets across the country.
We assisted ALDERAN in the latest transaction in Iberia, which was an asset acquisition in Guadalajara in Castilla la Mancha for around EUR9 million. We are proud to have worked with such a successful and prestigious company during the entire acquisition process. This included everything from a thorough due diligence to negotiating all contract documents.
Our commitment goes beyond transactional legal assistance. We act as “mentality interpreters” and comparative lawyers for our non Spanish clients. We take pride in building lasting relationships with our clients by guiding them seamlessly through the acquisition process and all subsequent steps after the closing.
How does this operation represent the core values of your company?
M&B Abogados is a law firm that specializes in international corporate and business law. We also have a strong practice in real estate. We are a boutique firm with all “traditional” departments, including M&A, corporate, employment, and tax law. Our administrative and urban law practice areas have been developed primarily to support our M&A, real estate and tax practices.
Our core business in Spain is to assist foreign investors expand their businesses within the country. In Spain, we perform a lot of real estate transactions. This is because the role of the lawyer in the transaction is much more important than in other countries, where Notaries take a more active role. We focus on mid-market transactions and act primarily for buyers who are real estate trusts or real estate investment companies. Family offices, however, are also a common client.
We build teams of lawyers who have different levels of expertise and specializations to handle such operations. In the past few years, project management and digital tools have helped us increase the efficiency of our team. We’ve improved internal and external communications, interdepartmental handling, deadlines, and the fees we agreed with clients. This allows us to adjust our work, strategy and role according to the particulars of the transaction and expectations of our client. Our firm has also been able to handle multiple transactions simultaneously and diversify its offer.
We also provide advice on traditional M&A transactions and corporate transactions, in sectors such as biotech and media, digital economies, energy, food and beverages, etc. We use the same principles in these transactions to ensure that our clients receive the same level efficiency. This aspect of my practice will be discussed in greater detail when we discuss a non-real estate transaction.
What do you think of the lawyer profession?
Our commitment lies in the use of legal tools for our clients’ operational goals, while also understanding that our role as advisers is not fundamental but certainly not negligible. Businesspeople make decisions based on a variety of factors. I believe that the lawyer should facilitate decision-making, by showing the best way to proceed from a legal standpoint, drafting contracts and leading negotiations.
We are by our clients’ sides, not in their front or behind. I believe that one of the most important qualities of an attorney is to listen attentively and actively. Listening is a skill that we use to communicate with our clients and other parties involved in a transaction. Listening is the first step to understanding, and understanding leads to beneficial agreements.
I also know that lawyers are professionals who provide services, and our clients have every right to expect us to deliver a high-quality service, including a communication channel that is always open, documents that are clear, concise and legal, as well as solid common sense, and sensitivity to the business environment. As a long-term partner of our clients, I must have a comprehensive understanding of their business, not just the industry they are in but also their relationships with financial partners, stakeholders, etc.
Every case is different, and our strategies and methods must be adapted to the ever-changing complexity of life. It is a rewarding and intellectually stimulating profession.