Dual-qualification in Spain and England: a decade building a cross-border legal practice

Spanish Desk Partner Claudia Font is marking ten years at gunnercooke, a milestone reflecting   the sucess of her cross-border specialist legal practice. Having moved from Spain to the UK with no local network, young children, and a career already well established in another jurisdiction, Claudia joined gunnercooke to build something entirely new.

Over the past decade, Claudia has grown a thriving dual-qualified practice spanning Spain and England & Wales, progressing from Legal Counsel to Partner and co-founding the firm’s Spanish Desk. Reflecting on her journey, she shares what first attracted her to the firm, how the gunnercooke model enabled her to grow across borders, and why the future of international and cross-border work continues to excite her.

What originally attracted you to gunnercooke, and what has kept you here for the past 10 years?

Initially, it was the opportunity to develop my legal career in the UK, despite coming from another jurisdiction and having no contacts. All my network and client base was in Spain. That would have been far more difficult in a traditional firm.

The gunnercooke model allowed me to build my own business from scratch with complete flexibility, setting my own targets and choosing how and where to work. This flexibility was crucial for me, particularly in a country that wasn’t my own, with a 2 year old and 10-month-old baby and no nearby family support at the time.

What has kept me here  is that the firm has not only allowed me to start from zero but more importantly, to evolve. After qualifying as a Solicitor in England & Wales, I became Legal Counsel and then Partner. Throughout this journey, I have been able to grow my practice year on year, receive support at every stage, open new lines of business leveraging the firm’s international structure, and, even after recently deciding to relocate to my native Barcelona, continue developing my practice from abroad, which now has opened new opportunities to me such as assisting Spanish companies trading in the UK.

What are the benefits of this model for developing a niche dual-qualified practice?

The gunnercooke model provides an ideal platform for a dual-qualified practice because it combines flexibility, autonomy, and a global network of support. There is no pressure to bill hours, which allows me to focus on building deep relationships with international clients. This strategic freedom is particularly valuable when developing a practice that requires understanding and coordinating frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, such as Spain and the UK.

Can you tell us about your journey to becoming dual-qualified in England & Wales and Spain?

My legal career began in Spain, where I qualified at the age of 23 and practiced successfully in Barcelona for 15 years. My husband’s work led us to move to the UK, a move initially intended to last just a couple of years, but which ultimately became nine. A family experience I would recommend to all.

At first, I thought practicing law in another jurisdiction would be impossible or extremely difficult, especially since I didn’t speak English.

But life is full of opportunities and after meeting Corporate Partner Nick Ducker, I joined gunnercooke and shortly after found and grew the Spanish Desk with Antonio Guillén with whom we have developed a very specific niche: cross-border UK–Spain matters.

What are the benefits of being dual-qualified to support your clients?

Being dual-qualified places me in a privileged position to support clients with interests in both Spain and the UK. I can interpret, compare, and apply the rules and practices of two jurisdictions in an integrated way, reducing the need for intermediaries and avoiding misunderstandings. Clients particularly value this global perspective.

Have you seen an increase in demand for international or cross border advice over the years?

Absolutely. The world has become increasingly interconnected, especially following events like Brexit. I have observed that both companies and individuals are seeking advice that not only understands the legal rules but also the cultural, fiscal, and practical nuances of operating across jurisdictions.

What are you most proud of achieving in your 10 years at gunnercooke?

What I’m most proud of is having been able to start from scratch when we moved to the UK, building my practice in a completely new country where I initially had no clients and no contacts and without speaking the language, then qualifying as a Solicitor in England & Wales – something entirely different from the path I had envisioned when I first qualified in Spain.

What excites you most about the future of your practice at the firm?

I am excited by the ongoing evolution of international practice and the growing recognition of the need for specialist cross-border advice. I see enormous potential to continue expanding the Spanish Desk, maybe even opening in Spain! I am sure all my UK colleagues would enjoy having an office in sunny Barcelona!

You can learn more about Claudia and her practice here.

Reach out to the gunnercooke team below for a confidential chat about how the model could work for you.