THE PRO business
Although its headquarters are in Madrid, Ausbanc’s Marbella office is on the forefront of protecting the rights of consumers and small businesses, and guarding against unethical commercial practices. For residents of the Costa del Sol, the Marbella and Málaga establishments of the celebrated organisation are therefore a valuable resource. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
Ausbanc in Marbella and Málaga A
s a legal and financial advisory organisation without equal in Spain, Ausbanc can look back on almost 30 years of ground-breaking work in which the rights of consumers and small businesses have been championed, companies both large and small have been advised and the victims of unethical business know they have someone on their side. And while the Málaga office was only opened at the beginning of the new millennium, it has become one of the most important Ausbanc branches in the country. Alfredo Martínez Muriel, the man leading both the Málaga and Marbella offices, has been with Ausbanc since 2003, when he left Andersen Legal (a division of Arthur Andersen) to head up the then-fledgling Málaga operation. Alfredo had been with Andersen since graduating as a lawyer from Málaga University and by the time he left seven years later he was head of the Litigation and Arbitration Department and personally responsible for important clients such as, among others, Banco Santander, Unicaja and Cajasur. This experience has stood him in good stead at Ausbanc, where knowledge of both the legal and financial systems is essential. “We specialise in offering legal guidance to businesses and private individuals
as well as assistance in legal cases involving banking, financial services, lost investments, real estate, insurance and issues affecting nonresidents,” says Alfredo. “It’s a very specialised field and we also have an approach to it that sets us apart from most legal practices across the country. They behave in the ‘normal’ way and take business within the broad remit of a law firm, but we are as much an organisation with a clear philosophy and mission as we are legal professionals keen to offer the best possible level of service and expertise.”
Legal and financial expertise with a difference It’s true, Ausbanc has made its name fighting high profile cases on behalf of individuals and businesses that have been the victim of unethical practice, misleading information or sales techniques, and even illegal activities. Much of the reputation it has earned over more than a quarter of a century has been built on the fact that Ausbanc has scored consistently high results both in court and outside it. “We always prefer to mediate compromises and agreements than to take such cases to court,” says Alfredo, “but when we do we are completely committed to success, and our clients, be they corporate, private or even public, know they have the full weight,
resources and know-how behind them not just of one office, but of the whole organisation.” Ausbanc’s great expertise lies in its knowledge of legal and financial subject matter, and in the successful application of it in court, abilities that have seen it win landmark cases that have set new legal jurisprudence of great importance. But it is not just advice, information and litigation that it specialises in. “We don’t just take cases brought to us by clients, but actively monitor possible problem areas where breaches of conduct or even legal abuses may occur. This proactive role takes us back to our mission, which is not just to act on client instruction, but also to highlight situations independently and, if necessary, bring them to court by ourselves.” Examples of these are manifold, but include the eradication of the infamous Cláusula Suelo, which set minimum interest rates on mortgages that have since been abolished nationwide. “It has been estimated that over a million households have been saved from bank repossession of their properties as a result of the lower interest rates that followed,” says Alfredo, “but in reality this is just one of many highprofile cases we have successfully brought and fought ourselves.” You would think the banks would have it in for Ausbanc, but in reality it
is consulted by many of them on consumer related issues such as transparency and ensuring that their offering of financial products and services is in no way misleading. “We are here for local businesses and residents, including foreign citizens and those that have nonresident status, and put our full weight and commitment behind them if we believe in a case. We similarly advise large institutions on best practice and compliance, and help establish guidelines and manuals that put them in place, but in addition an important role we perform in this region is to keep an eye on possible problems. As much as we have made a name for ourselves in court we believe that early detection and prevention are the ideal cure, especially if problems can be resolved through sound advice and well-guided compromise and agreement. In other words, using our legal expertise to flag up issues before they become big problems that can affect a great many of us. That, rather than mere document processing and litigation, is where we believe our greatest contribution as lawyers lies.” g Avda. Ricardo Soriano, 34,
Edif. Portillo, Oficina 2º 6, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 531. marbella@ausbanc.com www.ausbanc.com
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