Antonio Garrigues Walker is currently the honorary chairman of Garrigues, and served as chairman of the firm until 2014. He also presides over the Garrigues Foundation, which aims to serve the general interests of civil society through three core mainstays: applied legal research, awards, and community outreach initiatives.

He is a renowned legal expert in foreign investments in Spain and has worked with the governments of the US, Japan, China, Australia and India, among others.

He served as special adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and is currently the honorary chairman of España con ACNUR (the Spanish Committee for UNHCR). He is also the founder of the Spanish Chapter of Transparency International (TI), a non-governmental organization set up to combat global corruption.

Antonio is a regular speaker at seminars and conferences organized by Garrigues and various specialist centers and associations. He also speaks and acts as moderator in numerous seminars and meetings held in Spain and abroad.

EXPERIENCE: 

Antonio Garrigues Walker is a Spanish jurist and honorary chairman of the law firm Garrigues.

In 1954 he joined the firm founded by his father Antonio Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate and his uncle Joaquín Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate. He took over as chairman of the firm in 1961, at just 27 years of age, and served until September 30, 2014. He also presides over the Garrigues Foundation and the Garrigues Chair in Global Law at Universidad de Navarra.

He is an internationally renowned jurist and is particularly known for his work as a legal expert on foreign investments in Spain. He has advised major multinationals as well as the Spanish Government on economic legislation, particularly in the field of foreign investment. Antonio also offers his legal advice and knowledge to governments, including the US and Japanese governments, in their relations with Spain. He is consequently an honorary trustee of the Spain-US, Spain-Japan, Spain-China and Spain-Australia Foundations (Fundaciones Consejo) and a trustee of the Spain-India Foundation. His interest in the phenomenon of globalization led him to break new ground in terms of cooperation with other international law firms and, by way of example, he served as Chairman of the World Association of Lawyers. He is a member of the Spanish group of the Trilateral Commission.

Alongside his work as a jurist, he has always played a highly active role in the country’s social, business and cultural life, as borne out by his sojourn into politics. He set up the Partido Demócrata Liberal (PDL) back in 1982 and was named party chairman. In 1984, this political outfit was integrated within the Partido Reformista Democrático, a joint initiative with Miquel Roca in a bid to take up the political center ground.

Antonio Garrigues has been named World Lawyer by the World Peace Through Law Centre and is the former president and a current trustee of Fundación José Ortega y Gasset-Gregorio Marañón. Recipient of the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Raymond of Peñafort, the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit, the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, and the Grand Cross of Merit for services to the Legal Profession. Blanquerna Prize awarded by the Regional Government of Catalunya. Lifetime Achievement International Award, Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón. Heraldic Order of Christopher Columbus (Dominican Republic). Jovellanos International Essay Prize 2013. 2013 Iustitiae Award, for contribution to bilateral relations between Portugal and Spain. 2011 Professional Achievement Award from Asociación Jóvenes Empresarios (AJE).

He served as special adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and is currently the honorary chairman of España con ACNUR (the Spanish Committee for UNHCR). He is also the founder of the Spanish Chapter of Transparency International (TI), a non-governmental organization set up to combat global corruption.

Antonio Garrigues is chairman and director of several companies and is Doctor Honoris Causa from Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales de Buenos Aires (Argentina), Universidad Europea de Madrid, Universidad Ramon Llull de Barcelona and Universidad Pontificia de Comillas de Madrid. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Universidad Antonio de Nebrija.

Antonio is a regular speaker at seminars and conferences organized by Garrigues and various specialist centers and associations. He also speaks and acts as moderator in numerous seminars and meetings held in Spain and abroad.

He is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian and has a basic command of German.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND: 

Law Degree, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

He practices in international law.

MEMBERSHIPS: 

• Honorary Chairman of España con ACNUR (the Spanish Committee for UNHCR).
• Founder of the Spanish Chapter of Transparency International (TI).
• Trustee of Fundación José Ortega y Gasset – Gregorio Marañón.
• Honorary Chairman of Asociación para el Progreso de la Dirección (APD).
• Chairman of ASEDAS.
• Honorary Trustee of the Spain-Japan, Spain-China and Spain-US Foundations (Fundaciones Consejo).
• Chairman and director of several companies.

RECOGNITION: 

• Doctor Honoris Causa from Universidad de Buenos Aires de Argentina, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Universidad Ramón Llull de Barcelona, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas de Madrid, and Universidad Católica de Colombia.
• 2019 Pelayo Award for Renowned Jurists.
• Antonio Fontán Award for Political Journalism.
• 2013 Iustitiae Award, for contribution to bilateral relations between Portugal and Spain.
• Grand Cross of the Order of St. Raymond of Peñafort.
• Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit.
• Order of the Sacred Treasure (Japanese honor).
• Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Moroccan honor).
• Grand Cross of Merit for services to the Legal Profession.
• Blanquerna Prize awarded by the Regional Government of Catalunya.
• Lifetime Achievement International Award, Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón.
• Heraldic Order of Christopher Columbus (Dominican Republic).
• Honorary Ambassador of Marca España.
• Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.
• Jovellanos International Essay Prize 2013.
• Named World Lawyer by the World Peace Through Law Centre.
• Honorary member of the American Bar Association.

PUBLICATIONS: 

He regularly contributes articles on legal, political and economic issues for publication in newspapers, journals and books, both in Spain and abroad.

As a member of the Spanish group of the Trilateral Commission, he co-authored “International Migration Challenges in a New Era” (in collaboration with Doris Meissner, Robert D. Hormats and Shijuro Ogata) in 1993.

In recent years, he has written several books, notably including:

• Sobrevivir para contarla (Surviving To Tell the Tale) – Editorial Deusto.
• El derecho a no ser engañado (The Right Not To Be Tricked) – Editorial Aranzadi.
• Manual para vivir en la era de la incertidumbre (How to Live in the Age of Uncertainty) – Editorial Deusto.
• Antonio Garrigues Walker, testigo clave de medio siglo de nuestra historia (Antonio Garrigues Walker: a Key Witness to Half a Century of Spanish History) – Editorial Península.