José Fernández-Rañada is a partner at J&A Garrigues, S.L.P., where he has pursued his professional career since 1997.

He currently belongs to the M&A practice in Madrid and is the partner in charge of the Life Sciences and Healthcare service.

He specializes in corporate/commercial law and has extensive experience in company sale and purchase transactions, as well as mergers, spin-offs and business restructurings, having advised on some of the major deals performed in Spain in recent years. He is known for his work in international transactions and for his experience in advising on private equity matters.

José Fernández-Rañada provides recurring corporate/commercial law advice to major Spanish and foreign companies and, in particular, acts as adviser to many of the largest companies in the Spanish life sciences and healthcare sector.

• Master’s Degree in European Commercial Law (with “Grande distinction” honors), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB).
• Degree in Law and Associate's Degree in Business Studies (ICADE E-I), Universidad Pontificia Comillas.
• Completed first and second year business studies (distance learning), Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

José is a regular speaker at specialist national and international forums. He has also taught on several postgraduate programs including at ESADE, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad Europea, ESAME and CESIF.

He teaches on several programs at Centro de Estudios Garrigues, including the International Honors Program.

• Member of the Madrid Bar Association.
• Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Foundation 29.
• Adviser, Spanish Federation of Parents of Children with Cancer.

• He has been featured in the major legal directories, including Chambers&Partners, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal, which refer to him as “an extremely solid professional”, whose “best qualities are his ability to respond quickly, excellent knowledge of both theory and practice and his outstanding negotiating skills”.
• Selected by Best Lawyers in Spain (Corporate and M&A). Selection to Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than three million confidential evaluations by top attorneys.
• He was one of the recipients of the “40 under Forty” Award in 2011 (Iberian Lawyer). Iberian Lawyer’s 40 under Forty Awards honor the leading 40 lawyers across Spain and Portugal under the age of 40.

He has authored a range of articles and publications, including:

• “La Estrategia Farmacéutica para Europa” (The Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe). Cuadernos de Derecho Farmacéutico.
• “El estado de información no financiera” (The Non-Financial Information Statement). Comunicaciones en Propiedad Industrial y Derecho de la Competencia.
• “La Ley de Secretos Empresariales” (The Trade Secrets Law) in “Tecnologías Disruptivas”. Aranzadi. 2019.
• “El nuevo Reglamento europeo sobre ensayos clínicos: una primera aproximación” (The New EU Clinical Trial Regulation: A First Look). Cuadernos de Derecho Farmacéutico.
• “Novedades en el tratamiento de las fusiones posteriores a una adquisición apalancada (LBO)” (New Developments in the Treatment of Mergers Following an LBO). Capital & Corporate.
• “La propuesta de Directiva relativa a la transparencia de los precios de los medicamentos de uso humano: estado de la cuestión” (The Proposal for a Directive Relating to the Transparency of the Prices of Medicinal Products for Human Use: State of Play). Cuadernos de Derecho Farmacéutico.
• “Spanish M&A: Two steps forward, one step back”. Legal Week.
• “Innovación y Propiedad Industrial” (Innovation and Industrial Property). Cuadernos de Derecho Farmacéutico.
• “The Sale of Medicinal Products over the Internet and by other electronic media: unfinished business”. Legal Week.
• "Biology lessons”. The European Lawyer.
• “El nuevo concepto de grupo de sociedades” (The New Concept of Group of Companies). Cinco Días.