DS Avocats España adds two new partners to its tax and employment departments

The firm continues to demonstrate its commitment to the Spanish market.

DS Avocats España, the Spanish subsidiary of DS Avocats, has recruited two partners to strengthen its tax and employment practices.

The firm, which has previously focused on advising on financial and corporate transactions, is broadening its range of services and reaffirming its commitment to the Spanish market.

Our aim is to develop our departments and complete our service offering in the same way as our parent firm,” stated David Avilés, Managing Partner of DS Avocats España.

Joining DS Avocats España are María José Dupla, partner in charge of the tax department, and Begoña Vilar, partner in charge of the employment department.


José Dupla has extensive experience in tax matters, which will enable the firm to add tax optimisation to its range of corporate and financial services.

A Doctor of Law and professor at Esade, José Dupla’s professional career has included positions as head of the tax litigation department at Font Economistas y Abogados and head of the tax department at Morera Bargués Asesores.

She is joined by economist Nieves Penades, who has had a long career advising family offices.

The innovative vision and international reach of DS Avocats attracted me from the first moment. I’m looking forward to the challenge of putting my tax experience to work for our clients,” stated María José Dupla.

The new “Labour and Employment” department has been created to meet clients’ needs in the face of increasing legal complexity in hiring and firing, as well as in litigation. To this end, DS Avocats España has recruited Begoña Vilar to head the department.

Begoña Vilar, who has worked at Gómez-Acebo & Pombo and Cuatrecasas, will bring her experience in labour litigation, labour relations, contracts and other aspects of employment law.

Employment is an important piece of the business puzzle. DS Avocats’ clients have been asking for our support and I feel that this is perfectly in line with my new firm’s client-focused approach,” declared Begoña Vilar.

In short, two new areas of intervention that underline the firm’s objective in Spain: to expand and offer its clients global expertise with an international vocation.

Olivier Fages, Chairman of DS Avocats, commented: “Meeting the needs of our clients worldwide and supporting them in their internationalisation process is the first of the objectives we have set for the firm’s development in Spain. We already have fully operational offices in Barcelona and Madrid with a team of 20 professionals. We have also appointed David Avilés, Managing Partner of the firm in Spain, to the Board of our firm worldwide, a sign of the importance of Spain for the future of DS Avocats“.

About DS Avocats

Founded in Paris in 1972, DS brings together nearly 400 business lawyers in a network of 24 offices on 4 continents. As the leading French law firm with an international dimension, DS has a dual expertise in advisory and litigation work and assists its French and foreign clients in all areas of business law, both in France and abroad.

About DS Avocats España

DS Avocats España offers a full range of commercial and financial law services in Madrid and Barcelona. The professionals in the Spanish offices specialise in five main areas, offering in-depth expertise in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, labour law and tax law.
Their clients include Spanish and multinational companies in a wide range of sectors including finance, private equity, infrastructure, internet and new technologies, pharmaceuticals, energy, hotels and restaurants, real estate and retail.

DS Avocats España, a subsidiary of DS Avocats, is strengthening its commitment to the Spanish market by expanding its areas of expertise. The expansion aims to offer clients global expertise with an international outlook. Olivier Fages, President of DS Avocats, emphasises the importance of Spain for the firm’s future, with offices in Barcelona and Madrid and a team of 20 professionals, and welcomes David Avilés to the firm’s worldwide board.

DS Avocats and Hamzi Law Firm join together in Morocco

DS Avocats is pleased to announce that Hamzi Law Firm (HLF), based in Casablanca, is joining the DS Group in order to strengthen its presence on the African continent and to broaden its reach in the Middle East. This alliance is an important step in the strategy of DS Avocats to accelerate its development on the African continent. The firm will now operate under the name DS HLF.

HLF is a leading Moroccan multidisciplinary law firm, founded in 1999, providing both advisory and litigation services. It is led by Zineb Hamzi, founding partner, and co-managed by Patrice Mouchon, member of the Paris Bar. The firm has two partners and eight multilingual associates fluent in French, Arabic, English and Spanish.

The team is known for its specialized expertise and assists a diversified clientele of investors and managers of SMEs and large international and Moroccan companies in their projects in Morocco, West Africa and the Middle East.

In particular, HLF has gained expertise in Business Law, Social Restructuring and International Mobility, PPP and Project Financing, Intellectual Property – IT – Data Protection and Litigation – Arbitration. HLF’s teams also have sector-specific offerings in the fields of Energy and Infrastructure, Tourism and Hospitality, Insurance and Transportation, as well as in Technology – Media – Telecommunications.

DS Avocats, already present on the African continent through its Dakar office, strengthens its offer with the expertise of HLF, which also provides access to the Middle East. Our clients can now benefit from an international network of 24 offices in 14 countries.

« The alliance between Hamzi Law Firm and DS Group undoubtedly contributes to the leadership of our firm internationally. It represents a step forward in our ambition to ensure that DS has a strong presence in the Maghreb as well as in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. It also allows us to offer our European, American and Asian clients a gateway to development that has no comparison on the African continent. »

Olivier Fages, chairman of DS Avocats

We are pleased to officially join the DS Group, with whom we have been working for many years. This alliance will allow us to pool our skills and our networks, in order to provide our clients with quality international support in order to effectively secure their legal operations. We are determined to make DS HLF in Casablanca a strong link in the network in Africa and the Middle East, for European, Asian and international clients. » 

Zineb Hamzi, Founding Partner of Hamzi Law Firm

 Contact DS Avocats :    Laure Esclapez – esclapez@dsavocats.com

Contact Avocom    Virginie Jubault – v.jubault@avocom.fr

About DS Avocats

Founded in 1972, DS has nearly 400 business lawyers practicing in a network of 24 offices in 14 countries on 4 continents.

As the leading French law firm with an international dimension, DS has a dual expertise in advice and litigation, assisting its French and foreign clients in all areas of business law, both in France and abroad.