Family Law, Inheritance, and Family Business - Spain
The Family Law, Inheritance, and Family Business Department of Belzuz Abogados S.L.P. Spain originates from the strong vocation of its Partner and Director for Spain and Portugal, Clara Belzuz Fernández, who has always shown a deep sensitivity and concern for the challenges arising from family breakdowns, especially regarding the protection of minors and equality between partners. The department also offers assistance in all situations involving foreign jurisdictions, even from the perspective of planning and anticipating succession alternatives.
The Family Law, Inheritance, and Family Business Department of Belzuz Abogados offers you:
- The design of a defense strategy through analysis and the drafting of legal reports prior to any proceedings;
- Its expertise and skill in negotiating between parties;
- Negotiations to reach regulatory agreements aligned with the will and interests of the parties;
- Experience and knowledge in drafting contracts and agreements, even the most complex ones that sometimes involve years of conflict;
- Intervention in mediation processes as well as representation before the courts when necessary;
- Sensitivity and utmost respect for privacy, due to the special and intimate nature of most of the matters dealt with in this area.
Our high degree of specialization, training, and proven experience (more than 35 years) allows us to provide services of the highest quality. The Family Law and Family Business team holds professionalism, commitment, and personalized attention as its core values, focusing on Civil, Canon, Criminal, and International Law.
The growing demand for services related to Family Law, Inheritance, and Family Business, along with the particular expertise required in these areas, has driven the need to create a new department within Belzuz Abogados Spain, where these topics are studied and addressed in a distinct and dedicated manner.
Our department provides legal advisory services in both judicial and extrajudicial matters and is equipped to address issues of Family and Inheritance Law, including the management of family wealth, as well as matters related to Family Business Law, Inheritance, and Family Governance Law, aiming to support and resolve any questions related to family-run businesses and enterprises.
In order to adapt to the needs of its clients, the firm has expanded its advisory areas—always within the framework of Family Law and Family Business—to include criminal and commercial matters, Private International Law, as well as tax, wealth, and financial advisory for individuals and families.
Clara Belzuz is a member of the Spanish Association of Family Lawyers (AEAFA), a non-profit organization that includes the vast majority of Family Law practitioners in Spain.
Specialization
- Divorces, legal separations, and modification of measures
- Liquidation of marital assets
- Marriages and domestic partnerships
- Premarital counseling / prenuptial agreements
- Family relations and Civil Registry matters
- Criminal Law and gender-based violence
- Parental measures
- Non-payment of child support
- Breach of visitation agreements
- Grandparents–grandchildren relationships
- Inheritance, wills, and donations
- Succession planning
- Tax advice
- Civil and ecclesiastical annulments
The end of cohabitation is an undeniable reality in today’s society, with single-parent families now accounting for a significant percentage. Belzuz Abogados Spain and Portugal is experienced and provides ongoing support, both in the amicable negotiation and legalization phase of separation (divorce or legal separation by mutual consent), and in the judicial phase of separation, leading couples into contested divorce or legal separation proceedings, including the liquidation of marital property.
Family businesses are a key part of the Spanish economy, both in terms of volume and importance. They take many forms, from micro-enterprises to large corporate groups, and are primarily characterized by the family ties that bind them.
The family connection allows for the adoption of long-term goals, focused on ensuring continuity and the preservation of family wealth.
Although precise statistics are lacking, it is estimated that over 70% of Spanish companies have a family structure and ownership.
The greatest challenges facing family businesses include the professionalization of management, the development of an effective and transparent corporate governance model, and the succession and continuity of the company.
The Family, Inheritance, and Family Business Department of Belzuz Abogados S.L.P. offers a specialized multidisciplinary service in advising on the legal and tax aspects of family businesses, based on the recognition that these companies combine common business elements with specific family-related challenges.
The Department advises its clients particularly on the following matters:
- Drafting and implementation of Family Protocols
- Restructuring family assets/businesses
The strong bond between family and business must be guided by discipline and effective corporate governance.
In this context, the Family Protocol becomes a key management tool to prevent conflicts in family businesses, reducing undesirable behaviors and helping maintain business operations within the family structure.
A Family Protocol is a written agreement, reached by consensus among all family members, which establishes a code of conduct that governs their relationships in terms of ownership, succession, and business governance, as well as the professional, economic, and personal interactions between the family and the business.
As part of the Family Protocol, we assist our clients in:
- Designing the family succession plan within a strategic business context
- Defining family governance structures, especially the Family Assembly and the Family Council
- Implementing corporate governance rules
