Key Takeaways
- • Fieldfisher appoints Luis Suárez de Lezo as Real Estate partner in its Madrid office, expanding the firm's alternative investment and real estate advisory capacity as of November 3, 2025.
- • 12+ years of institutional real estate experience across cross-border transactions, asset lifecycle management (acquisition through divestment), and complex alternative financing structures for investment funds, financial institutions, and family offices.
- • 100+ transaction closings across flex-living, hospitality, residential, logistics, offices, and retail sectors, including multi-billion-euro NPL portfolio acquisitions and landmark deals (Xanadú shopping centre for Intu, Barclays Bank office building in Madrid for CBRE Global Investors, Blackstone logistics portfolio).
- • Prior leadership at Santander Alternative Investments (Legal Vice President), where Suárez de Lezo coordinated legal strategy for real estate and alternative financing platforms and managed multijurisdictional legal teams across Luxembourg and London operations.
- • Top-tier law firm pedigree includes prior roles at Linklaters and Pinsent Masons, positioning Fieldfisher to strengthen institutional deal-flow and alternative investment advisory in the Iberian market.
Summary
Fieldfisher has strengthened its Real Estate practice by appointing Luis Suárez de Lezo as a new partner at its Madrid office, effective November 3, 2025. The hire signals the firm's strategic focus on deepening its institutional real estate and alternative investment capabilities in Spain and the broader Iberian market.
Suárez de Lezo brings more than 12 years of experience advising international and domestic investment funds, financial institutions, developers, large corporations, and family offices. His background spans top-tier international law firms, including Linklaters and Pinsent Masons, followed by a leadership position as Legal Vice President at Santander Alternative Investments, the alternative investment platform of Grupo Santander with operations in Luxembourg and London. This combination of law firm and in-house alternative investment experience positions him to serve Fieldfisher's institutional client base with specialized expertise in complex transactions.
His transaction record encompasses more than 100 closings, many cross-border, across diversified real estate sectors including flex-living, hospitality, residential, logistics, offices, and retail. Notable transactions include the acquisition of the Xanadú shopping centre for Intu, the sale of a logistics portfolio for Blackstone, the purchase of 500,000 square meters of logistics land for AQ Acentor, acquisition of multiple NPL portfolios valued at several billion euros for international investment funds, the acquisition of Barclays Bank's office building in Plaza Colón (Madrid) for CBRE Global Investors, and the acquisition and development of multiple flex-living assets for Santander Alternative Investments valued at approximately €150 million.
At Santander Alternative Investments, Suárez de Lezo contributed to the launch and consolidation of the group's alternative investment management platform, coordinating legal support for real estate and alternative financing strategies while negotiating with leading international advisers. His expertise extends to the full asset lifecycle—from acquisition and financing through restructuring and divestment—and includes coordination of multijurisdictional legal teams across multiple transactions.
The appointment reflects Fieldfisher's continued investment in institutional-grade real estate and alternative investment capabilities. With over 150 partners and approximately 570 total staff members, Fieldfisher serves a broad international client base across multiple legal disciplines.
Suárez de Lezo brings more than 12 years of experience advising international and domestic investment funds, financial institutions, developers, large corporations, and family offices. His background spans top-tier international law firms, including Linklaters and Pinsent Masons, followed by a leadership position as Legal Vice President at Santander Alternative Investments, the alternative investment platform of Grupo Santander with operations in Luxembourg and London. This combination of law firm and in-house alternative investment experience positions him to serve Fieldfisher's institutional client base with specialized expertise in complex transactions.
His transaction record encompasses more than 100 closings, many cross-border, across diversified real estate sectors including flex-living, hospitality, residential, logistics, offices, and retail. Notable transactions include the acquisition of the Xanadú shopping centre for Intu, the sale of a logistics portfolio for Blackstone, the purchase of 500,000 square meters of logistics land for AQ Acentor, acquisition of multiple NPL portfolios valued at several billion euros for international investment funds, the acquisition of Barclays Bank's office building in Plaza Colón (Madrid) for CBRE Global Investors, and the acquisition and development of multiple flex-living assets for Santander Alternative Investments valued at approximately €150 million.
At Santander Alternative Investments, Suárez de Lezo contributed to the launch and consolidation of the group's alternative investment management platform, coordinating legal support for real estate and alternative financing strategies while negotiating with leading international advisers. His expertise extends to the full asset lifecycle—from acquisition and financing through restructuring and divestment—and includes coordination of multijurisdictional legal teams across multiple transactions.
The appointment reflects Fieldfisher's continued investment in institutional-grade real estate and alternative investment capabilities. With over 150 partners and approximately 570 total staff members, Fieldfisher serves a broad international client base across multiple legal disciplines.
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