Not only do we aim to be highly regarded individuals within our own specialist field, but we also strive to be champions of change in our profession with our innovative and alternative business model.

These leadership projects involve a generous – but rewarding - donation of our time. Recent contributions worth highlighting include:

• Javier F. Samaniego is Conciliator of the Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators of The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) appointed by the Kingdom of Spain (term Feb 2020-Feb 2026).
• Javier is Arbitrator at the Pool of Arbitrators of the European Commission for dispute settlement panels under trade agreements to which the EU is a party (List of Candidates Suitable for Appointment as Arbitrators from 23 June 2022).
• Coordination of Latin Atlantic Tech Law Collaborative at Florida International University
• Participation in the Commission on the Digital Economy at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• Participation in the working group for the GDPR Legitimate Interests Assessment Project at the Information Accountability Foundation – IAF
• Membership of the FIDE Foundation, a major think-tank in Spain, where Javier F. Samaniego runs the blog 'Metamorphosis' on legal issues connected with innovation and disruptive technology. Javier also chairs the working group on implementation of GDPR in Spain and regularly speaks at FIDE seminars on Digital Economy legal issues such as Big Data, FinTech, Robotics, etc.
• The firm is a member of Google Privacy Chair at San Pablo University CEU (Spain)
• Javier F. Samaniego is neutral at CPR – Center of Conflict Prevention and Resolution, NY, USA, as well as member of CPR’s European Advisory Board EAB, its Mediation Committee, its Working Group on Cybersecurity in Arbitration and CPR Task Force on Remote Video Arbitration Proceedings.
• Participation in the ICCA-IBA Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration Proceedings.
• Active participation in the Mediation Committee of the Spanish Arbitration Club (CEA)
• Taking part in the ADR Advisory group of the Spanish Ministry of Justice, in 2015

Rankings and awards

Our leadership is also acknowledged by independent international legal directories. Our team members are top ranked by leading ranking institutes and have won prestigious awards in their fields.

• Chambers & Partners:
  ALSP Guide (Alternative Legal Service Providers) 2022 and 2021: Samaniego Law appears in the edition for Spain.
  Europe Guide: Samaniego Law is highly ranked as law firm in the Chambers Europe 2023 edition in the TMT: Data Protection and TMT: Information Technology.
  In individual rankings 2023 Javier F. Samaniego is ranked as Band 1 lawyer in Data Protection and as Star Individual in TMT: IT (since 2020 and before that he was in Band 1 for TMT: IT for over a decade).
  Global Guide: Javier F. Samaniego is ranked among Most in Demand Arbitrators (since 2019) as well as Recognized Practitioner for Dispute Resolution (since 2017).
• Leaders League: Samaniego Law is ranked in several categories. IT: as Leading firm in "Data Protection & Cybersecurity - 2022" and "Technology - 2022". Dispute Resolution: among Recommended law firms in “Commercial Litigation - 2023”, “International Arbitration - 2023” and "Trademark Litigation - 2022”. Besides, Javier F. Samaniego is ranked as Excellent in "Best Arbitrators - Spain, 2023".
• Acritas Stars: Javier F. Samaniego has been named “Acritas Star – independently rated lawyer’” in its prestigious ranking for 2019.
• International Law Office (ILO): Javier F. Samaniego is winner of Client Choice Awards of 2019 (IT and Internet Law), 2015, 2013, 2011 and 2010 editions.
• Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Report and Awards for Europe, 2017: Samaniego Law was shortlisted as Legal Innovator of the Year (Javier F. Samaniego) and Pioneering an Iberoamerican Alternative Law Firm model. Javier Fernández-Samaniego was chosen among the "Top 10 Legal Innovators of 2017".
• We form part of the Select Counsel network.
• Global Data Review: Samaniego Law is featured in GDR 100 2022 and 2021, a list that identifies the world’s 100 best law firms specializing in Data. GDR belongs to Law Business Research, a leading provider of quality business information and legal insight.
• Best Lawyers legal directory names Javier F. Samaniego as the Best Lawyer in Spain for Communication Law (2023), Outsourcing (2023, 2021), Privacy & Data Protection Law (2019, 2016 and 2014), Technology Law (2017) and Information Technology (2015). Besides the directory recognizes our lawyers in several categories: Javier F. Samaniego - in Arbitration and Mediation, International Arbitration, Litigation, Information Technology Law, Technology Law, Communications Law, Outsourcing, Intellectual Property Law, Privacy & Data Protection Law.
• Who´s Who Legal (WWL): Javier F. Samaniego is ranked as Global leader in the Global Data Guide 2023 (for IT, Data Security, Data Privacy & Protection). Previously Javier was ranked and in the National Guide 2020 (Florida, USA) in the categories of Arbitration, Mediation, Data and Transport – Aviation. Moreover, in 2018 Javier F. Samaniego was included to "Arbitration: Future Leaders – Partners" listing, see more here.
• Javier F. Samaniego won the Iberian Lawyer Lawyer of the Year: Information Technology award at 2022 IP&TMT Awards. He was winner of Iberian Lawyer 40 under 40 awards in 2007 and 2011.