Startup Lawyer in Spain for Foreign Founders and Investors
English-speaking Spanish legal support for founders, startups and investors operating in Spain: from company formation to funding, tax, contracts and compliance.
Talk to a Spanish startup lawyerYour Spanish legal team for operating in Spain, in English
Foreign founders, investors and tech companies operating in Spain usually do not need a generic "business lawyer": they need someone who understands Spanish company law, speaks to them directly in English, and can explain how Spanish concepts — the SL, the NIE, the Commercial Registry, the Beckham Law — actually work, without assuming you already know how things are done back home.
We advise on Spanish law. When a situation also touches another jurisdiction — your home country's tax treatment, a foreign holding entity, a cap table governed elsewhere — we coordinate with local counsel there rather than advise on that law ourselves.
What we help international founders with
Setting up: company formation and getting started
If you are still weighing your options as a non-resident founder, our guide to company formation in Spain for foreign founders covers what actually matters. If you already know you want a Spanish SL and just need it done, our company formation service covers that concrete scope.
Structuring and protecting: shareholders' agreements, incentive plans, IP and trademarks
We draft and negotiate shareholders' agreements between founders and investors, help structure phantom shares and stock option plans for your team, and protect your intellectual property and trademarks in Spain, the EU or internationally.
Raising: investment rounds, convertible instruments and due diligence
We support founders and investors through investment rounds, including term sheets, convertible notes and participating loans where those fit better than a priced round, and the legal due diligence that comes before closing — and, further down the line, in M&A transactions.
Operating and scaling: contracts, data protection, tax and the Beckham Law
Once you are running the business, we cover tech law, SaaS contracts, GDPR compliance and website legal texts, Spanish tax questions for the company and for founders, and whether the Beckham Law's special regime for inbound assignees might apply to your specific situation.
Why international founders work with us
We work in English day to day, not through a translated summary of what happened in Spanish. We are used to the specific friction points foreign founders run into — getting an NIE without being in the country, opening a non-resident bank account, understanding what a power of attorney can and cannot do, coordinating with an accountant or lawyer you already have back home.
You get one team across the lifecycle — formation, agreements, funding, operations — instead of switching advisors every time your situation changes. And we tell you plainly what is realistic and what is not, rather than overselling how fast or simple any of this is.
What we do and what we do not do
What we do
- Spanish company formation and structuring for non-resident founders
- Shareholders' agreements, equity incentive plans and cap table matters
- Investment rounds, convertible instruments and due diligence
- Tech, SaaS and commercial contracts
- GDPR compliance and website legal texts
- Spanish tax questions for the company and for founders, including whether the Beckham Law may apply
- Trademark and IP protection, and M&A support
What we do not do
- Promise immigration, visa or residency outcomes
- Promise tax savings, or that a special regime automatically applies to you
- Promise funding, investors, or that a round will close
- Promise that a bank will approve an account
- Advise on the law of another country — we coordinate with local counsel there instead
- Treat every step as always possible fully remotely, regardless of the case
It is worth being precise about terms that get mixed up often: the NIF identifies your company as a taxpayer; the NIE identifies you, as an individual foreigner; your personal tax residence is a separate question from where your company is registered; the Beckham Law is a specific special tax regime with its own eligibility requirements, not something that follows automatically from forming a company; and a bank account is approved by the bank, on its own criteria, not guaranteed by any of the above. We keep these separate rather than bundling them into one promise.
How we work with clients abroad
Intro call and scope
We start with a call to understand your situation, where you are based, what stage you are at, and what you actually need — before proposing any specific scope of work.
Powers of attorney and coordination
Where a power of attorney lets you avoid traveling for a specific step, we prepare it and coordinate with the notary, registry or bank involved. Where it does not, we tell you upfront rather than assuming it will work out.
Ongoing support as you grow
Many clients start with a single matter — formation, a contract, a round — and stay on for ongoing advisory as new questions come up: a new hire, a new contract, a new market, a new investor.
Frequently asked questions
Can everything be handled remotely, without traveling to Spain?
Many steps — company formation, reviewing and signing agreements, ongoing legal advisory — can often be handled remotely with a properly executed power of attorney. Whether a specific step can be completed without you being physically in Spain depends on the document, the notary and the bank involved, and needs to be confirmed for your situation. We do not treat fully remote handling as guaranteed in every case.
Do you help with visas or immigration to Spain?
Immigration is not our core service, and we do not promise immigration or visa outcomes. Company formation, tax residence and immigration status are separate legal matters that should not be assumed to move together. If your plans involve a visa or residency, we can point you toward specialized immigration counsel or coordinate with them where useful.
Can you guarantee tax savings under Spain's Startups Law or the Beckham Law?
No. Spain's Startups Law and the Beckham Law (the special regime for certain inbound assignees) can offer particular tax treatment, but eligibility depends on specific requirements that must be verified for your situation. We review your case and tell you honestly whether it may apply — we do not treat either regime as an automatic benefit.
Do you advise on the law of my home country or another jurisdiction?
We advise on Spanish law. If your situation also involves another jurisdiction — your home country's tax rules, a foreign holding structure, a cap table governed by another country's law — we coordinate with local counsel there rather than advise on that law ourselves.
Can you guarantee we will close our funding round or find investors?
No. Closing a round depends on your product, your team and the market, not on legal work alone. What we do is make sure the legal side of the process — term sheet, shareholders agreement, due diligence — does not cost you more control or equity than necessary, and support you whether you are raising or investing.
Will opening a Spanish company get me a bank account or residency automatically?
No. A Spanish company has its own tax ID (NIF), which is separate from the NIE that identifies you as an individual foreigner, from your personal tax residence, and from any residency or visa status. Banks assess account applications on their own criteria, which can vary and are not guaranteed by having a company. We walk you through each of these separately rather than treating them as one bundled outcome.
How much does it cost to work with you, and how do we get started?
It depends on scope: a standalone company formation is a different engagement from an ongoing advisory relationship or support through a funding round. We give a fixed quote once we understand your situation — official notary, Commercial Registry and similar third-party costs are separate and can vary, so we do not quote them as fixed figures upfront. The first step is an intro call to understand what you actually need.
Talk to a Spanish startup lawyer
Formation, agreements, funding, tax or compliance: one English-speaking team across the whole lifecycle of your Spanish operation.
Not sure what you need? Tell us your situation and we'll point you the right way.
Book an intro callRelated services
Company Formation in Spain: Full Guide
The complete guide for non-resident founders and investors.
Company Formation Service
The concrete, priced service: statutes, notary, registry and tax setup.
Startup Legal Advisory
Ongoing legal support after incorporation.
Shareholders' Agreements
Coordinate founders and investors from day one.
Investment Rounds & Private Equity
Legal support for founders and investors, from term sheet to close.
GDPR for Startups
Data protection compliance from the start.
Tech Law
Legal support for SaaS and tech products.
Intellectual Property
Protect your brand and your software.
M&A and Corporate Law
Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring.
Beckham Law Spain
Check whether you qualify for Spain's expat tax regime.
Startup Tax Spain
Tax planning and compliance for your company, founders and team.
Convertible Notes & Participating Loans
The right instrument to bridge your next round.
Phantom Shares & Stock Options
The right incentive plan for your team, coordinated with your SHA.
SaaS Contracts Spain
Terms, SLA and DPA built around how you actually sell.
Legal Due Diligence Spain
Prepare to be reviewed, or review the startup you are backing.
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