Lawyers in Marbella
For most people who come to Marbella - or anywhere on the Costa del Sol - finding an Lawyer may not be an immediate priority unless they are buying a property.
If you are an foreign resident setting up a company in Marbella you may use the services or a lawyer or an accountant.
The Spanish for a Lawyer is an "Abogado" this is equivalent to a Solicitor or a Barrister in England or an Attorney in the United States.
There are many trained Lawyers in Marbella and most speak very good English.
The areas where is it highly recommendable to engage the services of an Lawyer in Marbella are the purchase of a house or land, the making of a will, or helping you defend or raising a law suit. A family lawyer will help in the cases of divorce or disputes over custody of children.
Lawyers in Marbella specialize in different areas of the law so it is wise to check that a Lawyer is familiar with your requirements.
There is a Law society in Spain called the Ilustre Colegio de Abogados. It operates at provincial level and sets minimum levels of charges. Do not hesitate to ask your lawyer for an estimate of his charges, better in writing. If you have a problem you can always take it up with the provincial "colegio" to which he is a member. In Marbella many lawyers are registered with the 'colegio' in Malaga or Granada.
A lawyer in Marbella often pays taxes and fees on your behalf. It is common practice for a Lawyer to ask you for a sum of money to put into his "client account" for which you will receive receipt. When all the transactions are complete you should receive original receipt documents for the taxes paid, a statement of the Lawyer's own fees and the balance of your funds (if any).
If you are absent it is also common practice to give your lawyer in Marbella a ‘Poder' ( Power of Attorney). These must be arranged and signed ‘ante notario' (at the Notary) and can be general (all encompassing) or specifically state which tasks or activities the lawyer is empowered to undertake on your behalf.
Having an Lawyer who takes care of matters should make the administration of a business easier for owners, preventing complications caused by misunderstandings from the language, or lack of familiarity with the system.
