Cornerstone Counsel has been featured in Expansión in an article examining the growing role of specialised boutiques in the Spanish legal market and the factors driving the emergence of new specialist firms.
The article, “Por qué las ‘boutiques’ son una tendencia al alza en el sector legal”, by journalist Julia Gil, looks at how changes in client expectations, increasing regulatory complexity and technological transformation are contributing to the development of a new generation of specialised law firms in Spain.
Cornerstone Counsel and its Founder and Managing Partner, Ceyhun Necati Pehlivan, are featured in the article as part of this evolution. Founded in April 2026, Cornerstone is a specialised commercial, regulatory and technology law firm advising Spanish and international clients, with particular expertise in technology and digital law, data protection, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The article highlights several of the principles behind Cornerstone’s model: combining the experience and quality associated with top-tier international firms with direct partner-level attention, a highly specialised and agile structure, and a more efficient approach to fees.
As Ceyhun explains in Expansión, a more agile structure can allow specialised firms to offer more efficient fees without compromising the quality of legal advice.
The article also considers the impact of technology on the delivery of legal services. Ceyhun notes that the profession is undergoing a significant transformation and that clients increasingly expect speed and efficiency alongside quality and specialisation. More flexible structures can be particularly well placed to incorporate technological change quickly and translate those efficiencies into the service provided to clients.
A further theme is the changing relationship between clients, lawyers and law firm brands. As Ceyhun observes in the article, while the reputation of a firm continues to matter, clients increasingly choose the individual lawyer and team they trust, rather than relying exclusively on the name of the firm.
These developments are closely aligned with the vision behind Cornerstone Counsel: to build a leading specialised commercial, regulatory and technology firm in Spain, combining sophisticated legal advice and top-tier experience with the focus, agility and direct senior involvement of a specialist boutique.
Cornerstone Counsel thanks Julia Gil and Expansión for including the firm and its perspective in this analysis of the continuing evolution of the Spanish legal market.
