I need legal advice, such as drawing up a will, or professional help to understand the system in Spain

I need legal advice, such as drawing up a will, or professional help to understand the system in Spain

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It may be that you need a lawyer or professional ‘gestor’ to help you.

Lawyers normally offer an initial consulation free of charge that could solve the problem quickly or help focus the matter into something smaller. (If you are on a low income or in certain defined types of cases (such as domestic violence) you may also be entitled to Legal Aid free representation under Spanish law. See point 4 below).

  1. The following voluntary or statutory organisations may be able to assist in recommending local lawyers (or ‘gestors’; see below) who could help, based on their experiences working with other foreign nationals with similar needs. Click here for a list of voluntary organisations that may be able to share their experiences. (Remember to add in the name of your nearest town or village to filter the search to your area). 
  2. The following is a list of English-speaking lawyers compiled by the different British consulates around Spain that are used to issues affecting British citizens. Click here for the link to lists compiled by the British consulates in Spain.
  3. GESTORS: It may be that you do not need legal advice, but rather, you need help for a brief period of time with paperwork or form filling and understanding the Spanish system. In that case, it may be sufficient to use a ‘gestor’, a type of professional administrative services manager who usually work in ‘gestoría’ offices. Sometimes legal practices also have a gestoría department. Gestorías tend to be cheaper than lawyers and charge fixed fees. They are not necessarily qualified lawyers but their use is extremely common in Spain to guide people through bureaucratic processes for a relatively modest fee. By clicking here you can read more explanation from the UK government and that page has a link to an official association directory (in Spanish) to help you find one if needed. To find one, it may also be as effective to ask locally for recommendations of local gestors from somebody you know. Not all gestorías speak English, check when first contacting. Gestorías are private entities and charge for services.
  4. LEGAL AID: Under Spanish law, people on low incomes or in certain defined types of cases (such as domestic violence) can be entitled to Legal Aid (known as Asistencia Jurídica Gratuita) if they believe they may need to take their issue to court or arbitration, or somebody has started a court proceeding against them. This includes disputes with the public authorities or government and is available even if you are living in Spain but are not legally resident. There is a set process. See here for more explanation of the Servicio Orientación Jurídica. 

Support in Spain does not endorse or recommend any particular lawyer, solicitor, attorney or gestor.

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Last Update: 11/03/2024
855Support (Miscellaneous), Understanding The System
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