Pilar Menor

Senior Partner, Spain
Global Co-chair, Employment
She is highly respected among market commentators for her capacity to handle sophisticated employment law matters and for her success in building the firm's strong practice.
Chambers Europe 2021
About

Pilar has over 27 years’ experience of helping multinational clients with all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment and social security law.

She is widely recognised in Spain and beyond for her outstanding track record as an employment lawyer and her influence as a leading female professional.

Pilar provides guidance on business restructuring operations, employment litigation, collective negotiations, industrial action, investigations, negotiation of senior management agreements and terminations, and the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

She advises clients in a broad range of industries including aviation, life sciences, technology, financial services, hospitality and retail.

She recently advised a major airline company on the negotiation process for the amendment of collective bargaining agreements for both cabin crew and pilots that resulted in industrial action. This involved substantial negotiations with trade unions. She also recently led on a collective dismissal process to close down a well-known hospitality chain in Spain.

From 2006 to 2022, Pilar was Head of the Employment, Pensions and Benefits department in Spain and she became the Global Co-chair of Employment in 2020. She was promoted to Country Managing Partner for DLA Piper Spain in 2012, at less than 40 years of age.  

As one of few female professionals at leadership level in the legal industry, Pilar is passionate about diversity and inclusion. She dedicates much of her time to breaking down the stereotypes and stigma that can surround women’s roles and responsibilities, and to supporting employees' health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Pilar is a lecturer on the Employment Law Master’s Degree course at the Garrigues Studies Centre (European University of Madrid). She also lectures on the Master’s Degree in Access to the Legal Profession program and previously taught for many years on the Business Law Master’s Degree program at the ICADE university.

Pilar is the Chairwoman and a founding member of FORELAB, a prominent Spanish association of employment lawyers.

Prior to joining DLA Piper, she was Head of Employment and Social Security Law at an international law firm from 2000 to 2006, where she created the employment practice, and an employment lawyer for Spanish and international law firms from 1995 to 2000.

Pilar is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars on employment-related matters and on diversity and inclusion in the legal industry.

Areas of FocusEmployment
Professional QualificationsAbogada registered with Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Madrid

Highlights

EXPERIENCE

  • Advised a major airline company on the negotiation process for the amendment of collective bargaining agreements for cabin crew and pilots that resulted in industrial action; this involved substantial negotiations with trade unions
  • Led a collective dismissal process to close down a well-known hospitality chain in Spain
Languages
  • Spanish
  • English
  • French
Education
  • Universidad a Distancia de Madrid, Spain (UDIMA), Degree in Labour Relations and Human Resources Management, 2022
  • UCLA 2018, W-50 Female Board Members of Tomorrow
  • Harvard Law School, DLA Piper leadership programs, 2015 and 2010


    Harvard Law School, Law and Economics seminar organized by Fundación Rafael del Pino, 2011
  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, PH studies in the Employment and Social Security Law Department, 1999-2004
  • Fundación Universidad-Empresa-UNED, Spain, Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, 1996-97
  • Tribunal de la Rota, Rota Lawyer, 1993-97
  • CEU San Pablo (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain), Law Degree, 1990-95

Awards and recognitions

  • Chambers Europe - recognized continuously from 2006 to 2023 in the higher bands in the Employment practice. Eminent Practitioner - Employment.
  • Legal 500 - recognized continuously from 2006 to 2023 in the Employment practice, currently part of Hall of Fame.
  • The Best Lawyers - recognized over the last years, 2008-2023, as one of the best lawyers in Spain for Labour and Employment Law and Employee Benefits Law.
  • Winner of the "Best Lawyer Reputation in Spain" (Mejor reputación de abogado en España) award LegalMarcom, 2022
  • Iberian Lawyer: Pilar Menor recognised as Labour Lawyer of the Year from 2020, for three years running.
  • Iberian Lawyer: Pilar Menor and team recognised as Law Firm of the Year – M&A related issues in 2023
  • Iberian Lawyer: Pilar Menor recognised as Lawyer of the Year Non Contentious & Advisory in 2023
  • Iberian Lawyer: Pilar Menor recognised as Lawyer of the Year Agency Relationships in 2023
  • Iberian Lawyer: Pilar Menor and her team recognised as Law Firm of the Year - Social security in 2021
  • Iberian Lawyer: InspiraLaw 2018 - 2023 - Pilar Menor among the 60 most outstanding female lawyers in Iberia.
  • Recognised in 2023, for the fifth consecutive year in Iberian Lawyer's InspiraLaw awards among the 50 most influential and inspiring women in the legal sector in Iberia.
  • The Humanist Lawyer Award (Premio al Abogado Humanista), 2022
  • El Mundo/YoDona - recognized among the 500 most influential women in Spain. Ed. 2015 - 2019
  • The Best Lawyers in Spain 2017 - Lawyer of the Year in the area of Employee and Benefits.
  • Top 100 Women Leaders in Spain by the ranking of Mujeres & Cía.

Pro Bono

Provided legal advice to refugees and asylum seekers on the Greek island of Samos, 2019

Publications

  • Annual review of employment cases for lawyers, Editorial la Ley, Wolters Kluwer, 2007-20 

Academic experience

  • Centro de Estudios Garrigues, 2001 - present. Teacher on several Employment and Social security law matters on postgraduate programs, currently on the Master's Degree for the access to the legal profession and Labour Law.
  • Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (CID Centro de Innovación Derecho), 2006 - present. Teacher on several Employment law matters on postgraduate programs, currently teaching employment litigation on the Master's Degree for the access to the legal profession.
  • Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid. 2022 - present, Teacher of litigation in the Master's Degree for the access to the legal profession.
  • Escuela de práctica jurídica de Universidad Complutense de Madrid. 2021 - present. Teacher of negotiation in the in house Lawyers course.
  • ISDE. 2023 - present. Teacher of Employment law and institutions and labour law: institutions and collective labour relations 3rd year of law degree.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Madrid Bar Association (Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Madrid)
  • Chairwoman, Founder and Member of the executive board, Spanish Forum of Employment Lawyers (FORELAB)
  • International Bar Association
  • European Employment Lawyers Association
  • Women in a Legal World
  • Woman Forward Think Tank
  • Fundación Probono España
  • Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation
  • Board Member for the Consejo de Colegios de la Comunidad de Madrid (Council for the Madrid region Lawyers’ Bar Associations)
  • Jury member, annual Female Leader of the Year Award, Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Independent jury member, National Management Award, Spain 
  • Chair of DLA Piper EMEA working group for Diversity and Inclusion
  • Vice Chair of DLA Piper Leadership Alliance for Women
  • DLA Piper Diversity and Inclusion Council member
  • DLA Piper Mental Health and Wellbeing Steering Group member

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