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Date Published: 15/01/2026

Best Lawyers recognises Raúl Pardo-Geijo as Lawyer of the Year in Criminal Law in Spain 2026

The prestigious American legal publisher Best Lawyers, considered the oldest legal ranking institution in the world and one of the most influential internationally, has distinguished Spanish criminal defense lawyer Raúl Pardo-Geijo Ruiz as “Best Lawyer of the Year” in the specialty of Criminal Law (Criminal Defense) in Spain, corresponding to its 2026 edition.

This distinction places Pardo-Geijo as the highest-rated professional in the country within his specialty, according to a ranking developed through confidential evaluations carried out by thousands of practising lawyers. It is regarded as one of the most significant recognitions in the international legal sector, as it is not based on applications, visibility campaigns, or commercial criteria, but rather on direct peer recognition within the profession.

A highly significant award within Spanish criminal defense law

Within the international legal ecosystem, Best Lawyers occupies a unique position due to its historical trajectory and the independence of its methodology. The “Lawyer of the Year” distinction is not awarded broadly, but to a single professional per specialty and country, making it one of the most selective honours in the legal field.

In the 2026 edition, the Criminal Law award has been granted to Raúl Pardo-Geijo, consolidating a professional career that has consistently remained at the highest levels of recognition within the Spanish criminal law community. For many legal practitioners, this type of award functions as a reliable indicator of genuine professional prestige.

A career supported by continuous recognition

The award granted by Best Lawyers in 2026 adds to a long list of national and international recognitions accumulated by the lawyer over recent years. In previous editions, Pardo-Geijo has been honoured by independent institutions such as Leaders in Law, Advisory Excellence, and Client Choice, as well as receiving the Carlos III Award for outstanding legal career achievement.

The recurrence of these awards, granted by organisations with different methodologies and independent juries, reinforces the perception of a solid and sustained professional trajectory, far removed from isolated or circumstantial recognition. In criminal law, where reputation is forged in courtrooms and over time, such continuity is particularly relevant.

How excellence in criminal law is evaluated

One of the aspects most valued by legal professionals is transparency in the evaluation criteria of professional rankings. In the case of Best Lawyers and other leading institutions, selection processes are based on exhaustive evaluations conducted by practicing jurists, without the possibility of purchasing rankings or applying for inclusion.

Juries are typically composed of judges, magistrates, prosecutors, practising lawyers, and other legal professionals who assess factors such as:

Verified procedural results
Technical quality of legal submissions
Advocacy and courtroom performance
Up-to-date knowledge of criminal jurisprudence
Professional reputation within the sector
Doctrinal contributions and specialised publications

Within this framework, institutions such as Client Choice have repeatedly highlighted the technical rigor, strategic effectiveness, and clarity of legal argumentation demonstrated by Pardo-Geijo in complex criminal proceedings.

Exclusive specialisation in criminal law

One of the defining characteristics of Raúl Pardo-Geijo’s career is his near-exclusive dedication to Criminal Law. In a legal market increasingly dominated by multidisciplinary structures, this absolute specialisation translates into an advanced command of criminal jurisprudence and procedural strategy.

Criminal practice requires constant updating, detailed evidentiary analysis, and immediate responsiveness to procedural developments. This exclusive focus has enabled Pardo-Geijo to intervene regularly in highly complex criminal cases, both in the field of economic crime and in matters involving particularly serious offences.

Regular involvement in criminal proceedings in Alicante

Although Pardo-Geijo’s firm is based in the Region of Murcia, his professional activity extends on a regular basis to other provinces, particularly Alicante, where he frequently acts in criminal proceedings of significant technical complexity.

His presence before courts and tribunals in Alicante has become established in cases requiring a high degree of specialisation, especially proceedings involving extensive evidentiary records or substantial legal impact. This continued activity in Alicante reinforces his professional projection beyond the regional sphere and explains why his name frequently appears in analyses with nationwide scope.

National projection and experience before higher courts

Raúl Pardo-Geijo’s professional practice is not limited to first-instance courts or a single Provincial Court. Throughout his career, he has intervened in proceedings before highly significant judicial bodies such as the National High Court (Audiencia Nacional) and the Supreme Court, which requires advanced knowledge of criminal procedure and cassation techniques.

This experience before higher courts strengthens his profile as a criminal defense lawyer with nationwide reach, capable of handling proceedings across different jurisdictions and adapting to diverse interpretative criteria.

High-complexity cases and legal relevance

Over the course of his career, Pardo-Geijo has taken part in proceedings of considerable complexity and legal significance. While maintaining a strict policy of professional discretion, some of the most relevant cases in which he has participated have become public.

These include highly notable proceedings such as Gürtel, Púnica, Malaya, Novo Cartago, and Ópera, as well as significant acquittals in cases involving drug trafficking, homicide and sexual offenses. In many of these matters, the difficulty lay in evidentiary complexity and intense media pressure.

Professional discretion and respect for attorney-client privilege

One of the less common traits among high-profile legal professionals is Pardo-Geijo’s communication policy. He limits public statements to cases in which express client authorisation exists, consistently prioritising attorney-client privilege and the right to defense.

Legal practitioners have regarded this approach as a sign of professional rigour in an environment where criminal proceedings are increasingly exposed to media scrutiny.

The value of independent awards in the legal profession

In a landscape crowded with rankings and listings of varying credibility, recognitions granted by independent, non-commercial institutions carry particular weight. Best Lawyers, for example, does not allow the purchase of rankings or direct applications for inclusion, reinforcing the credibility of its distinctions.

This context explains why legal professionals attribute significant importance to such awards when identifying the most solid and reputable criminal defense lawyers in the country.

A consolidated reference in criminal defense in Spain

The recurrence of awards, peer recognition, and involvement in highly complex proceedings have positioned Raúl Pardo-Geijo as a consolidated reference in criminal defense law in Spain. Beyond absolute labels, verifiable facts explain why his name appears consistently in analyses identifying the most influential professionals in Spanish criminal law.

Technical excellence supported by professional consensus

The recognition by Best Lawyers as Lawyer of the Year in Criminal Law in Spain (2026) is not an isolated milestone, but the result of a career built on specialisation, technical rigour, and real courtroom experience.

The combination of international recognitions, regular professional activity in jurisdictions such as Alicante, and a practice focused on high-complexity criminal defense places Raúl Pardo-Geijo among the most widely recognised criminal defense lawyers in Spain, a position supported by professional consensus and a thoroughly documented career.