• The director-general for the Spanish Public Justice Service congratulated the winners and finalists and highlighted the importance of this award ‘that promotes academic excellence, quality, and capacity.’
• Begoña Olaizola Zárraga, from the University of Salamanca, was the winner of this year’s first prize. Francisco Javier Galindo Giménez and Claudia Rosales Rivas were awarded the second and third prizes.

Madrid, 6 June 2022 — On Monday, Centro de Estudios Garrigues presented the diplomas of the twenty-second edition of the Young Lawyers Award, a competition that recognises young talent and rewards excellence in the knowledge and practice of business law. Begoña Olaizola Zárraga was awarded the first prize, while the second and third prizes went to Francisco Javier Galindo Giménez and Claudia Rosales Rivas. This competition, organised by Centro de Estudios Garrigues, is aimed at students in the final year of their bachelor’s degree in law at any university. It consists of the drafting of a written presentation and subsequent oral defence of an opinion on a business law case, including both theoretical and practical aspects.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at Centro de Estudios Garrigues and attended by prominent figures from civil society and the legal sector, including Maria dels Àngels Garcia Vidal, director-general for the Spanish Public Justice Service; Fernando Vives Ruiz, president and managing partner of Garrigues; Félix Plaza Romero, president of Centro de Estudios Garrigues; José María Alonso Puig, dean of the Madrid Bar Association; and Miguel Carmelo, CEO of Europa Education Group.

Maria dels Àngels Garcia Vidal, director-general for the Spanish Public Justice Service, congratulated the winners and highlighted that ‘The legal world needs professionals who are qualified and responsible, who share the values of freedom, justice, equality, and professional ethics, who are digitally literate, and who respect the values of the constitution. It is the only way we, as an institution, will be able to meet all the challenges ahead.’

In his address to the students, Félix Plaza Romero, president of Centro de Estudios Garrigues, explained that ‘Sometimes, the greatest obstacle between us and what we want to achieve is ourselves.’ Therefore, he congratulated them for ‘taking a step forward, leaving their comfort zone, and fighting for what they want’ and urged them to keep working, persevere, and never give up on excellence. ‘This award will be an important milestone in your lives. The legal sector needs professionals who are committed to upholding law and justice. It is how we will achieve a freer society,’ he concluded.

Begoña Olaizola Zárraga will receive a cash prize of €6,000 from Garrigues and a full scholarship to study a full-time master’s degree at Centro de Estudios Garrigues. Francisco Javier Galindo Giménez and Claudia Rosales Rivas, in turn, will receive a scholarship of 100 per cent and 75 per cent tuition, respectively, to continue their studies at our school. The remaining finalists will be awarded nine scholarships of 50 per cent tuition to study one of our dual master’s degrees of access to the legal profession with specialisation.

Promoting excellence in business law

The award consisted of a complex two-part examination: first, over the course of five hours, the drafting of a written opinion on a case related to business law; then, its oral defence. The jury and the organisers welcomed everyone’s participation and congratulated them on their work.

In 2022, the panel of judges included prominent legal experts like José María Alonso Puig, Alberto de Martín Muñoz, Eduardo María Valpuesta Gastaminza, Pablo Olábarri Gortázar, and José Ramón Martínez Jiménez.

Starting today, students in the final year of their bachelor’s degree in law at any Spanish university can apply to participate in the 2023 Young Lawyers Award.