The bars of Spain and Portugal are holding a groundbreaking meeting this week in a bid to harmonise the rules governing Iberian lawyers.
The gathering in Oporto, from 5-7 June, will mark the first time the two bars have ever formally met.

The decision to hold the meeting follows pressure from lawyers in both countries for co-operation.

There will be four main areas up of discussion: the forging of financial links between Spanish and Portuguese firms, the harmonisation of ethics rules, the establishment of joint pension and professional indemnity systems.

Julen Conte, the director of the Spanish bar's Brussels office, said: "This is the first ever meeting of Iberian lawyers. We are doing it because people recognise the need to address the increase in trans-border work between Spain and Portugal."

The move comes against the background of major Spanish firms gradually establishing pan-Iberian practices.

In 2001 top Spanish firm Uria & Menendez launched a Lisbon practice after hiring from local firm Abreu & Marques and this January Cuatrecasas merged with its long term ally Goncalves Pereira Castelo Branco & Associados.

However, Conte added that the move to address the cross-border nature of Iberian lawyers' work had also been boosted by the arrival of several UK firms in recent years.

In the last two years both Linklaters and Simmons & Simmons have built local practices in Lisbon – while UK firms, and a smaller number of US practices, have been active in Spain since the late 1990s.

Conte said the conference will welcome contributions from representatives of international firms, especially as the bars were keen to boost their knowledge of the practice of international law.