Joaquin Garcia-Romanillos Valverde, a partner at Spanish independent Gomez-Acebo & Pombo, has been appointed as Secretary General to the General Council of the Spanish Bars (CGAE), it was announced today (9 May).

The dispute resolution partner, who has been a CGAE councilor, was appointed as Secretary General to the CGAE this week, replacing Jose Luis Segimon Escobedo in the role. Escobedo had held the position for just under 10 years.

Garcia-Romanillos, who joined Gomez-Acebo in 1983, became a Member of Parliament in 1977 and was named general director of the Spanish Ministry of Justice in 1981, during which time he was involved in drawing up the legal framework for the Spanish constitution.

The news comes after Gomez Acebo earlier this year posted an 11% rise in turnover, with total fee income at the Spanish leader up to a new mark of €47.5m (£33m). The firm attributed €2m-€3m (£1.4m-£2m) of the rise to its hire of a 15-lawyer team from defunct independent firm Mullerat.