Salans has recruited a Linklaters partner in Madrid in a boost for the firm's local real estate group.

Jesus Varela joined Salans' Madrid office today (17 October) as a partner in the firm's banking and finance and reorganisation, restructuring and insolvency practice groups. He joins the firm alongside two associates.

Before joining Linklaters' Madrid office in 2003 – where he made partner in 2009 – Varela was a senior associate at Clifford Chance.

He specialises in real estate financing and structured finance, acquisitions and disposals of offices, retail centres and industrial warehouses, joint ventures, shareholder agreements and turnkey construction projects.

Varela said: "This role embraces my passion for working on complex real estate cases across a number of key jurisdictions. I look forward to making a contribution to Salans' continued expansion in Spain."

Varela's exit comes after Linklaters' Spain co-managing partner Conrado Tenaglia relocated to New York earlier this to take up the same role in the firm's US practice.

Linklaters has had a presence in Madrid since 1999, when it launched an office in the Spanish capital initially headed up by corporate partner Miles Curley.