Irwin Mitchell has sold off its operations in Madrid and Malaga to Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo, while simultaneously forming a strategic alliance with the Spanish firm.

The firms signed an agreement this week that will result in Cremades taking on Irwin Mitchell's subsidiary in Spain, known as Irwin Mitchell Abogados and staffed by around 40 people.

Cremades will retain all of Irwin Mitchell's clients.

The firms will also work together on a non-exclusive basis, with Irwin Mitchell gaining access to Cremades' network across Spain as well as Argentina, Colombia, Israel and Portugal.

The news comes weeks after Irwin Mitchell confirmed it was in talks to offload the offices.

Irwin Mitchell's Malaga office comprised litigation partner Jose Maria de Lorenzo and an associate director as well as three associates, with Lorenzo and the associate director splitting their time between the base and the Madrid office.

Irwin Mitchell launched in Spain in 2005 and acquired Madrid-based firm L&E Solucion Legal and Empresarial five years later, with Espadas among the team of lawyers joining the operation.

Cremades has offices in Buenos Aires, Bogota, Lisbon and Tel Aviv as well as in several Spanish cities. It boasts a headcount of more than 100 lawyers. Last year the firm brought in revenues of €43.6m (£36.4m).