Eight of Spain’s and Latin America’s leading law firms share with Líder Legal how they celebrate the pre-Christmas festivities. Traditions reveal a great deal about people, and each firm celebrates the arrival of this season with particular enthusiasm, decorating trees and organizing Christmas parties, which they share not only with their teams but also with their families, with children being the most special guests at each event.
In conversations with Auren, Basham, Ringe y Correa, CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo, DLA Piper, Madrid, Ecija, Elzaburu, Fieldfisher, and Vestalia Abogados, we learned about their social aid initiatives, which are very prominent and necessary at this time of year, because Christmas is all about this: sharing and giving happiness.
Celebrations full of excitement
All offices are very active at this time of year, taking advantage of the season to celebrate achievements, talk about the future and share in a relaxed environment where children and the Three Wise Men are the main focus.
Auren told us they have two big dates marked on their Christmas calendar. “One is our Christmas party, a big celebration we look forward to every year and prepare with great care. It’s called “Viva Auren.” The other is “Three Kings Day at Auren,” a special day when we invite everyone in the company to bring their children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, etc., so they can give their letters to the Three Kings’ page. We also prepare games and a snack for families to enjoy.”
For DLA Piper Madrid, their most special Christmas tradition is the Christmas dinner. The company explains that it’s an opportunity for everyone to enjoy themselves together in a happy, fun, and relaxed atmosphere. “On January 5th, we always celebrate Children’s Day. We celebrate Christmas by inviting employees who wish to do so to bring their children (young and not so young) to the office for the day. There’s entertainment, games, sweets, gifts… The children, in their most blissful innocence, ask their parents if every day is like this at Mom and Dad’s office. It’s a wonderful day.”
Ecija, like its peers, also celebrates Christmas as a team; “a dinner all together, a Christmas snack in the office, a party at some venue… always accompanied by a thank you message for the year from our management team.”
Other companies also have numerous Christmas traditions, some of which have stood the test of time, while others have evolved over the years. Such is the case with Elzaburu, which, in addition to its traditional Christmas lunch with live music for all employees, holds a Christmas raffle every year. “Raffle tickets are obtained through food donations during the month of December. We collect the food at our offices, and it goes to different organizations that vary each year, although we have a close collaboration with some Caritas parishes. During the Christmas lunch, we take the opportunity to send important messages to our team.”
But without a doubt, the highlight of our Christmas event is the raffle. Last year, the Three Wise Men from the East distributed the gifts.”
Fieldfisher tells us that they organize Christmas dinners in both their Madrid and Barcelona offices, where “we take the opportunity to bring the team together and review the year, have a good time together and recharge for the following year. We also have a shared Christmas Lottery for the whole team.”
At Vestalia Abogados, they welcome Christmas with special enthusiasm, “decorating the office for the occasion and giving the children of the parents who work with us a small gift that is different each year. Of course, the traditional team Christmas lunch will also be held this year, as well as the legendary hot chocolate and churros that we organize around this time of year.”
From Spain we travel to Mexico, where the firm Basham, Ringe y Correa also shared this special feature. They told us that part of their Christmas traditions “is the annual luncheon in December for all employees, including our people in Monterrey, Querétaro, León, and Mexico City. We also hold a raffle with various prizes for all employees and give special recognition to our lawyers.”
Between children and the Three Wise Men
The arrival of the Three Wise Men is a holiday celebrated in Latin America, Europe, and other parts of the world. One of the countries that holds a major celebration around this day is Spain, where Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar visit the offices of some firms to collect the letters and last-minute wishes of the youngest members of the professional community.
At Auren, for some years now, they have held an event called Christmas Sweater Day, “in addition to being a very fun activity, we have given it a social aspect, because for every person wearing a Christmas sweater, Auren donates an amount to a charitable cause.”
DLA Piper Madrid launched “Children’s Day,” which usually coincides with January 5th. The children, nephews, and other family members of our employees visit us at the company, and we all enjoy it together. The most special, curious, and wonderful thing that happens on that day is the presence of Their Majesties, the Three Wise Men from the East, right here on our premises, lovingly collecting the toy letters from our little ones.
At Elzaburu, they also do something special: “Last year, three of the partners dressed up as the Three Wise Men and handed out the raffle prizes. The prizes are very diverse, ranging from high-end technology and electronics products to experiences. Some years, a musical group made up of Elzaburu employees, called the LEO Lightning Experience Orchestra, has entertained the guests; other years, we bring in an activity or speaker who can convey a motivational message or share an enriching experience.”
At Fieldfisher, in addition to their Christmas dinner, they always find opportunities to bring the team together and celebrate, “we take advantage of the views we have from both the Barcelona and Madrid offices and watch the Christmas lights switch-on together in both cities.”
According to the firm Basham, Ringe & Correa, in certain areas, a raffle of gift baskets is held, separate from the firm’s traditional raffle, and we take great care in putting up the Christmas tree. Also, in addition to the firm’s annual luncheon, each area organizes its own luncheon.
Initiatives with social action
Throughout the year, all law firms carry out social initiatives that benefit the most vulnerable members of society. These are pro bono activities promoted within each office, with the participation of their lawyers being entirely voluntary. However, these holidays have a special significance: bringing joy to those who have the least.
For example, at Auren, during their annual Christmas party, they hold a raffle in which all the firm’s employees participate, “and in which money is raised for the social and CSR actions that we carry out during the rest of the coming year.”
The law firm CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo tells us that, as part of their commitment to serving the community, they always implement various projects during this special time of year. “All the Christmas greetings sent to our clients and key contacts have been purchased beforehand from a non-profit organization. Furthermore, this year we will also be donating the computer equipment no longer used by our firm. Another tradition is organizing a clothing drive as Christmas approaches for all members of the firm who wish to donate any winter clothing they no longer need.”
DLA Piper Madrid also highlights its extensive volunteer work. For example, the firm mentions its collaboration with the Pato Amarillo Association to create letters to the Three Kings: “We receive letters from children in disadvantaged families and take care of buying the gifts.” They also carry out express volunteering: “One night we go out to distribute warm clothing and sleeping bags to people experiencing homelessness so they can better cope with winter and have conversation with them, as they are often people who are difficult to talk to.” Additionally, they have an initiative called Food Bank: “We will collaborate with the food bank in its large food drive at various Madrid businesses.” “We invite children from the Balia Foundation to our private film screenings for clients, and we also participate in the charity Christmas market with students from the Down Syndrome Foundation Occupational Center in Madrid, where they sell handcrafted products they make themselves in class.”
Every year, the firm Ecija carries out social and collaborative actions with other organizations, always focusing on solidarity. “Some of the initiatives we have undertaken include Digital4Al, a solidarity campaign in which we held a raffle to offer five companies eight weeks of pro bono digital legal advice. Another initiative was ECIJAForest, in which we offered all clients and professionals within the firm the opportunity to spend a day planting trees to help with reforestation and support sustainability and the environment.
This year we will hold a solidarity week not only in Madrid, but in all offices in collaboration with an NGO, during which we will carry out a massive food collection to donate to families with economic difficulties.”
At Elzaburu, they also support the cause by collecting and distributing food. “In addition, 2% of the firm’s profits are donated to various projects each year. This year, three projects have been chosen, which we cannot yet reveal.”
These social actions are joined by that of Fieldfisher, which this year has offered “two options for the Christmas hamper: Obtain a solidarity hamper through which we support the Integra Special Employment Center, which promotes the hiring of people with disabilities, and donate the entire amount of the hamper to the Enriqueta Villavecchia Foundation with which we collaborate throughout the year.
Together with the Villavecchia Foundation, we are also organizing an event for our clients, inviting them exclusively to see the Sant Pau lights, a unique event in a unique setting, and to learn about the “Victory Pavilion” project that the Villavecchia Foundation has on the Sant Pau grounds to care for and help families who have children with life-limiting illnesses, such as cancer.”
At Vestalia, they have been collaborating for many years with the association No Child Without a Smile through their “Toy Inquiries” campaign, “since for us, childhood plays a fundamental role in our work.”
Through this initiative they offer clients online consultations with lawyers who are part of their legal team, “which are valued at 120 euros, in exchange for a new toy for children aged 0 to 12 years (minimum price 50 euros).”
Historically, the firm Basham, Ringe y Correa has distinguished itself through its social action initiatives and activities throughout the year. “Internally, we have a soccer team, which serves as a recreational activity for our employees. Furthermore, we have plans to plant trees and collaborate with some of the Basham Foundation’s clients to contribute to this important cause.”
All law firms, regardless of their jurisdiction, are motivated to carry out socially responsible actions aligned with their values and purpose. They trade their suits and ties for a more active role and spend this time of year spreading joy and helping those most in need. Undoubtedly, the key to improvement lies in taking action. They launch charitable activities and contribute to various worthy causes, demonstrating that the legal profession is not all about billing and generating profits.
¡Feliz Navidad les deseamos desde Líder Legal!
