Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia signs a collaboration agreement with Eskariam to advise the hotel sector in its claim against Booking

Seville, May 13, 2025 – The law firm Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia and Eskariam have reached a collaboration agreement to advise the hotel and tourism sector in its claim for damages against Booking.com, arising from years of anti-competitive practices that have directly affected the profitability and commercial freedom of the sector.

This collaboration comes in the wake of the recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on September 19, 2024, which questions the legality of the parity clauses imposed by Booking.com, considering that they were neither necessary nor proportionate to the objective they pursued. These clauses prevented hotels from offering lower prices or better conditions on their own channels or other platforms, limiting their commercial autonomy and reducing effective competition in the market.

Thanks to this alliance, Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia, with a solid client base in the hotel sector in Andalusia and the Canary Islands, will offer a comprehensive legal solution that combines technical expertise, extensive knowledge of the sector, and geographical proximity.

Comprehensive solution for large claims

Eskariam has been a leader in Spain for years in large-scale litigation such as the milk cartel, with claims amounting to billions of euros.

To prepare the Booking case, the firm has strengthened its team of lawyers with the legal direction of Pedro Suárez and Javier Pérez, from the law firm Rēgula, two of Spain’s most renowned competition lawyers with extensive international experience. In addition, the economic consulting firm Compass Lexecon, an international leader in the quantification of damages resulting from anti-competitive conduct, is preparing the economic expert analysis of the case, which is key in this type of claim.

Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia, for its part, will contribute its in-depth knowledge of the Andalusian and Canary Islands hotel industry, its territorial coverage, and a multidisciplinary team of 300 professionals to accompany clients throughout the process.

“In a matter that so directly affects the tourism sector in our regions, we wanted to offer our clients a reliable, specialized, and effective legal alternative. That is why we trust Eskariam and the team of experts leading this class action,” said Maite Cerezo, partner in charge of the Commercial Department at Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia.

“Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia brings in-depth knowledge of the Andalusian and Canary Islands hotel industry and a close relationship with clients. Together, we will offer hotels a high-quality legal solution based on our in-depth knowledge of the hotel sector, with the aim of compensating them for the damage suffered as a result of Booking.com’s anti-competitive practices,” said David Fernández, CEO of Eskariam.

Commitment to the Spanish route with European reach

The collaboration agreement between Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia and Eskariam represents a decisive step forward for Andalusian and Canarian hotels in their efforts to claim compensation in Spanish courts for the damage suffered as a result of Booking’s application of parity clauses for more than twenty years.

Eskariam’s legal strategy, which focuses on the national route, respecting the legal and commercial particularities of the Spanish market, is reinforced by the recent European alliance between Eskariam and the law firm Geradin Partners, which increases the hotels’ chances of success by giving them access to information and cross-referenced data from other affected countries and facilitating possible global negotiations on better terms for the claimants.

About Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia

Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia was founded in 2024 as a result of the merger of Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia, two law firms with extensive experience and recognized prestige. Legal and human excellence has driven the firm to become a leading multidisciplinary law firm in Andalusia and one of the most important law firms in Spain in terms of turnover and number of professionals and clients. The firm is made up of 370 people strategically located in nine offices in Andalusia, Madrid, and the Canary Islands, who advise on the 17 main areas of practice related to business law.

About Eskariam

Eskariam is a legal services company specializing in complex damage claims, based in Madrid. Founded in 2018, it has a team of expert lawyers and other professionals specializing in different sectors, and uses advanced technology for the proper management of class action lawsuits. Eskariam has successfully handled numerous legal claims against financial institutions and insurance companies, and is currently leading the claim against the Milk Cartel in Spain, cases of late payment defending the Public Administration, the diaper cartel, and professional basketball clubs against the ACB, among others.