Experience

Nicolás Pendás is a member of the Lupicinio Cluster and has more than twenty years of experience providing specialised legal advice in the fields of agribusiness, environmental law, corporate law and intellectual property rights relating to plant varieties.

After completing a demanding competitive examination process in 2004, he joined MP Abogados as a founding partner, a law firm specialising in legal advice to British investors in Spain. In 2007, he established and headed the AGROLEGAL department, developing a legal practice focused on providing specialised advice to the agricultural and agri-food sectors.

In 2011, he joined Montero-Aramburu as a partner and Head of its Huelva office as part of the integration of his previous firm into the organisation. Three years later, he became In-House Counsel at SCA Agromolinillo, then Europe’s largest producer of blueberries and berries, where he led the company’s legal strategy in matters relating to agricultural, administrative, corporate and environmental law.

During this period, he was involved in highly complex negotiations and disputes connected with the agricultural sector, with particular emphasis on administrative sanctioning proceedings and matters concerning plant variety protection and plant breeders’ rights. He was also responsible for the technical direction of all judicial and administrative proceedings affecting both the cooperative and its members, coordinating the work of external advisers, auditors, tax consultants, industrial property agents and specialist employment law firms.

Since 2017, he has been a partner at Dakota Alliance, now Sundheim Advisors, where he continues to develop a highly specialised practice in agricultural law, intellectual property relating to plant varieties and environmental law, with a strong international focus.

Achievements and Notable Matters

Throughout his career, he has participated in corporate transactions and projects of particular significance for the agricultural and business sectors. Notably, he was part of the advisory team involved in the privatisation of Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D., as well as in several restructuring processes concerning leading agricultural cooperatives. He has also been involved in high-profile environmental enforcement and sanctioning proceedings, both in the criminal and administrative spheres.

His professional activity is complemented by significant institutional and academic contributions. He has participated as a speaker at numerous conferences on legal issues affecting the agricultural sector, particularly in relation to plant variety protection and intellectual property rights in the agri-food industry. He has also served as secretary to the boards of directors of various companies.

Languages

Spanish and English.