It was back in 2005 that a mutual friend introduced Kennedys to Jesús Vélez and Jose Arauz—a local two-man law firm in Madrid. They soon started working on mandates together and before the end of the year they joined forces, naming the enterprise Kennedys Abogados.

Fast forward 15 years and a bitter dispute emerged with the U.K. firm invoking a clause in the partnership deed to dissolve the relationship and a fight emerging in the courts about who owned the ‘Kennedys’ brand in Spain.