Pardo Geijo, the Lawyer Who Defends Drug Trafficking Cases in Spain

PARDO GEIJO, THE LAWYER WHO DEFENDS DRUG TRAFFICKING CASES IN SPAIN

The criminal defense lawyer from Murcia was awarded by the international legal publisher Global 100 Law in its 2022/2023 edition.

The award ceremony took place in Rome, at an event attended by prominent personalities from both the national and international legal community. Raúl Pardo-Geijo accepted the award with pride, although he remarked that, despite being considered by some as one of the leading lawyers in Spain in areas such as drug trafficking offenses, sexual crimes, and economic crimes, his professional path has also been shaped by circumstance and the evolution of legal practice over time.

According to the prestigious institution—which is regarded as one of the most reputable internationally—the COVID-19 crisis beginning in 2020 led to a rise in certain types of crime that had previously been less common, such as cyber fraud. However, this does not necessarily mean that crimes traditionally associated with large illicit profits—such as drug trafficking or sexual offenses—have increased in number, although they continue to represent significant areas of criminal litigation.

For this reason, the jury decided that, in addition to the usual criteria used to evaluate more than 20,000 candidates, particular attention should be given to the impact and evolution of these types of crimes since 2020—including drug trafficking, sexual offenses, and fraud—and to the results achieved by criminal defense lawyers in those areas.

Within these categories, the Murcian lawyer—who for several years has been considered among the most prominent criminal lawyers in Spain—stood out once again, without diminishing his achievements in other areas of criminal law.

The jury, composed of judges and prosecutors, based its evaluation on results published in national case-law databases, which are publicly accessible. According to this assessment, Raúl Pardo Geijo stands out not only for his legal publications and courtroom advocacy—many of which can be found online—but also for his record of successful outcomes in criminal proceedings.

Among the statistics highlighted by the institution were:

• Drug trafficking cases: 19 acquittals out of 20 cases handled (with one case resolved through agreement).

• Sexual assault or abuse cases: 9 successful outcomes out of 9 cases.

• Fraud, misappropriation, or asset concealment: 15 acquittals out of 15 cases.

These results, according to the institution, reflect a notable level of effectiveness in complex criminal proceedings.

The organization also noted a broader social reality: since the coronavirus crisis, certain crimes—particularly drug trafficking, sexual offenses, and financial fraud—have received increased attention within the criminal justice system.

Beyond these categories, Pardo-Geijo has also handled other criminal matters, including homicide (2/2 cases), bribery, misconduct in public office, fraud-related offenses (7/7), and simulation of crime (5/5). However, the number of such cases has been comparatively smaller in recent years due to their lower frequency during the pandemic period.

Despite the focus on specific categories this year, the institution emphasized that Raúl Pardo-Geijo’s reputation as a prominent criminal lawyer in Spain is not limited to drug trafficking cases. Over the years, he has been recognized across a broad spectrum of criminal law practice.

In fact, the jury clarified that its emphasis on certain types of crimes reflected the number of cases decided in 2022, many of which involved defendants in pre-trial detention and therefore progressed more quickly through the courts.

Finally, the institution also explained that certain criminal offenses could not be included in the comparative analysis because they exist only within Spanish law and not in other European jurisdictions (such as Belgium, Hungary, or France), whose lawyers were also considered among the candidates.

Whether considered among the leading lawyers in Spain in drug trafficking, sexual offenses, fraud, misappropriation, or corruption-related crimes, what remains clear is that Raúl Pardo Geijo has stood out for more than fifteen years for his skill and expertise in criminal law, and has long been regarded as a reference figure in this legal field.