Best Lawyer in Corruption Crimes

PARDO GEIJO, THE STRONGHOLD OF DEFENDANTS ACCUSED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING, FRAUD, CORRUPTION, OR SEXUAL OFFENSES. RAUL PARDO GEIJO

The criminal defense lawyer from Murcia was awarded, for the thirteenth time in a year, by the international legal publisher Global 100 Law (2022/2023 edition).

The award was received in Rome, surrounded by prominent figures from both the national and international legal community.

According to the institution, the 2020 crisis during the COVID era led to an increase in certain types of crime that had not previously been very common, such as cyber fraud. At the same time, it also pushed some individuals toward crimes perceived as a source of quick financial gain, such as drug trafficking.

It is precisely in these types of crimes that the Murcian criminal lawyer Raúl Pardo Geijo has been considered one of the most outstanding in the country. Beyond his general reputation as a criminal defense lawyer across all areas of criminal law, he was recognized in 2022 as a leading lawyer in Spain in drug trafficking cases. In his hometown, he has long been regarded as a reference in this field, with several regional media outlets referring to him as one of the most prominent lawyers in Murcia in drug-related offenses.

The reasons for this recognition have also been highlighted. This time, the jury emphasized not only factors such as the quality of his academic publications and doctrinal articles in legal journals, as well as his courtroom advocacy skills (many of his hearings are publicly available online), but also the number of cases with favorable outcomes in 2022, particularly those involving drug trafficking, sexual offenses, and economic crimes.

Based on information available in national case-law databases, the jury considered Raúl Pardo among the most successful criminal lawyers in Spain due, among other factors, to the number of cases won. Notably:

• Drug trafficking cases: 19 favorable outcomes out of 20 cases (with one resolved through an agreement).

• Economic crimes (fraud, misappropriation, and asset concealment): 15 favorable outcomes out of 15 cases.

• Sexual abuse or assault cases: 9 favorable outcomes out of 9 cases, according to the Judicial Doctrine Center.

These figures help explain why such crimes have been particularly prominent in the judicial system since the COVID crisis. Many of these cases involve defendants held in pre-trial detention and therefore tend to be processed more quickly, sometimes being resolved within a year.

Other types of crimes were also considered in the evaluation, including homicide (2 out of 2 favorable outcomes) and corruption-related offenses such as bribery or misconduct in public office, where 7 out of 7 cases ended in acquittal. However, the total number of such cases was smaller because these crimes were committed less frequently during the pandemic period.

Despite these results, the ranking does not cover every type of criminal offense. Some crimes that exist in Spanish criminal law but not in other European jurisdictions, such as Italy, Germany, or France, could not be included in the comparative analysis. Many of these offenses were introduced or modified after the 2015 reform of the Spanish Criminal Code and subsequent legislative updates.

In any case, even though the lawyer from Murcia may be regarded by some as one of the most prominent criminal lawyers in Spain—whether in drug trafficking cases (cocaine, hashish, marijuana, or MDMA), sexual offense cases, or other criminal matters—the institution emphasizes that the award was based on multiple factors beyond case results alone, especially considering that more than 20,000 candidates were evaluated for the distinction.