Global trends and challenges in legal education and legal practice

Soledad Atienza

Soledad Atienza is the Dean of IE Law School and has an extensive academic experience and a global vision of legal education. Dr. Atienza was previously Vice-Dean of International Relations at IE Law School, as well as Director of the law degree program at IE University. Prior to that, she practiced at the leading Spanish law firm Pérez-Llorca. Her expertise includes the areas of comparative law and legal teaching methods.

She earned her Ph.D in Social Sciences from IE University and an Executive MBA degree from IE Business School. She also holds a law degree from the CEU San Pablo University in Spain and a Certificate in European Studies from the European Institute of the University of Saarland (Germany), and was a visiting student at Cornell University in New York.

Maria José Esteban

Maria José Esteban is a contracted doctoral professor of Corporate and Commercial Law at ESADE Law School, Ramon Llull University, an affiliated researcher at the Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession, and co-director of the Center’s Big 4 research project. In the professional field, Esteban is a Spanish qualified lawyer, included in the Best Lawyers list for Spain since 2010, and a partner at the Barcelona law firm Bufete Escura. She holds a PhD suma cum laude in Business Administration, and has been recently elected to the Royal European Academy of Doctors.

Fernando Peláez-Pier

Fernando Peláez-Pier joined Hoet Peláez Castillo & Duque in 1977. He is an active participant in the development of the corporate area in the Firm and contributes to its strategic management. Fernando is also a recognized member of the international legal community. He is one of the pioneers of advocacy’s global projection around the world, being the Founder and Chair of the Latin American Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA), as well as President of the IBA (2009-2010), Vice President (2007-2008), Secretary General (2005-2006), Chair of the IBA’s Section on Business Law (SBL) (2002-2004), SBL Vice Chair (2000-2002), and SBL Secretary Treasurer (1998-2000).