Please note that this event has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause. Thank you.
Join us for the IV edition of one of our most anticipated EDI events! This year, Women Who Inspire will be dedicated to the world of Law.
The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK has a strong commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and it is with this in mind that EDI is included in its Strategic Plan as one of its core objectives. This commitment is translated into a series of initiatives, including this event series.
Women Who Inspire is an event series launched in 2022 which aims to cast a spotlight on professionals from different sectors, to delve into their career backgrounds and the challenges and opportunities that they have encountered along the way, from a gender perspective.
This fourth edition will consist of a panel discussion of leading female voices from the legal sector, followed by a cocktail reception where attendees will have the opportunity to network over drinks and canapés, not only with representatives from the legal sector in the UK, but with other Members of the Spanish Chamber’s network.
If you’re a female professional in the legal world, this is an event not to be missed. But Women Who Inspire aims to inspire us all. It is open to Members and non-Members alike, both women and men, not only in the legal world but in any other sector. We strongly encourage everyone to attend and take an active part in this important conversation.
Date & Time: Tuesday 25th March, 18:00 (for a 18:30 start) – 20:30
Location: Spanish Ambassador’s Residence | 24 Belgrave Square | London SW1X 8QA
REGISTER HERE
Meet the panellists
Marie Evrard
Partner, AES Lawyers
Marie is a commercial lawyer with substantial experience in IT and telecoms. She advises clients on commercial contracts as well as on corporate matters. Having studied in Belgium, Poland and Spain, Marie started her career as an in-house lawyer for Telefónica in Madrid. In the UK, Marie acted as legal counsel of a joint venture between O2 and Vodafone before joining private practice in 2016. In 2021, Marie founded AES Lawyers with two partners. The firm currently counts 15 lawyers and specialises in commercial, corporate and litigation matters. AES supports national and international clients, from start-ups to multinational enterprises.
Selena Strudwick
General Counsel, Ferrovial Construction UK & Ireland
Selena qualified as a lawyer 15 years ago. For 10 years she worked at law firms in the City of London, advising clients in the infrastructure and major projects sector and with a particular focus on transport projects. She moved to an in-house role in 2018 and worked directly with the project teams delivering three of London’s flagship infrastructure projects – Thames Tideway, Northern Line Extension and Silvertown Tunnel. At the start of 2022 she became the General Counsel of Ferrovial Construction UK & Ireland. As General Counsel, she oversees the Ferrovial Construction UK&I legal department, and advises on projects from inception to final completion. Highlights of her experience include the award to Ferrovial Construction of design and build contracts for the track infrastructure for High Speed 2, and a new £230m tunnelling contract for National Grid.
Elisabeth Johnson
Partner, Linklaters LLP
Lizzie is Global Co-Head of the Infrastructure Sector at magic circle law firm, Linklaters LLP. Elected to the partnership in 2020, Lizzie focusses on debt financing of infrastructure and utility companies across Europe and EMEA. Lizzie is product agnostic and advises across the full range of financing solutions, from public bonds, to bank debt, private placements, asset-backed securitisations and hedging. She is a collaborative and solutions-focussed lawyer who enjoys working with her clients and across the sector to innovate. Some of Lizzie’s career highlights to date include structuring and devising the delivery model for the recently-completed Thames Tideway Tunnel, which will fundamentally change the river health of London’s iconic river, and advising DigitalBridge over the last few years on multiple data centre transactions, including their equity co-investments on the Vantage EMEA platform and their acquisition of the Yondr platform.
Outside of her client work, Lizzie is a Knowledge and Learning partner and committed to teaching and training of juniors in her team and to supporting the next generation of talented lawyers through graduate recruitment and mentoring efforts. Lizzie was recently included on Law.com’s 2025 list of female rising stars. Lizzie is mother to her two wonderful daughters, Rosie (7) and Verity (5), and enjoys cycling (in the summer), skiing (in the winter) and singing (all year round).
Marta Sánchez Merino
Head Office, Quabbala Limited
Marta is a dual-qualified lawyer in Spain and England & Wales, currently leading the London office of Quabbala Limited. Her career has been defined by adaptability and resilience. After years of preparing for a judicial career in Spain, a significant legal opportunity in the UK reshaped her professional path, leading her to build an international legal career in London. After years of practicing cross-border commercial and corporate law in the City of London, she embraced a new challenge: qualifying as a solicitor in England & Wales. Furthermore, she holds two master’s degrees in Spanish law—one in Economic Criminal Law and the other in Legal Practice—both with dissertations focused on comparative law.
Marta is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee at the Westminster & Holborn Law Society, is a member of its International Committee, and sits on the board of the Forum for International Lawyers in London.
Previously, Marta ran a widely followed blog, sharing her experiences as a judicial trainee. Passionate about art and photography, she is also highly active on social media, applying creativity and attention to detail in new ways. Today, she contributes to associations such as Women in the Law UK and frequently writes for publications like The Central London Lawyer and Legal Women. Through her work, she actively engages in conversations about the evolving nature of the legal profession, aiming to make a meaningful impact on the future.
Blanca Arlabán
Partner, Uría Menéndez
Blanca is a lawyer in the corporate and commercial group of Uría Menéndez, which she joined in 2007. Between March and September
2010, Blanca worked in the London office of Slaughter and May, where she was an international secondee in the Banking and Financing team. Blanca has worked in the London office since January 2014. Between January and July 2016, she was seconded to the legal department of Goldman Sachs in London. Blanca focuses her professional practice on financing, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and general commercial law. She has a wide experience advising on domestic and international acquisitions and disposals of companies in various sectors.
Blanca has been involved in some of the largest and most innovative financing and restructuring transactions in Spain, including advising lenders and borrowers on corporate financings, project financings, asset finance, structured financings and refinancings. In recent years, she has also advised on non-performing loan portfolio acquisitions and other real estate transactions.
Blanca holds a Double degree in Law and Business Administration from the Universidad Pública de Navarra, 2007.
This event is held in collaboration with:
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We work with a photo and video team at our events, and we may publish their work on our website, social media accounts, and other communication channels. By registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to this.
