Meet Carlos de Miguel Olivares: From Madrid to Marbella… “there’s simply nowhere I’d rather be!”

Marbella lawyer, Carlos de Miguel Olivares

When you are a client of Carlos de Miguel you can rest assured he will look after you personally throughout the entire process of your property transaction. He is a man you can rely on to be there when you need him.

Owner and founder of De Miguel Lawyers, Carlos de Miguel has been helping people buy and sell property on the Costa del Sol since 1983. Originally from Madrid, his family moved to Marbella in 1965. Only 14 at the time, he continued his studies in Marbella, before going to Granada University where he took his final Master’s degree.

After completing his studies he returned to his native Madrid to kick-start his career, working for a law firm for six months. The big city was not for Carlos, however, and he quickly decided to head back to Marbella, where he set up his own company, De Miguel Lawyers…

Where do you live?

In Marbella, just above the Old Town.

What is a typical day in the office like?

A typical day in the office? What’s that!

Typical is to arrive to the office around 9.30am, check my emails and deal with any queries that need an immediate resolution. From there my day could take any number of turns:

–          If I have a court case on, I’ll head to court for the morning session

–          If I have a property sale, then we’ll be preparing client documentation, such as the Escritura, or heading over to the notary's office to meet up with the client and sign in front of the notary

–          Some days I need to be in the office organising cases, administration and generally catching up on paperwork

Favourite trip within Andalucía?

I have two favourite destinations in Andalucía: When I want to escape the Costa del Sol, but still stay on the coast, I often go to the beautiful area of Zahara de los Atunes in the province of Cádiz. And when I feel like a trip to the countryside, I love to visit the Cazorla National Park in Jaen. You couldn’t get two destinations further apart in character, but I love them both.

What do you love best about the Costa del Sol?

Definitely the working way of life! I hate the idea of getting up early and fighting to get to the office. Here there’s an easier pace. Of course we work just as hard, but we don’t have the stresses of trying to get to the other side of a city to attend a meeting, or sitting in traffic for an hour before we have even arrived at the office.

Favourite restaurant?

One? I love lots of restaurants in Marbella, but Entre Limones, Santiago, Buenaventura and California are among my absolute favourites.

Anything you miss about Madrid?

I enjoy visiting Madrid, taking in the sights and the atmosphere, but I wouldn’t want to live there again. Marbella is my home.

Top survival tip for the Costa del Sol?

Integration into the local community, it’s so important. Yes, you can get by without speaking Spanish and without making too much of an effort to learn about local culture, but then what would be the point of living here! You will enjoy your life much more if you integrate into the local way of life. If you try it, you might just like it!

Carlos de Miguel Olivares is owner and founder of De Miguel Lawyers, a VIVA RECOMMENDS Corporate Partner. De Miguel specialise in the sale and purchase of real estate, tax and accountancy, the constitution of Spanish and offshore companies, and both civil and criminal law.

You can find the De Miguel Lawyers head office in Marbella and further associate offices in London and Gibraltar. Visit their microsite for more information, or contact them direct on +34 952 779 150.