About

MANGO is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of clothing, which was founded in Barcelona and opened its first store in 1984. As of late 2016, it has five stores in Barcelona and almost 1,900 stores in over 110 countries. This level of expansion has needed the support of a talented legal team, not only to facilitate the many agreements, but also oversee the supply chains and protecting against counterfeit goods. Francisco Javier Fontan Cosialls leads a legal department of seven lawyers and one paralegal charged with handling a retail network that has increased by more than 25% in just two years. While the physical geographical remit that the team must cover is vast, the online business is also expanding at a considerable pace. Legal policies have been drafted and implemented by the team so that MANGO is able to distribute its products to ‘approximately 86 countries all over the world’, says Fontan. MANGO’s growth has made it essential for the legal team to work closely with their business counterparts, educating them on the risks they may face. For example, the team gives ‘full support, ongoing training and legal advice to all our design departments regarding IP regulations in different jurisdictions’, says Fontan. This level of support has been invaluable for the prolonged success of the company and allows the different departments to build upon a legally-sound foundation. However, Fontan believes that the team’s work is not just about safeguarding the future and protecting products, enabling the company to achieve its goals. ‘The legal team has managed, exclusively in-house, one of the biggest logistical transactions in Europe during 2016. [This] transaction consisted of the acquisition of MANGO’s new logistics building located in Lliçà d’Amunt and additional development land for a total investment exceeding €150m’. The continuing success of the team has been built on the quality of the individuals, as well as the proficient leadership of Fontan. Two lawyers within the team who particularly stood out were Montserrat Prat Alfonso, for her ability to handle complex real estate transactions, and Jaume Passarell Beya, for his anticipation and management of risk in the brand and IP space.