What the law does not authorise, the Administration cannot do
Blocked permits, public contracts breached by the State, arbitrary sanctions. The team knows the system from the inside, understands how far the State can go, and knows how to act.
and municipalities
and authorisations
including regions
Companies and individuals facing the public sector
Permits, sanctions, and contracts
When the State blocks a permit, delays a payment, or initiates sanctioning proceedings, legal remedies are available. The correct course of action depends on the agency, the administrative act, and the deadlines. What makes the difference is knowing which step to take first.
Contractors and concessionaires
Companies carrying out works for the State, concessionaires, and public and private service providers whose business depends on authorisations or contracts with public bodies.
recognition
Our experience in administrative law
The administrative law team has extensive experience both in the public sector and in advising regulatory bodies, including municipalities and the General Directorate of Water (DGA). This in-depth knowledge of how the Administration operates allows us to design effective legal strategies, anticipate decision-making criteria, and handle each matter with a practical, technical, and results-oriented approach.
Permits and authorisations
Remedies against refusals or delays regarding municipal licences, accreditations, and registrations. Knowing the deadlines and the correct channel within the public body streamlines the process.
Contracts with the State
Legal actions for non-payment and breach of public contractual obligations. Understanding how the agency operates internally strengthens your position before heading to court.
Sanctioning proceedings
Defence against fines and sanctions from municipalities, superintendencies, or other bodies. A technical response from the outset can reverse or reduce the sanction.
Expropriations and failure to provide service
Claims regarding State expropriations and lawsuits for damages caused by failure to provide service on the part of public agencies.
When to call us
In administrative law, the deadlines to appeal are short. Letting them expire closes your options. These are the most common situations.
You are not being granted the licence or permit to operate
A blocked municipal licence or a delayed accreditation incurs real costs every day. Administrative appeals and judicial actions exist to compel issuance. The deadlines for challenging a refusal are short: it is advisable to act immediately.
You completed a contract with the State and have not been paid
The breach of public contracts carries legal consequences for the State. The sooner action is taken, the stronger the negotiating position. Judicial pressure often compels the agency to perform without needing a final judgment.
A municipality or government agency is sanctioning you
Sanctioning proceedings have specific time limits for submitting formal responses. If that deadline expires without a reply, the sanction becomes final. A technical defence from the outset can reverse it or reduce it significantly.
An agency excludes you from public tenders or imposes disqualifications
Disqualifications from contracting with the State are subject to specific deadlines and statutory requirements. If the exclusion is unjustified or the procedure was irregular, legal avenues exist to challenge it. Acting within the legal deadlines is what determines whether the appeal succeeds.
The State expropriated your property without fair compensation
Expropriations must follow a specific procedure and provide fair compensation to the affected party. If the compensation does not reflect the fair market value or the process was irregular, legal actions are available to claim what is due.
What we are asked most often
The most frequent questions in administrative law. Each matter depends on the agency, the specific administrative act, and the statutory deadlines.
I am not being granted the licence to open my premises. What can I do?+
A refusal to grant a municipal business licence can be challenged. Administrative remedies are available within the municipality itself and, if they do not succeed, judicial actions can be brought to compel issuance or claim compensation for damages caused by unjustified delay.
Deadlines to challenge a decision are short. Reviewing the administrative file and the grounds for refusal is the first step to determine the most effective course of action.
I performed work for the State and have not been paid. Do I have legal recourse?+
Yes. The breach of public contracts carries legal consequences for the State. Available actions include claims for specific performance, late-payment interest, and, in certain cases, damages caused by the delay.
The sooner you act, the stronger your negotiating position. In many cases, judicial pressure alone compels the agency to pay without needing to reach a final judgment.
How do I know if I have grounds to challenge a State sanction?+
Sanctioning proceedings have specific stages and deadlines. If the authority did not follow the proper procedure or the sanction lacks technical grounding, it can be challenged. The key is to act before the deadlines to submit formal responses or appeal expire.
An early review of the administrative file determines the margin available to overturn or reduce the sanction.
How much time do I have to challenge a State act?+
It depends on the type of act and the agency. Some actions have deadlines of days; others, months. The general rule is that acting late closes options: once the deadline to challenge expires, the agency's resolution becomes final and your alternatives are drastically reduced.
The first step is to identify the type of act, which agency issued it, and when it was served. With that, it is possible to determine what deadlines are running and what actions are available.
The municipality is refusing my licence without explaining why. What should I do?+
Administrative resolutions must be substantiated. A refusal without sufficient grounds or with technically incorrect reasoning can be challenged. The first step is to request the administrative file and the written resolution to review the actual grounds for the refusal.
Depending on what the resolution states, there are administrative appeals within the municipality itself and, if they do not succeed, judicial actions. The deadlines for each avenue differ, and it is advisable to review them from day one.
Can the State terminate a contract unilaterally?+
Yes, but under specific conditions and through procedures it must follow. If the unilateral termination lacked sufficient legal grounds or failed to follow the proper process, actions are available to claim damages for the losses caused.
The State can also draw on the contract's boletas de garantía [bank performance bonds], resulting in immediate losses. If you believe the termination or the enforcement of the bond was improper, it is advisable to review the contract and the underlying records before deadlines expire.
Short deadlines. Concrete actions
Deadlines to challenge State acts are short. Missing them closes options. An initial conversation serves to understand what actions exist and how urgently to act.