Intellectual Property · Andorra
Work with an intellectual property lawyer in Andorra who knows the local courts
A trade mark, a design or a copyright work can be commercially valuable in Andorra as anywhere else — but the dispute will be run inside an entirely Andorran legal system. Tell us what has happened and we match you with an advocate admitted to the local bar.
- Advocates admitted to the Andorran bar only
- Proceedings, filings and judgments in Catalan
- A free match before you commit to anything
Matching is free. The platform itself does not give legal advice.
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Intellectual property advice in Andorra, without the guesswork
A trade mark, a design, a copyright work or a software licence can be commercially valuable in Andorra as anywhere else in Europe, and the way a dispute over it is handled depends on a legal system that is entirely Andorran. Andorra is a parliamentary co-principality whose 1993 Constitution created a fully separated judicial power, and the practice of law is reserved to advocates admitted to the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra. If you need an intellectual property lawyer in Andorra, we take your details, look at what you are facing, and match you with a lawyer who works in this field. That first contact costs you nothing and commits you to nothing.
Andorra in practice
How an intellectual property matter is handled in Andorra
Andorra is a parliamentary co-principality whose 1993 Constitution created a fully separated judicial power, and its courts apply the Constitution, qualified laws, ordinary laws, Government regulations, Andorran custom and the case law of the Tribunal Superior de Justícia. If your file touches the Principality, these are the features that shape how it will be run.
Who is allowed to act for you
The practice of law in Andorra is reserved to advocates admitted to the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra, regulated by Law 48/2014 of 18 December on the practice of the legal profession, as amended by Law 10/2023. Admission as a practising member requires the required law degree, the Andorran aptitude certificate obtained after examinations, and the practical traineeship regulated by the Government.
Which body hears the file
The Llei qualificada de la Justícia of 3 September 1993 allocates judicial power to the Batlles, the Tribunal de Batlles, the Tribunal de Corts and the Tribunal Superior de Justícia, structured into civil, criminal and administrative jurisdictions. The Batllia hears first-instance matters and investigation, the Tribunal de Corts deals with serious criminal offences, and the Tribunal Superior de Justícia is the highest instance and hears appeals.
The language of the file
Catalan is the sole official language of the State and of judicial activity, so proceedings, filings and judgments are in Catalan. For a foreign rights holder this is a practical point: documents intended for an Andorran court must be prepared in that language, which is one reason to work with an advocate admitted to the local bar.
What litigation costs
Judicial fees (taxes judicials) are governed by the Llei de taxes judicials of 22 June 2000; the claimant or applicant is the taxpayer, the fee counts as procedural costs and it is collected by stamped paper distributed through the bar. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed with the client, and free legal aid may be granted by reasoned order.
Deadlines and how they are counted
Procedural periods run in business days (dies hàbils): Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, August and the Christmas period are not counted. Judicial resolutions must be notified within a maximum of five business days of being issued, and an appeal against a final civil judgment is filed within twenty business days of notification.
Judicial independence and the sources judges use
Andorra’s 1993 Constitution created a fully separated judicial power. The Consell Superior de la Justícia governs and administers the judicial organisation and safeguards the independence of justice, including the appointment and discipline of judges. Andorran civil law is not codified in a single code: statutes, the usages and customs of the Principality and the case law of the Tribunal Superior de Justícia complete the system.
All country information on this page is taken from official Andorran sources — the Consell General, the Andorran judicial portal (justicia.ad and portaljuridicandorra.ad) and the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra — consulted in 2025.
- Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra (Andorran Bar Association)
- Andorran judicial portal – Consell Superior de la Justícia
- Llei qualificada de la Justícia, 3 September 1993
- Constitution of the Principality of Andorra, 1993
- Codi de procediment civil (consolidated text)
- Free legal aid – beneficis de justícia gratuïta
- Llei de taxes judicials, 22 June 2000
- Law 48/2014 on the practice of the legal profession
- Ordinary civil procedure threshold (EUR 20,000)
- Llei 31/2018 on employment relations
- Llei 15/2022 on urban leases (consolidated text)
Common situations
What usually brings clients to us
Most intellectual property problems reach us before anyone has decided on a route. These are the three patterns we see most often.
Your rights are being used without consent
A rival business copies your name, your packaging or your content, and you are not sure whether the answer lies in negotiation, a formal warning letter or proceedings before an Andorran court. Without local advice you cannot tell which route is open to you.
The matter crosses a border
You trade across Spain, France and Andorra and you do not know which system will hear the case or which documents are worth preparing first. An advocate admitted in the Principality can explain how the Andorran side of the file is handled.
Language and procedure get in the way
Catalan is the only official language of the Andorran courts, and filings and judgments are in Catalan. If that is not a language you work in, an advocate admitted to the local bar is the practical way to prepare documents and follow the file.
Why local representation matters
What an Andorran advocate brings to your file
Four practical differences that come from the way the profession and the courts are organised in Andorra.
Practice is reserved to admitted advocates
In Andorra only advocates admitted to the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra may practise law. Admission requires the relevant law degree, the Andorran aptitude certificate obtained after examinations, and the practical traineeship set out in Law 48/2014 as amended by Law 10/2023.
One lawyer defends and represents
Andorra has no separate procurador profession: the advocate (lletrat) admitted to the Andorran bar both represents and defends the client in judicial proceedings. Procedural representation is therefore exercised by the same lawyer who pleads the case, which keeps responsibility in one pair of hands.
Costs you can see in advance
Judicial fees are governed by the Llei de taxes judicials, advocates’ fees are freely agreed between client and lawyer, and free legal aid may be granted by reasoned order where the applicant proves insufficient economic resources.
A system with its own sources of law
Andorran civil law is not codified in a single code. Statutes, the usages and customs of the Principality and the case law of the Tribunal Superior de Justícia all matter, which is why research on a local file normally covers legislation and jurisprudence together.
Cross-border reach
Where our matching network reaches
Intellectual property files often involve more than one jurisdiction. Alongside Andorra, these are the European countries our network most often connects with.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about intellectual property in Andorra
How do I find an intellectual property lawyer in Andorra?
Tell us what has happened and we match you with an advocate admitted to the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra who works on intellectual property matters. The matching is free, there is no obligation, and you decide afterwards whether to instruct the lawyer. We do not give legal advice ourselves.
Can a lawyer qualified abroad represent me before the Andorran courts?
The practice of law in Andorra is reserved to advocates admitted to the Col·legi Oficial d’Advocats d’Andorra, under Law 48/2014 of 18 December as amended by Law 10/2023. A lawyer qualified only outside the Principality cannot act as your advocate before the Andorran courts, so local admission matters when you choose representation.
In what language will my case be run?
Catalan is the sole official language of the State and of judicial activity, so proceedings, filings and judgments are in Catalan. If you work in English, Spanish or French, your Andorran advocate prepares the documents in Catalan and explains each step in the language you share.
Do I need a separate procurador in Andorra?
No. Andorra has no separate procurador profession: the advocate (lletrat) admitted to the Andorran bar both represents and defends the client in judicial proceedings. Procedural representation is exercised by the same lawyer who pleads the case, so you deal with one professional.
What does it cost to bring a civil claim in Andorra?
Judicial fees exist and are governed by the Llei de taxes judicials of 22 June 2000; the claimant or applicant is the taxpayer and the fee counts as procedural costs. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed with the client. Free legal aid can be granted by reasoned order if you prove insufficient economic resources.
Is free legal aid available in Andorra?
The judge may grant free legal aid by reasoned order to persons who prove insufficient economic resources, taking into account income, basic expenses, dependent family members and overall patrimonial situation. The benefit covers duty advocacy, defence and representation in criminal proceedings and other procedural expenses duly authorised by the judge or court.
Next step
Describe your matter and we will match you
It takes a couple of minutes to tell us what has happened, where you are and what you would like to achieve. We then look for an advocate in Andorra whose practice covers intellectual property and pass your request on. The service is free and you are not obliged to instruct anyone.