Aurelio Menéndez Menéndez, Doctor of Laws, (Gijón, Asturias, 1927) is Professor of Mercantile Law at the Autonomous University of Madrid, having previously carried out the same function at the universities of Santiago, Salamanca and Oviedo. He has also been Minister of Education and Science and a judge on the Constitutional Tribunal.

Considered to be one of the top Spanish experts in Mercantile Law, a subject on which he has written several books and research works, and supervised numerous doctorate theses, Aurelio Menéndez has also been director of the Salamanca School of Legal Practice and dean of the Law Faculty at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

He has also chaired various international arbitration tribunals, is a member of the editorial committees of the journals "Derecho Mercantil", "Crítica de Derecho Inmobiliario" and the "Revista Española de Seguros" and is a permanent member of the International Maritime Committee.

Holder of the Gold Medal of the Autonomous University of Madrid, he is in possession of the grand Crosses of Alfonso X the Wise, Carlos III, Naval Merit and that of San Raimundo de Peñafort.

He has also received the Golden Apple of the Madrid Asturian Centre. In February 1994 he was invested as Doctor honoris causa by the University of Oviedo.