Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados

Since 1996 Ana Monjardino has worked on international public tenders, including privatisations, and on several types of operations in the area of project finance, having represented promoters, financing banks (national and international) and administrative authorities, especially in regard to motorway (SCUT and real toll), transport, water and waste infrastructures, health care partnerships, aquaculture and venues. She provides a full scope service throughout the life of the projects: tender phase, contractual structuring, negotiation and financing closing, follow-up of the construction and exploitation phases, transfers, refinancing and restructuring, and general follow-up legal advice to concessionaire companies and state-owned companies pertaining to local and regional administration.

André de Sousa Vieira

André de Sousa Vieira joined the firm in 2020 as a partner. He is co-responsible for a banking and financial team, integrating the International Committee of Morais Leitão.

António Sampaio Caramelo

António Sampaio Caramelo is currently in charge of handling Special Cases within the Litigation Department, working mainly in the areas of corporate and commercial law and taking part in domestic and international arbitrations. Before he joined the firm, António Sampaio Caramelo acted as a solo practitioner and as member of small law firms, advising several companies and public entities on numerous significant projects and transactions. After joining the firm, he was involved in several large infrastructure and industrial projects.

António Pinto Leite

Chairman of the Arbitration Centre of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chairman of the Portuguese Arbitration Association (2017-2019). Portuguese Member of the International Court of Arbitration of ICC (2016-2018). Chairman of the Portuguese ICC Committee (2015-2016). He plays an active role in international litigation and arbitration proceedings.

António Lobo Xavier

Bernardo Lobo Xavier

Bernardo is widely experienced in both M&A and real estate having participated in several relevant transactions. He also provides advice and regular assistance on different aspects of the ongoing commercial activities of our clients.

Bruno Santiago is a Lawyer Specialist in Tax Law that practices in domestic and international taxation, both in consulting and in dispute resolution. He coordinates dedicated teams in advising clients in cross-border transactions and transfer pricing taking advantage of his knowledge of Angolan and Mozambican taxation, product of his collaboration with the Africa Team - an internal structure that guarantees, on a permanent basis, and in close cooperation with the member firms of the Morais Leitão Legal Circle, personalised day-to-day assistance to clients on those jurisdictions. He has also a strong activity in tax disputes and arbitration covering income taxes, VAT, property taxes as well as stamp duty on financial operations, in administrative, judicial and penalties proceedings. Bruno Santiago represents clients from various sectors – financial services, oil and gas, energy, real estate and construction, media and advertising, pharmaceuticals, and private clients.

Bruno Xavier de Pina

International Consultant

Carlos Osório de Castro

Carlos Osório de Castro is one of the most well-known Portuguese lawyers in the areas of capital markets and M&A, a reputation earned due to his participation in major projects involving both national and international clients.

Carlos Botelho Moniz

Carlos Botelho Moniz's experience includes advising and representing clients in competition cases, both at the national and european level, in the areas of anti-trust, merger control and state aids. He has extensive experience in representing Portuguese authorities and private parties before the General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Catarina Brito Ferreira

Joined the firm in 2003 and became partner in 2017.

Catarina Martins Morão

Claudia Santos Cruz

Claudia Santos Cruz advises clients on the international and cross border aspects of their investments in Portugal and Lusophone Africa. She is co-head of the Lusophone Africa practice team at Morais Leitão which is dedicated to transactions and advising international clients investing in these markets. Claudia works on a daily basis with ML Legal Circle integrated law firms in Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde and she is herself a member of the HRA Advogados team in Mozambique. Claudia coordinates the international Oil & Gas team and Shipping practice at ML and is also a member of the international Banking & Finance department.

Cláudia Castanheira Dos Santos

Constança Carrington

Constança Carrington has been involved in various M&A and business law projects on behalf of national and foreign clients. She has also provided legal advice to several companies on pharmaceutical and tax matters. Constança also represents clients in various civil, business and fiscal judicial disputes.

Eduardo Paulino

Main practice areas include transactional, regulatory and compliance advice in capital markets, company and corporate/M&A law, as well as banking and finance. He focuses on high-profile public offerings, private placements and M&A transactions, acting both for Portuguese and foreign clients. Eduardo was recently involved in the Portuguese banking sector recapitalization and in complex multi-jurisdictional high-profile capital markets and M&A transactions in the financial services, TMT, distribution and industrial sectors, as well as in equity, hybrid and debt public and private offerings and takeovers involving companies in the banking, energy, construction, real estate and distribution sectors. He also acts in complex restructurings and has led teams in some the most significant transactions involving NPL/NPE assets in recent years.

Eduardo Maia Cadete

Experience as attorney before the European Court of Human Rights, EU Court of Justice and EU General Court and national courts, including the Constitutional Court. 20 years of experience in antitrust matters representing corporate clients in investigations by the European Commission and the national competition authority and in private litigation both at the trial and appellate levels, as well as in out of court settlements. Advisor to innumerous national public authorities and private entities in State Aid matters.

Eduardo Verde Pinho

Eduardo represents national and international clients in M&A transactions and financial restructurings. Also provides advice and regular assistance on different aspects of the ongoing commercial activities of our clients.

Elmano Sousa Costa

Fernanda Matoso

Fernanda Matoso acts mainly in the health sector, as a life sciences lawyer, namely advising several pharmaceutical companies and coordinating the firm’s team involved in the legal assistance of such companies in the pharmaceutical sector, in areas such as regulation (prices and reimbursement regulation, medicine legal framework, marketing authorization procedures, promotion activities, clinical trials), commercial policies, litigation and arbitration. She has also been highly involved in litigation, namely related to commercial and financial contracts, distribution agreements, privatisations of companies of the public sector. It is also worth mentioning her expertise in real estate, acting as coordinator of the expropriation project of Vasco da Gama bridge; the team that executed the expropriation projects of Metro Sul do Tejo (phase I) and of "Complexo Desportivo da Ribeira Brava" on Madeira Island and of the team involved in the 1st and 2nd phases of the project "Cidade Administrativa", involving the construction and relocation of several ministries and public services to a new area of Lisbon, which required the adoption of urban rehabilitation measures. Fernanda Matoso has also been quite active in providing legal assistance on real estate contracts and arbitration proceedings concerning those real estate contracts.

Filipa Morais Alçada

Filipe Vaz Pinto

Partner with the dispute resolution team, with his practice focused on arbitrations connected to Portuguese-speaking countries, including in particular, Angola, Brasil, Mozambique and Portugal. Acts as counsel in domestic and international arbitrations, and related judicial proceedings in a variety of industry sectors, including aviation, banking, construction, defense, energy, food and beverage, infrastructures, insurance, media and advertising, mining, public-private partnerships, transfers of technology and telecommunications. Also acts regularly as Arbitrator in domestic and international cases, ad hoc or under institutional rules. Board Member of the Portuguese Arbitration Association, of the ICC Arbitration Commission and of the Executive Commission of the Portuguese Committee of the ICC. Former Vice-President of the Commercial Arbitration Center of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Lecturer in postgraduation courses.

Filipe Lowndes Marques

Filipe Lowndes Marques has extensive experience in the area of project finance, having worked since 1995 on several types of projects, including bridges, motorways, power plants, wind farms, football stadia, LNG terminals and natural gas concessions. He has also been active in the field of capital markets, having advised on several securitisation transactions (including the first securitisation transaction under the new law and the first synthetic securitisation), covered bonds issuances and worked on several IPOs of state owned companies.

Francisco Cortez

Francisco Cortez joined the firm in 2006 and became a partner in 2007. He co-coordinates the litigation and arbitration department, as well as the sport and entertainment team. He has been responsible for several highly complex cases, both in judicial courts and arbitration. As a lawyer and as an arbitrator he has participated in more than three dozen arbitrations in Portugal, since 2000. Regular speaker at conferences. Ranked as a leading lawyer by the most prestigious international legal Directories such as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation.

Francisco de Sousa da Câmara

Represents major corporations and multinationals in tax restructuring operations dealing with different types of taxes, both domestically and in an international context, as well as with family offices, inheritance planning and HNWI. He has been involved in tax litigation for several decades, with a very impressive experience, where he has acted essentially as a lawyer, but also as an arbitrator with the scope of the Tax Arbitration Centre (CAAD). Francisco was a member of several Committees of experts in charge of drafting tax legislation. He was also a Visiting Professor of International Tax Law at Nova University of Lisbon (2000-2013) and has been teaching a postgraduate course on taxation at Universidade Católica Portuguesa for many years.

Gonçalo Andrade e Castro

Member of the corporate and commercial team, Gonçalo Andrade e Castro is also involved in proceedings concerning commercial litigation (in the areas of company, contracts and securities law).

Helena Tapp Barroso

Joined the firm in 2006, became a Non-Equity Partner in 2010.

Inês Gouveia joined the firm in 2006. She is a member of the European law and competition team.

Inês Ferrari Careto

Principal Associate

Irina Neves Ferreira

Irina Neves Ferreira joined the firm in 2013. She is a lawyer with considerable international experience, especially in the Angolan jurisdiction. In this market she has been involved in operations concerning private investment, insurance law, real estate (including the support to the negotiation of lease contracts for petrol companies), tax law, foreign exchange law and customs. She is also highly experienced in corporate compliance attained throughout her experience as counsel for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region in the international compliance team of a multinational company in the IT area. In the area of corporate and commercial law she has acted as legal advisor in several mergers, acquisitions and disposals of companies, including the acquisition and disposal of companies with head offices in Portugal and Angola, on behalf of domestic and foreign clients in various sectors, such as the oil sector, construction, information technologies and communications. Irina also provides general legal advice to numerous national and foreign companies in the areas of commercial and corporate law.

Isabel Santos Fidalgo

Since 1999 Isabel Santos Fidalgo has worked intensively in all the areas of tax law with special emphasis on national corporate income tax – financial, commercial, and industrial - covering all specialties in tax matters. She has participated in the most relevant national corporate reorganisation operations. She has extensive and recognised experience in tax litigation (administrative and judicial) representing the most relevant national litigants and clients in legal proceedings in various areas of taxation. She acts as an arbitrator at the Administrative Arbitration Centre. In 2013 she was a technical member of the Fiscal Reform Commission (IRC).

Partner and HR & Training Director.

João Matos Viana

Currently he practices in the area of litigation, focusing specifically on criminal and administrative offences involving banking, securities, insurance competition and pharmaceutical law. João collaborates regularly in administrative, tax and corporate areas regarding the criminal/administrative matters. João Matos Viana is the author of several articles regarding criminal law and criminal procedure law.

João Pereira Reis

João Pereira Reis has accumulated vast experience in his practice of law since 1978. He occupied several posts in the Public Administration: Secretary of State for Local Administration and Land Use Planning, coordinator of the legal office of the National Commission for the Environment, legal advisor to several members of Government, Councilman in a Municipality. Lecturer at Nova of Lisbon University and at Lisbon Law School. Consultant to the Association of Portuguese Real Estate Developers.

João Torroaes Valente

João is a corporate real estate, tourism and investment fund specialist. He advises national and foreign investors on corporate real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions and its due diligences, including the development and sale and purchase of shopping centres, offices, logistic, residential and tourism projects. João also advises on restructuring operations of real estate and tourism group, including the acquisition of mortgage backed loans thereto related. He has been involved during the past decade in some of the most relevant corporate real estate transactions in the Portuguese market. João is a lecturer at the Católica Lisbon School of Law, the University of Lisbon School of Law and at the Porto Business School and a regular speaker in seminars and conferences on corporate real estate and investment funds.

Principal Associate

João Anacoreta Correia

Litigation and Arbitration.

João Alfredo Afonso

João Alfredo Afonso has handled mergers, acquisitions and sales of companies of varying sorts on behalf of domestic and foreign clients. His practice has also focused on IT and data protection matters and in the assistance to clients in the setting up of their business activities through the internet. He was involved in the corporate restructuring of a major consulting company on TMT matters, in the context of its worldwide restructuring, and in the structuring and execution of a major write-off operation of a wireless communications company in Portugal. João Alfredo Afonso also participated in one of the first IPOs of a Portuguese company (in the media area). He advises several internet companies, namely on gambling activities, media and financial services areas. Concerning data protection issues, he assists clients in getting the required registrations and/authorizations from the Portuguese Data Protection Commission for the processing and transferring of personal data. He focuses in particular in the transfer of data from Portugal to other countries. He also assists companies whose core business involves the provision of IT related services, notably in the preparation and negotiation of software license agreements.

João Tiago Silveira

João Tiago Silveira coordinates the public law, urban planning and environment department.

Joaquim Vieira Peres

Joaquim Vieira Peres is one of the most active Portuguese lawyers in the area of competition law, both at the national and community level. His experience includes advising and representing clients in merger control procedures, as well as in the areas of anti-trust and state aid. His professional activity also includes the representation of private parties in proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Communities. He has experience in the areas of trade and distribution, electronic communications, real estate and construction, insurance, telecommunications and transports.

Jorge Simões Cortez

Before Jorge Simões Cortez joined the firm he worked as a legal adviser with the BPI Bank (1990-1999) and as a Consultant at the law firm Osório de Castro, Verde Pinho, Vieira Peres, Lobo Xavier e Associados – Sociedade de Advgados (1999-2005).

Jose Amorim Magalhaes

José Manuel Galvão Teles

José Manuel Galvão Teles is widely experienced in M&A. A consultant to some of the most important national and foreign companies established or operating in Portugal, he is President of the general meeting of shareholders of the largest companies with head offices in Portugal (banking, electricity, distribution, etc.). Throughout his career as an attorney, he has provided legal advice on some of the largest civil cases brought to trial in the Portuguese Courts. He was also successful as a defence counsel, representing clients on some of the most important and notable criminal cases.

Luís Gagliardini Graça

Luís Gagliardini Graça has been very active in the area of concessions for public construction, providing start to finish legal advice from negotiation to contractual execution, as well as handling any litigation arising as a result of the construction activities. In 2003 and 2004 Luís acted in an advisory role to the entities responsible for the construction of several of the new football stadiums for the “Euro 2004” as well in the project and construction of motorways. He has been involved in several M&A operations and the restructuring of companies, but he also has a strong background in litigation related to his practice areas. He is a member of the coordinating team of the Africa Team, an internal structure that guarantees, on a permanent basis, and in close cooperation with the member firms of the Morais Leitão Legal Circle, personalised day-to-day assistance to clients on matters that involve or are related to the jurisdictions of the African Portuguese speaking countries.

Luís Branco specialises in banking and finance law, having participated in several relevant transactions in the areas of structured finance, project finance, securitisation, investment funds and derivatives.

Luís Miguel Monteiro

Luís has participated in several corporate restructuring processes and collective dismissal proceedings, providing day-to-day advice in all areas of employment and social security law. Legal counsel on labour and social security litigation. Member of the group who prepared the 2003 Labour Code Project.

Luís Roquette Geraldes

Luís Roquette Geraldes is a partner at the corporate and M&A department where he serves as head of Team Genesis and co-head of Private Equity.

Luís do Nascimento Ferreira

Luís do Nascimento Ferreira joined the firm in 2003 and became a partner in 2017. He is a member of the European law and competition team.

Magda Fernandes

Magda Fernandes is a non-equity partner at the Firm. She is a very experienced lawyer in the areas of insolvency and restructuring, either in representation of creditors or of debtors. Magda lectures regularly on the theme in Law University of Lisbon and on the National Congress of Insolvency, as well as on specific events invited by the Judicial Insolvency Administrators Bar or by the Statutory Auditors Bar. Magda focuses as well on the areas of civil and commercial litigation and arbitration, where she represents domestic and foreign clients in construction businesses, technology, infrastructure, consumer law, media and advertising, distribution, agency and international franchises. She has also significant experience in family law, corporate law and maritime law.

Manuel de Freitas Pita

Margarida Olazabal Cabral

Margarida Olazabal Cabral concentrates her activity in several areas of administrative law, mainly in areas related with public contracts. She has experience with pre-contractual matters (public tenders), as well as with the execution of public contracts on behalf of public entities and private companies. In recent years a major part of her activity has been dedicated to public private partnerships.

Maria Soares do Lago

Maria focuses on the banking and financing sector, particularly banking and financial transactions, in particular credit facilities, project finance and debt restructuring, debt issues (including medium term note programs and covered bonds), issues of hybrid instruments, securitization and derivatives.

Maria Almeida e Silva

Maria Quintela has been active assisting various major acquisitions of companies and in the restructuring of international groups with respect to all attendant tax issues, notably regarding real estate, industrial and financial sector tax issues. She advises on reorganisations and provides consultancy assistance on specific transactions, including questions related to transfer pricing, application of Double Taxation Agreements and CFC rules.Her expertise includes income tax, VAT, property transfer tax, excise duties and stamp tax.Maria Quintela’s professional activity also involves representing national and international clients in tax litigation matters in both administrative proceedings and in court.

Maria da Assunção da Cunha Reis

Maria da Assunção da Cunha Reis joined Morais Leitão in 2012. She is a member of the firm’s litigation and arbitration team.

Maria Luísa Cyrne

Principal Associate

Marta Pereira Rosa

Managing Associate

Miguel Nogueira de Brito

Miguel Nogueira de Brito has worked mainly in the areas of constitutional law, general administrative law, and public contracting.

Nuno Peres Alves

Nuno Peres Alves focuses his activity on Public Regulation and on Administrative Law, namely in public contracts (Public Service Concessions and Public Works). In the telecommunications and media markets he advices on regulatory issues two of the most important national players. He has extensive dispute resolution experience in administrative litigation and arbitration.

Nuno Gundar da Cruz

Nuno Gundar da Cruz joined Morais Leitão in 2006 and became a partner in 2021. He coordinates the restructuring and insolvency team and is a member of the litigation and arbitration department.

Nuno Galvão Teles

Joined the firm in 1987, became Partner in 1995. Managing Partner of the firm since 2012. uno advises corporations and banks, as well as listed companies in major Portuguese M&A deals. He has led the team responsible for some of the major privatisation transactions executed in Portugal, namely in the energy, pulp, motorways, cement industries and insurance. He has been very active on the last 20 years in the energy sector, representing the most relevant Portuguese players.

Paula Ponces Camanho

Paulo was involved in several M&A transactions, restructurings, acquisitions and sales of companies, as well as in complex tender offer transactions on behalf of domestic and foreign clients. He also provides regular assistance in corporate law. His practice is currently focused on matters related to Sports Law, with special emphasis on international transfers of football players. He has been representing some of the most important members of the industry in dozens of high-profile transactions involving clubs and players competing in the major European leagues (England, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal). Moreover, he also advises on legal matters related to the commercial exploitation of celebrities and athletes image rights, TV broadcasting rights, gaming and music events, as well as matters related to sports such as e-sports, tennis, surfing, paddle, golf, motor sports and water sports.

Pedro Costa Gonçalves

Before joining the firm, Pedro Costa Gonçalves worked as a consultant, mainly in the preparation of studies in the areas of the general administrative law, public contracting and public regulation.

Pedro Pardal Goulão

Pedro Pardal Goulão provides consultancy in all areas of labour law, concerning both individual and collective employment relationships. He also provides legal assistance in sports issues and social security matters. Acting on behalf of domestic and foreign clients, he has participated in several legal due diligence and corporate restructuring processes, advising on the acquisition and sale of companies and business areas. He acts as legal counsel for several clients on labour litigation. Pedro Pardal Goulão also collaborates with the Africa Team - an internal structure that guarantees, on a permanent basis, and in close cooperation with the member firms of the Morais Leitão Legal Circle, personalised day-to-day assistance to clients on matters that involve or are related to the jurisdictions of the African Portuguese speaking countries – in which he regularly assists clients in the labour area.

Pedro Gorjão Henriques

Prior to joining the firm Pedro worked at Banco Fomento e Exterior (now Banco BPI) and at Caixa Geral de Depósitos, where he handled various types of financing operations, notably in the areas of corporate finance, trade finance and project finance. Currently he practices in the areas of banking and financial law, notably in project finance, corporate, trade finance, structured finance and debt restructuring. He has also participated in several mergers and acquisitions.

Pedro de Gouveia e Melo

Philipp Melcher

Partner and Co-Coordinator of German Desk

Ricardo Seabra Moura

Ricardo do Nascimento Ferreira

His practice focuses on several areas of civil and commercial law and on contentious and non-contentious matters of intellectual property and pharmaceutical law, notably involving the pharmaceutical industry. He assists and represents national and foreign clients in pre-litigation matters and conducts and participates in domestic and multi-jurisdictional judicial and arbitration proceedings. He’s a regular speaker at conferences and academic activities related to litigation, arbitration and intellectual propriety. He has published several articles in national and foreign legal reviews on those subjects. Ricardo do Nascimento Ferreira is an arbitrator in several arbitration institutions. He is a member of the Under-40 Counselling Commission of the Portuguese Arbitration and Intellectual Property International Chamber of Commerce. Winner of the Iberian Lawyer “40 under Forty Awards” (Life Sciences) in 2021.

Ricardo Andrade Amaro

Ricardo Andrade Amaro joined the firm in 2002 and became partner in 2015. He is head of the M&A team. A lawyer with great experience in corporate and commercial law, M&A, securities law, as well as in energy law. He has been very active for national and international clients in high profile cross-border transactions. He has also acted in several high profile securities offerings in Portugal and regularly advises major clients in the energy sector.

Rita Ferreira Vicente

Rita Ferreira Vicente has handled several real estate developments, acquisitions and sales of companies on behalf of domestic and foreign clients as well as projects concerning the structuring of real estate transactions and tourism projects and concerning the incorporation of real estate management companies and real estate funds. She has also experience in the development of offices parks, shopping centers, retail parks and logistic parks, as well as in the negotiation of real estate contracts, including sale and purchase, sale and lease back, exchange and surface rights. Recently, Rita Ferreira Vicente has also been the legal advisor to credit institutions in the areas of consumer credit, leasing and factoring area and mortgage credit to real estate projects/developments representing mortgage banks. She also collaborates with the Africa Team - an internal structure that guarantees, on a permanent basis, and in close cooperation with the member firms of the Morais Leitão Legal Circle, personalised day-to-day assistance to clients on matters that involve the African Portuguese-speaking countries – in which she regularly assists clients in the real estate area.

Rui Patrício joined Morais Leitão in 1994 and became a partner in 2005. He is the Chairman of the firm's General Meeting and was a member of the board of directors from 2008 to 2021. He coordinates the criminal and compliance department.

Rui Ribeiro Lima

Rui Ribeiro Lima joined the firm in 2007. He is a member of the administrative and public law and urban planning and environment teams.

Segismundo Pinto Basto

Segismundo Pinto Basto has acted as legal counsel on M&A projects in Portugal and abroad. He also provides advice to ongoing corporate and commercial activities of clients. He is also an expert on aviation and member of Team Genesis, a practice group dedicated to new ventures, notably startups.

Sofia Vaz Sampaio

Sofia Vaz Sampaio joined the firm in 2006 and became a partner in 2020. She is head of a litigation and arbitration team. She is also member of the sport and entertainment team.

Tiago Félix da Costa

Having been practicing law since 2004, Tiago has wide experience in the areas of criminal and misdemeanor and commercial litigation and in internal investigations related with criminal and regulatory offenses. Tiago as also developed his practice in Data Protection since 2011 and he has been particularly active on the electronic communications, banking and distribution sectors.

Tiago Geraldo joined the firm in 2008. He is a member of the litigation department.

Tomás Vaz Pinto

Tomás Vaz Pinto is involved with important M&A transactions in the energy sector and infrastructures, capital markets takeovers and private equity deals. He has also been involved in major privatisations deals involving several companies.

Vasco Stilwell d'Andrade

Vasco is the partner that co-coordinates the intellectual property team as well as Team Genesis.

Vítor Pereira das Neves

Qualified (2007). Partner (2020) and member of the corporate, M&A and capital markets team, Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da SIlva & Associados.

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