The Legal 500

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira had an impressive year, notably acting for Telefónica on its €7.5bn offer for Portugal Telecom’s 50% stake in Brasilcel, the holding company of Brazilian mobile operator Vivo. The ‘excellent’ team also advised Beckman Coulter on its €542m acquisition of Olympus’s global diagnostics business. Frederico Pereira Coutinho advised Direct Group Bertelsmann on selling its Portuguese publishing and book retail assets including Livraria Bertrand. Diogo Perestrelo has been advising Altrad on its offer for a stake in Irbal. CNP Assurances, Endesa and Banco Efisa are also key clients. Maria da Glória Leitão, Diogo Ortigão Ramos, André Luiz Gomes and José Diogo Horta Osório are all recommended.

Linklaters LLP’s ‘excellent corporate practice’ provides a ‘high level of service’ and global strength. The well-known António Soares heads the corporate finance group, and is supported by the ‘brilliant’ Jorge Bleck. Soares advised Caixa Geral de Depósitos as a shareholder of Cimpor on a shareholders’ agreement with Votorantim to prevent a hostile takeover of Cimpor, and also assisted ECS – Sociedade de Capital de Risco on the corporate restructuring of Investvar Group. Marcos Sousa Monteiro advised Banco Cetelem on a merger relating to the creation of Banco BNP Paribas Personal Finance, with assets of €1.6bn. The team also assisted Friends Provident on the divestment of its stake in F&C Asset Management. Miguel Pinto Cardoso and Pedro Siza Vieira are recommended.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is widely regarded as the ‘best law firm in Portugal’, and it has a ‘fantastic’ corporate practice. The group advised Cinveste on the €155m sale of its stake in Cimpor to Votorantim and, similarly, Teixeira Duarte on selling its Cimpor stake to Camargo Corrêa for €970m. The group provides ‘very good quality service and advice’ and is extremely active, acting for many companies and banks. Nuno Galvão Teles advised EDP on its €330m acquisition of gas distribution and supply assets from Gas Natural, while Tomás Vaz Pinto has been assisting Pfizer on absorbing the Portuguese subsidiaries of Wyeth. Practice head João Soares da Silva is recommended, along with Carlos Osório de Castro, Oporto-based Bernardo Lobo Xavier, Luísa Soares da Silva, Segismundo Pinto Basto and Rui de Oliveira Neves.

PLMJ Law Firm has re-established its superb reputation, despite departures from the practice in 2009. The ‘brilliant’ Manuel Santos Vitor and Victor Réfega Fernandes head the team, which has handled a spate of corporate restructuring work, such as advising Alicoop following the insolvency of four of its companies. Vitor also advised American Sugar on its £211m purchase of Tate & Lyle’s business unit in Portugal. The group advised Barclays on its €68m acquisition of Citibank’s credit card division in Portugal, and Vasco de Ataíde Marques represented Polytec on the debt restructuring of Inapal Plásticos, formerly owned by Plêiade. Luis Sáragga Leal has an excellent name in the market, and advised Cimpor on its acquisition of CINAC. Jorge de Brito Pereira is recommended.

The ‘impressive’ João Vieira de Almeida heads the ‘solid’, ‘top level’ corporate team at Vieira de Almeida & Associados. He and Paulo de Barros Baptista have been advising Brisa on selling its holding in Companhia de Concessões Rodoviárias for €1.2bn. The ‘high-profile and competent’ Paulo Olavo Cunha advised Nanium on the corporate restructuring of Qimonda Portugal following its insolvency proceedings. Other clients include Bosch Group, medical waste management company Stericycle, and PME Investimentos. Helena Vaz Pinto and managing associate Rita Marques are recommended.

Abreu Advogados has a strong focus on corporate and M&A work, particularly in the venture capital space. The group recently advised VC firm I-Zone on its joint venture with 15 start-up companies to form a holding company with a presence in Lusophone Africa and Brazil. It continues to advise Portugal Venture Capital Initiative on domestic investments. Other clients include Banco Espírito Santo and JJW Portugal. Practice head Miguel de Avillez Pereira and name partner Miguel Teixeira de Abreu are recommended.

‘Exceeding the best expectations of clients in every aspect,’ Garrigues Portugal has ‘excellent’ corporate capabilities and provides ‘outstanding service’. Its visibility in the market increased in 2010 when it acted on the largest deal ever in Portugal: advising PT on Telefonica’s €7.5bn bid for Brasilcel. Furthermore, the firm advised Portugal Telecom on a €3.7bn acquisition of a stake in Oi, and also assisted Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) on its €4.15bn hostile takeover bid for Cimpor. SOS Corporación and the Global Hotels & Resorts Group remain key clients. Team head Diogo Leónidas Rocha has ‘deep knowledge of the market’, and is ably supported by Mário Lino Dias and Susana Pimenta de Sousa.

Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados is earning a very strong reputation for its ‘excellent’ corporate practice. The ‘outstanding’ Luís Miguel Cortes Martins heads the team and, together with Rafael Lucas Pires, acted for sports media rights company Sportinveste Group on selling exclusive football match broadcasting rights. Martim Anahory advised Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas on selling its soft drinks and juices business to Schweppes International. Miguel Pena Machete is recommended.

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho has a ‘fantastic track record’ and provides an ‘excellent service’ to clients across a range of industries. Among several high-profile deals in 2010, the group assisted Telefónica on its acquisition of PT’s stake in Brasilcel, and advised Lafarge on selling its share in Cimpor. It also handled Grupo Damm’s acquisition of Drink In, and advised Olympus on divesting its diagnostics business to Beckman Coulter. Francisco Brito e Abreu is the lynchpin of the team, providing ‘most appropriate and considered legal advice’, while Carlos Costa Andrade is also recommended.

AAA’s ‘very competent’ team is ‘small but professional’, and offers ‘outstanding service’. It produces ‘excellent results’ for a variety of clients including from the energy sector. Gabriela Rodrigues Martins is an ‘M&A star’ and Dulce Franco demonstrates ‘multidisciplinary knowledge’ and the ‘capacity to orchestrate the different legal practice areas towards a client’s goals’. Vitor Pereira das Neves is also recommended, as is associate Anabela Gonçalves Ferreira.

The ‘very good’ corporate practice at ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados advised ACNielsen on a restructuring and merger issue. Practice head Nuno Azevedo Neves regularly represents Yamaha, Aquapura Investments and real estate developer Key Space, and is recommended along with Luís Filipe Carvalho. João Costa Quinta made partner in 2010, but Carla Martins Branco departed to Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco & Associados.

‘Well versed in Portuguese corporate law,’ Albuquerque & Associados offers ‘very valuable, timely and appropriate advice’, and recently advised Portuguese chemical group CUF on selling an ammonia plant to an international buyer. It also advised Estée Lauder on acquiring its Portuguese distributor, Socosmet. António de Mendonça Raimundo has an ‘excellent analytic approach’, while Gonçalo Pinto Ferreira has a ‘practical and problem-solving attitude’. Associate Mónica Salgado provides ‘top-notch client service’.

A new entrant to the market, Campos Ferreira, Sá Carneiro & Associados calls on the experience of Fernando Campos Ferreira and Maria Castelos, formerly leaders of the corporate practice at PLMJ Law Firm. The firm represented Brazilian cement producer Votorantim on its acquisition of a 17% stake in Cimpor. Given the quality of the team, commentators say it ‘undoubtedly will be a success story’.

The corporate boutique of Cardigos e Associados specialises in cross-border M&A and offers ‘excellent service’. Practice head Gonçalo Capela Godinho and name partner Pedro Cardigos recently advised Bipadosa on selling its shares in Cimpor to Camargo Corrêa, and have been assisting Sonatrach on acquiring a stake in a combined cycle plant. Veolia Environment is also a client.

An ‘excellent firm in all respects’, Carlos Aguiar, Ferreira de Lima & Associados – Sociedade de Avogados, R.L. has a strong corporate focus and a ‘highly professional’ team. The firm represents private equity funds and French companies, and is advising Bloomberg on ongoing corporate issues. The ‘service-oriented’ Carlos Aguiar leads the group, with ‘capable lawyer’ Manuel Costa Salema and the ‘hardworking and dedicated’ Maria Sottomayor also recommended.

FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados advised Banco Espírito Santo on the restructuring processes of both João Lagos Sports and a Portuguese ceramic manufacturer, and also assisted Nike on its purchasing activities following the bankruptcy of a Portuguese supplier. The team is advising ECS on its €12m acquisition of publishing house Verbo, its subsequent restructuring and the establishment of a new holding company. Corporate clients include Hewlett-Packard and Allianz. Gonçalo da Cunha, Nuno Cadima Oliveira, Pedro Guimarães and Rodrigo Almeida Dias are highly regarded.

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados advised Société Mutuelle d’Assurance du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics on its potential €300m acquisition of two Portuguese insurers. It represented a global private equity firm on its purchase of a financial services provider, and also acts for Sherbourne Investors and Air Products. The highly recommended João Caiado Guerreiro heads the practice.

Macedo Vitorino & Associados’ corporate team offers a ‘very good service’, and is able ‘to solve all kinds of questions’. João de Macedo Vitorino and Susana Vieira recently advised Devoro SGPS on its acquisition of the Spanish company Dervo. The group also assisted Patriarch Partners with its acquisition of Dura Automotive Portugal. France Télécom, Gamesa, Apple and Louis Vuitton are also clients.

Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados has experience in international and cross-border transactions, and is well reputed for its strong showing in Lusophone Africa. The team acts for clients from the financial and oil and gas sectors, and recently represented Tech-Mer on its merger with Saint Simeon Marketing e Investimentos. Diogo Xavier da Cunha is the key contact.

Clients of Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco & Associados rate the ‘high-quality performance and accurate advice of the team’ and the ‘excellent quality-to-price ratio’. The firm boosted its practice in 2010 with the recruitment of the ‘professional and determined’ Carla Martins Branco from ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados. Drawing on its real estate expertise, the team advised Bouygues Immobilier on selling to Corio a joint venture company formed to develop a shopping centre and retail park in Guimarães. Other clients include ECS Capital, Auchan Group and EDP. Pedro Pinto is recommended, along with Inês Reis and Teresa Freire.

Raposo Bernardo is admired for its ‘timely attention and depth of analysis’, and advised Banif Mais Bank on divesting its shares in Finibanco as part of Banco Montepio-Geral €341m’s takeover of Finibanco. The ‘brilliant’ Nelson Raposo Bernardo heads the team, while Joana Andrade Correia is ‘proficient and practical’. It advised Banco Mais on its €1.1bn takeover by Banif Bank. The group represents BES África and Fomentinvest Holding, as well as new clients Medwork and Soberhouse.

Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL fields a ‘dedicated team of lawyers’ praised for ‘good response times and industry knowledge’. Practice head João Caldeira is rated for his ‘singular maturity and advice’, and also features the ‘very thorough and perceptive’ António Payan Martins. Explorer Investments is a key client, and the ‘savvy’ Francisco Xavier de Almeida recently advised the company on its acquisition of a restaurant chain. The team also advised Euromedic International on a €85m restructuring and reorganisation. Other notable areas of expertise include the energy sector and, geographically, work in Lusophone Africa and Brazil.

SRS Advogados provides ‘accurate and timely advice’ on energy and TMT transactions, with Octávio Castelo Paulo singled out for displaying ‘excellent knowledge of all legal matters’. He is advising Rottapharm on restructuring its Portuguese group. Managing partner Pedro Rebelo de Sousa has been advising Intesa Sanpaolo on its separation from its Madeira operations. Other clients include Iberdrola and Galp. Nuno Miguel Prata is a ‘very good professional’.

Offering ‘very high standards of service’, Sérvulo & Associados has broad corporate experience and an excellent reputation. The team ‘provides quick responses’ and offers ‘real value for money’. António Teles and Sofia Carreiro advised Enercon on its plans for a new factory, and on implementing a renewables energy project and joint venture. The team brings to bear its contentious capabilities to assist corporate clients, with the ‘extremely professional’ Nuno Moura Roldão recently assisting Carne do Montado do Sobro in arbitration. Fernando Ferreira Pinto is recommended.

Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa provides clients with ‘timely responsiveness and profound knowledge’ and has ‘outstanding strategic focus and vision’. The group advised an international support services company on purchasing a waste treatment company in the Algarve. João Alves Pereira is praised for his ‘sound legal judgement’ and ‘high-quality advice’.

António Frutuoso de Melo e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL has an excellent reputation. Name partner António Frutuoso de Melo is very well respected.

Victor de Castro Nunes leads the practice at Baião, Castro & Associados, R.L.. The group has experience advising companies on setting up in Portugal, and acts for international and domestic clients. It is currently advising a client on the acquisition of the Portuguese sparkling wine companies Murganheira and Caves da Raposeira.

Barrocas Advogados suffered the loss of several key individuals to Gómez-Acebo & Pombo at the start of 2010. However, Manuel Barrocas and João Nuno Barrocas remain busy advising banks and private equity funds.

CCA Advogados has notable experience in TMT-related transactions. Practice head Domingos Cruz recently advised a client on the incorporation of a Brazilian joint venture. Carlos Cruz is ‘very experienced and wise’, and Rita Cruz has a ‘strong technical background’.

The experienced António Mouteira Guerreiro heads the corporate team at Mouteira Guerreiro, Rosa Amaral & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados R.L., which has been assisting Symlabs and Telectrinf on structuring and implementation of their businesses in Portugal and Angola. The firm has also been busy with corporate restructurings.

SPS – Sociedade de Advogados’ Manuel Gibert Prates and Pedro Malta da Silveira advise clients from the media, technology and healthcare sectors.

Mafalda Barreto heads the practice at Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL, which has experience in various Lusophone countries. The group advised the finance subsidiary of a major Latin American supermarket operator on European corporate restructuring.