The Legal 500

‘One of the leading Iberian law firms’, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has impressive international experience. Providing the ‘highest-quality service’, Diogo Perestrelo’s team advised Parpública on the sale of a 15% stake of Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa to Mozambican-owned CEZA and REN. ‘One of the best M&A lawyers’, José Diogo Horta Osório is able to ‘co-ordinate lawyers worldwide in cross-border M&A operations and financings’, and recently advised Transol – Transportes e Turismo on a €10m acquisition. Maria João Ricou advised Abertis on its mandatory €703m takeover offer for Brisa, and acted for Caixa Geral de Depósitos in relation to the takeover bid made by Intercement Austria (controlled by Camargo Corrêa) for Cimpor. André Luiz Gomes and Frederico Pereira Coutinho are also recommended.

The ‘fantastic’ practice at Linklaters LLP maintains its strength in domestic and cross-border deals, and couples M&A experience with expertise in restructuring/insolvency and private equity work. The team was involved in several privatisations: leading practitioner Jorge Bleck acted for State Grid International Development in its €387m acquisition of 25% of the share capital of REN, and also represented E.ON in its bid for a stake in EDP. António Soares is ‘well prepared and always available’, and recently advised Deutsche Börse on its proposed merger with Euronext NYSE (since aborted), as well as acting for BXR Partners on the creation of an agribusiness joint venture with Quifel Holdings in Mozambique. Managing associate Diogo Plantier Santos and counsel Marcos Sousa Monteiro are also recommended.

‘Simply outstanding’, Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados demonstrates ‘a perfect command of client briefs’ and provides ‘thorough and innovative solutions to complex regulatory issues’. Nuno Galvão Teles and Rui de Oliveira Neves were appointed to act for the Portuguese state, Parpública and EDP in the eighth reprivatisation phase of EDP, and are noted for their ‘intellect and interpersonal skills’. The team also acted for the state and Parpública on the second reprivatisation phase of REN. In Oporto, the highly rated Carlos Osório de Castro is advising La Seda de Barcelona on the €30m sale of Artenius Portugal to Control PET. Eduardo Verde Pinho in Oporto and Liliana Malheiro Tomás have experience in the Angolan market. Segismundo Pinto Basto is ‘always on top of all issues’; Eduardo Rui Paulino is ‘totally committed’; and João Soares da Silva, Luísa Soares da Silva and Tomás Vaz Pinto are also recommended.

PLMJ Law Firm’s ‘large and highly experienced team’ provides ‘a very good service’ to major Portuguese corporates including Cimpor and ZON, and has experience in the pharmaceuticals, energy, construction and telecoms sectors. Manuel Santos Vitor and Luís Sáragga Leal advised the Foreign National Oil Company on the acquisition of participations in its branch in Brazil. The ‘client-oriented’ Victor Réfega Fernandes is also recommended, alongside Vasco de Ataíde Marques, Luís Miguel Urbano and Luís Miguel Pais Antunes. In Oporto, Tomás Pessanha is advising Praia do Forte (an Américo Amorim group) on the demerger of its Brazilian subsidiary company Siravol do Brasil, and assisting WireCo WorldGroup in its restructuring and related mergers and demergers. Senior associates Ana Oliveira Rocha and Nuno Luís Sapateiro are singled out.

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s team is ‘excellent, quick and efficient’. Able to ‘find solutions in a pragmatic way’, the ‘very experienced’ Francisco Brito e Abreu recently advised Patris Investimentos on its acquisition of an asset management company. Daniel Proença de Carvalho advised Camargo Corrêa on its public tender offer for Cimpor, and Antonio Villacampa Serrano advised Caixabank on the acquisition of a stake in Banco BPI. Carlos Costa Andrade, Alexandre Mota Pinto and Oporto-based João Anacoreta Correia are also recommended.

Vieira de Almeida & Associados is noted for its cross-border expertise and experience in healthcare, energy and environment. ‘Always available’, the ‘very knowledgeable, efficient and proactive’ team provides ‘creative solutions’. João Vieira de Almeida acted for a client in the bid for the reprivatisation of REN, and also advised Stirling Square Capital Partners Second Fund on a €40m investment in the helicopter business of Omni Group. Helena Vaz Pinto advised Air Products on the sale of its European homecare business to The Linde Group and subsequent corporate reorganisation. Paulo Olavo Cunha has been active in Angolan transactions. Paulo de Barros Baptista has ‘in-depth knowledge’, particularly in relation to road concessions.

‘Highly skilled and fully dedicated’, AAA advogados provides ‘an outstanding service’. The small team is noted for its anticipation of legal and regulatory changes to provide ‘new and alternative solutions’. Clients include Amorim (one of the controlling shareholders of a major Portuguese oil and gas company), Banco BIC and Marinha Guincho. A ‘driving force of the firm’, Dulce Franco has ‘deep and multidisciplinary knowledge’. ‘Go-to lawyer’ Gabriela Rodrigues Martins has ‘a commercial approach’, is ‘permanently committed to clients’, and provides ‘straight-to-the-point advice’. Vítor Pereira das Neves has ‘technical knowledge’, and senior associate Anabela Gonçalves Ferreira is also recommended.

At CMS, João Caldeira advised Explorer Investments on its acquisition of 20% of the share capital of Powervia. Francisco Xavier de Almeida has ‘very good transactional experience’, and advised Euromedia International on the €150m sale of its dialysis business in Portugal and on the restructuring of its laboratory and diagnostic businesses in Portugal. António Payan Martins is also recommended. Among the associates, Margarida Vila Franca and Laura Abreu Cravo are singled out.

Campos Ferreira, Sá Carneiro & Associados’ ‘experienced and balanced’ team provides ‘excellent levels of service’. The team features Maria Castelos, Fernando Campos Ferreira, Francisco Sá Carneiro, Martim Morgado and the ‘very strong’ Bernardo Abreu Mota, who has ‘deep knowledge’. It advises major Portuguese corporates on domestic and cross-border deals, and also represented clients in several privatisation processes in Portugal during 2012.

Praised for its ‘great knowledge’, the team at Garrigues is led by the ‘very good’ Diogo Leónidas Rocha, and acts for clients including Secil, Santander, PT, Deloitte and Endesa. Mário Lino Dias represented fertiliser manufacturer Fertiberia in the purchase of a company in the chemicals sector, and Susana Pimenta de Sousa advised Nove SGPS on the sale of the entire share capital of Massimo Dutti to Inditex. Marta Graça Rodrigues and senior associate Cristina Ribeiro Coelho are recommended.

Delivering ‘exceptional, Magic Circle style service’ and ‘prompt and straight-to-the-point responses’, SRS Advogados has experience across the TMT, energy, financial services and real estate sectors. Noted for his ‘outstanding knowledge’ and ‘innovative solutions’, Octávio Castelo Paulo advised Galp on its €8.9m acquisition of Engen Ghana, and assisted Sumol+Compal in acquiring a factory in Mozambique. ‘A tough negotiator when required’, Nuno Miguel Prata combines ‘technical skills with a pragmatic approach’. Alexandra Maia de Loureiro advised ECS Capital on the acquisition of 99% of the share capital of Grupo MIF. Recommended at managing associate level are Gustavo Ordonhas Oliveira, who acts for ENI; Paulo Bandeira, who is ‘very good and knowledgeable’; Raquel Cuba Martins; and Maria Paula Milheirão.

In a major mandate, Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados acted for the successful bidder, China Three Gorges, in the negotiation process for the privatisation of EDP, acquiring a 21.35% stake in EDP for €2.7bn. The team also has experience advising on joint venture formation. Other recent clients include Grupo Efacec, Nutrinveste Group and Enel Green Power. Experienced practitioner Luís Miguel Cortes Martins, Rafael Lucas Pires, Miguel Pena Machete and Martim Anahory are highly recommended.

ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados’ team is led by Nuno Azevedo Neves, and features João Costa Quinta and recently promoted partner Bruno Azevedo Rodrigues. It acts for Yamaha, HSBC, and RBS. A recent highlight was advising on the sale of a stake in a British utility company.

At Abreu Advogados, Miguel de Avillez Pereira’s team advised Hidrocentrais Group on the reverse cross-border merger of Renewable Power International Iberian Hydros (Spain) into Hidro Eléctrica (Portugal), and acted for Apax on its intended acquisition of a stake in Heliportugal. Miguel Teixeira de Abreu, Ana Sofia Batista and Inês Sequeira Mendes are also recommended, alongside Rui Peixoto Duarte in Oporto. Other clients include Embraer and Iberdrola Renovables.

Caiado Guerreiro’s ‘very professional and consistent’ team acts for an impressive client roster featuring Labco Group, Primagest, Continental Airways and Sioux Sourcing. João Caiado Guerreiro advised French insurance group SMABTP (known as ASEFA in Portugal) on its acquisition of insurance company Victoria Internacional de Portugal. Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes demonstrates ‘customer focus and flexibility’, and recently acted for Arrow Electronics in its acquisition of the Portuguese branch of an international group.

Demonstrating ‘high levels of professionalism’, Gonçalo da Cunha’s team at FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados is noted for its ‘deep knowledge’ and ‘effective responses’. The ‘very dedicated and professional’ Pedro Guimarães advised Acxiom on the disposal of its interest in a Portuguese joint venture. Rodrigo Almeida Dias acted for ECS Capital on the sale of publishing house Verbo. Other clients include Logica, Avis and Foot Locker. Nuno Cadima Oliveira is also recommended.

Macedo Vitorino & Associados advised private equity fund Altice on its acquisition of Cabovisão, and a Spanish real estate developer on the sale of its Portuguese subsidiary. João de Macedo Vitorino and Susana Vieira are recommended. Clients include Gamesa, Weir Group, Apple, Louis Vuitton, and Onitelecom.

Providing ‘excellent and accurate responses’, pbbr (Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco, Alexandre Jardim & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados, R.L)’s ‘extraordinarily professional’ team is ‘uncommonly easy to deal with’. Carla Martins Branco demonstrates ‘availability and commitment to clients’, and acts for Serlusa Refrigerantes, Zambon Group and SIMAB. The ‘very pragmatic’ Alexandre Jardim has ‘deep knowledge of M&A particularities’. Inês Reis advised CHG Communications Holdings on the sale of its Portuguese subsidiary, Siemens Enterprise Communications. Pedro Pinto’s team also features César Bessa Monteiro Jr and Teresa Freire.

Noted for its ‘client-driven attitude’, Raposo Bernardo has broad corporate experience and can ‘mobilise multidisciplinary teams immediately’. Nelson Raposo Bernardo takes ‘a pragmatic view’, and has ‘vast understanding’. The ‘very strong team’ is advising MGM Group on due diligence associated with its acquisition of several Petchey Leisure hotels. ‘A great support to any project’, Joana Andrade Correia is ‘practical and proactive’. Other clients include BES África, Opel Portugal, Colt Resources and Banco Banif.

The ‘honest and professional’ team at Sérvulo & Associados includes Sofia Carreiro, who advised Tecmicon on its acquisition of a mobile telecoms operator. António Teles is ‘an excellent professional’, and associate João Carmona Dias is also recommended. Fernando Ferreira Pinto and Nuno Moura Roldão both left the firm in January 2013.

The ‘responsive, proactive and business-oriented’ Albuquerque & Associados provides ‘an exemplary service’. António de Mendonça Raimundo is ‘particularly effective’, and recently advised CUF on the sale of a nitric acid plant to an international buyer. Other clients include Tecnifar, Cisco, PepsiCo and Group ETE.

‘Excellent in all respects’, Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa, RL is assisting Initiative Media Group on revising its service agreements for the provision of media and digital services in Portugal. João Alves Pereira demonstrates ‘high-quality judgement, conduct and expertise’, and José Alves Pereira is also recommended.

At António Frutuoso de Melo e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL, António Frutuoso de Melo has a wealth of experience in corporate matters.

Rated for its ‘very good business approach’, CCA Advogados acts for Tim We, The Phone House, Wolters Kluwer and Espaço Invicta. It advised Group Tinsa on its acquisition of minority stakes worth €1m in the share capital of Tinsa Spain. Senior associate Bernardo Reynolds de Carvalho leads the team, and Carlos Cruz, Rita Cruz and the ‘very smart and sharp’ Domingos Cruz are also recommended.

Cardigos e Associados’ ‘proactive’ team is led by ‘experienced lawyer’ Pedro Cardigos. It is currently acting for a bank in the sale of its participation in a Portuguese-listed company, and also advised Veolia Environnement and Veolia Transport on a merger between Veolia Transport and Transdev. Senior associates Pedro Moniz Lopes and Sofia de Sousa Caetano are also recommended.

Carlos Aguiar, Ferreira de Lima & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados, R.L. acts for Bloomberg, Smith & Nephew, and Xerox. ‘Experienced professional’ Carlos Aguiar has ‘a capacity to solve complex matters’. ‘Able to understand business and provide relevant solutions’, Maria Sottomayor is advising an Irish IT distribution group on the purchase of its Portuguese subsidiary. Tiago Ferreira de Lima has ‘wide knowledge’, and is currently advising a Spanish client in the agribusiness sector on plans to acquire a food industrial unit in Portugal.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo advised the Oman Oil Company on its €205m acquisition of a stake in REN from Parpública, during the second phase of REN’s reprivatisation. Fermín Garbayo Renouard is recommended, and senior associate Filipe Santos Barata joined from Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira in 2012. Other clients include Endesa Energia, Giorgio Armani and Laureate International.

Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados is known for its strength in Lusophone markets. Diogo Xavier da Cunha’s team advises on joint ventures, M&A, due diligence and corporate restructurings.

António Vicente Marques at AVM Advogados has experience in several Lusophone markets, and acts for clients including Plexo Angola and Nokia Siemens Networks. Claudia Santos Cruz is recommended.

Azeredo Perdigão & Associados’ Miguel de Azeredo Perdigão handles restructuring and M&A mandates.

Baião, Castro & Associados, R.L.’s Victor de Castro Nunes and Felipe Baião do Nascimento are recommended. Clients of the practice include Águas de Portugal.

Rita Beirôco at Espanha & Associados recently advised a Portuguese retail group on commercial contracts.

António Mouteira Guerreiro’s team at MGRA & Associados acts for Kenwood, Caterpillar and Symlabs. The team also advised Ferrobérica Group on its restructuring.

Marques Mendes & Associados is advising CAE Global Academy on the restructuring of its Portuguese operations. Pedro Vilarinho Pires is recommended.

Mafalda Barreto at Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL advised Abbott International on the $250m integration of Abbott and Solvay Pharmaceuticals.