The Legal 500

Considered by clients ‘in a league of their own’, Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados has long been regarded as leaders in this field. Acting for big-ticket clients, such as Pfizer, BP, EDP, Sonae and Abbott, the team attracts some of the most coveted and complex cases within the Portuguese legal market. The team’s capabilities are broad, spanning arbitration, civil, commercial, criminal and labour litigation. António Pinto Leite leads the department, while both José Manuel Galvão Teles and Miguel Galvão Teles have traditionally been hailed as two of Portugal’s leading dispute resolution practitioners.

PLMJ – A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Martins, Júdice e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL boasts nearly 40 lawyers solely dedicated to litigation, with hundreds of pending cases concerning public, tax, employment and criminal law. Chosen for its ‘top-level’ services and ‘well-known competence’ the team has built up an enviable client list, including Cimpor, Vodafone, EDP and Banif, who appreciate its ‘dedication and integrity’. Current arbitration clients include Visser & Smit Hanab, Synergies, Cerâmica de Boialvo, and Sapec Transportes Portuários. Leading individuals include José Miguel Judice, José Luís Cruz Vilaça, Rui Machete, Nuno Líbano Monteiro, Abel Mesquita, Pedro Faria and Rogério Fernandes Ferreira.

ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Bessa Monteiro, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL stands out for its strong arbitration practice. Name partner João Nuno Azevedo Neves was recently appointed to act as one of three arbitrators involved in a major Portuguese-state arbitration, while IP expert César Bessa Monteiro is a recognized arbitrator of the Arbitration Court of the Lisbon Commerce Association. In addition, the firm specializes in tax and labor litigation, and is also a top choice for the rather more niche area of aviation litigation. Benjamin Mendes recently led a case acting for Bouygues Construction in a labour dispute concerning a former employee’s kidnapping in Angola, and also represented Allianz in several retirement pensions cases.

Barrocas Sarmento Neves is highly reputed for its litigation capabilities, and clients indicate ‘the firm’s services are reliable and the lawyers very secure in their statements’. The team is adept in commercial dispute management through to ADR and domestic and international arbitration, with a particular stronghold on international finance and trade matters, debt restructuring, insolvency, fraud claims and asset tracing. The team is acting for a real estate client over a €30m compensation claim for delays and changes made to an urban planning project, while also acting on behalf of a real estate developer over the embargo of a construction project, with losses valued at €5m. Practice head Carlos Soares ‘has a deep knowledge and practical experience in litigation; he is very precise’, while Carlos Costa e Silva and Paulo Nogueira da Rocha are also recommended. The team is chosen for its ‘juridical competence, pragmatic and business-focused solutions, and generally fast response times’.

A firm with ‘good, bright lawyers’ Coelho Ribeiro e Associados is best known for its arbitration expertise, particularly in relation to sports law. Partner Rui Botica Santos has significant experience in this field, having been designated numerous times as an arbitrator of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira remains active in a number of complex disputes cases, recently advising the Portuguese State (AICEP) in litigation proceedings concerning the breach of an agreement entered into with General Motors Group. The firm is solidifying its arbitration expertise, and is often instructed for assistance with mediation and corporate crime matters. Significant clients include BASF, Galp Energia, Lenovo and BMW. Chosen for their ‘competence and strong reputation’, department figureheads include managing partner, Manuel Castelo Branco and Miguel Esperança Pina, while the firm’s Oporto office also has litigation experience in Mr. José de Freitas.

Linklaters LLP is focused on high-end, complex litigation, with particular expertise in regulatory and company litigation. The department was strengthened this year through the arrival of Marta Cruz de Almeida, a securities litigation expert who joined in June 2007 after serving as in-house counsel for the Comissão de Mercado de Valores Mobiliários. The team has been retained by Pfizer to act in several patent litigation proceedings relating to the sale of generic drugs. The team also acted for Supergolf Amoreiras in a highly complex arbitration against Epal – Empresa Portuguesa de Águas Livres, successfully achieving contract termination rights and compensation for damages and loss of profit. The team is considered ‘very capable, with a high level of technical skills’, and practice head Miguel Pinto Cardoso is deemed an ‘excellent litigator’, who is ‘helped by the brilliant contribution’ of Nuno Ferreira Lousa, Marta Afonso Pereira and Carla Borges.

Considered ‘a very bright firm’, Proenca de Carvalho – Advogados is home to Daniel Proença Carvalho, a ‘well-respected’ and and highly influential litigator. This litigation boutique is regarded as a ‘true leader’ in the disputes market.

Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL’s litigation practice goes from strength to strength. The team has focused its efforts primarily on insolvency, energy and IP disputes, while also handling a number of professional negligence claims, tracing of assets cases and various arbitration proceedings. TMN – Telecomunicações Móveis Nacionais instructed the firm to act before the US Maryland District Court in an alleged patent infringement case initiated by Technology Patents. Other clients include Compal, Erdevel Europa Sarl, Unibetão and Banco Espirito Santo. Founding partner, Nuno Pena, best known for his strength in tax litigation, and António Andrade de Matos, who specialises in civil and commercial litigation, international arbitration and insolvency matters, are both recommended.

Dispute resolution is recognised as Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados ‘strongest, most developed area of practice’. Led by name partner Luís Cortes Martins, the team primarily handles civil and commercial matters for major domestic and international companies, with particular expertise in shareholder disputes. The team also offers employment and tax litigation services, while arbitration is a key area of focus, with two of its partners being accredited arbitrators.

Sérvulo & Associados is focused primarily on public law litigation. The team recently acted for Secil in a case concerning the co-incineration of hazardous waste within its cement production activity. Additionally, the team represented Metropolitano de Lisboa in a revocatory action of a public tendering procedure regarding a public works contract relating to the subway line “Linha Vermelha”. Fernando Ferreira Pinto, Rui Medeiros, João Amaral e Almeida, José Franqueira Dias, Carlos Costa and Teresa Serra are all active in dispute resolution work.

Simmons & Simmons Rebelo de Sousa remains active in dispute resolution cases, offering clients expertise in civil, regulatory and corporate criminal proceedings. The team services a range of sectors, incuding pharamceuticals, sports, banking and aviation, with clients including Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma and West LB. The team is known for its international arbitration experience. José Luis Moreira da Silva now heads the dispute resolution practice.

Uría Menéndez houses a formidable dispute resolution department composed of 13 fee-earners, led by the ‘very impressive’ Tito Arantes Fontes. The team is representing a Spanish banking client in two matters relating to its €25m loan for the acquisition of a hotel in Madeira, wherein the real estate company responsible for the construction of the hotel claimed €22m from the seller for unpaid works. The litigation department covers civil, criminal and commercial matters, and has experience in arbitration proceedings.

After noting a marked increase in insolvency cases, Vieira de Almeida & Associados has paid special attention to bolstering its strengths in this area. The team is assisting Alto Espinho – Energia Eólica Unipessoal with its request for court-termination of a co-operation agreement for the production of energy, and claims for €40m in damages caused by breach of contract. The team is also involved in several insolvency proceedings with clients including Banco Comercial Português, Deutsche Bank, Fortis Bank and Citibank. Led by Frederico Gonçalves Pereira, the department is noted for its ‘specialisation, national and international know-how and experience in dealing with new situations’, and possesses ‘expertise in many legal fields, including telecommunications, labour law and general litigation’.

Abreu Advogados continues to expand, and this year saw four partners and 11 associates join the department. The team is active in IP and IT litigation, with recent highlights including various counterfeiting cases for a major sporting goods retailer, as well as extensive civil and commercial proceedings for companies involved in supply chain logistics, technology and healthcare.

In addition to its banking-sector expertise, Albuquerque & Associados is particularly active in insurance litigation, dealing with thousands of claims and representing one of the largest British insurance companies in the Portuguese courts. The firm is also noted for its arbitration experience, particularly in relation to shipping matters. Francisco Colaço heads a 19 fee-earner team that is chosen for its ‘availability to find solutions and positive attitude towards the needs of the client’. Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa is led by name partner José Alves Pereira and boasts particular expertise in aviation matters.

Chaves, Cruz Martins, Roquette & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados, RL’s name partners Henrique Chaves and Gonçalo Roquette are highly sought for their dispute resolution expertise. Despite its small size, the team regularly acts in some of Portugal’s most complex cases.

F. Castelo Branco & Associados acted for Laboratório Medinfar – Produtos Farmacêuticos in a €3m tax litigation case pertaining to the fiscal years 1995-2002. In addition to commercial disputes, areas of specialism include civil, criminal, construction, employment, IP, tax, public law and environmental matters. Leading lawyers include Miguel F Castelo Branco, João Marçal Alves, António da Cunha Reis and Rui Tabarra e Castro, who are appreciated for ‘their prompt reaction to requests and the overall solutions provided’.

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. – Sucursal focuses on significant disputes for high-end clients, including a large Iberian energy company. The team recently acted for a finance client in administrative proceedings valued in excess of €53m, wherein objections were laid to an administrative decision denying transferability of tax losses following a merge option. João Paulo Teixeira de Matos heads this seven fee-earner group, boasting strength in arbitration.

Delivering ‘prompt and competent advice’, the relatively small litigation and arbitration team at Macedo Vitorino & Associados favours high-end litigation work or mass litigation cases, most often representing debt recovery firms, telecoms, energy and utilities clients. The team advised Ence – Empresa de Celullosas de España on non-compliance issues regarding contractual obligations. João Macedo Vitorino leads the team.

Recognised for its EU & competition strengths, Marques Mendes & Associados has built upon its experience to form a solid litigation and arbitration practice, including having acted in one of Portugal’s most significant arbitration cases in recent years. The team is described as ‘incredibly bright’.

Sousa Machado, Ferreira da Costa & Associados is best known for its contentious IP capabilities and strong client base, which includes names such as Vodafone Portugal. Key disputes practitioners are Manuel Ferreira da Costa, Alexandre de Sousa Machado and Mafalda Vaz Pinto.

Led by Ana Paula Matos Martins, Baião, Castro & Associados, R.I. is noted for its ‘quality and efficiency’, with a strong focus on insolvency and restructuring matters.

CCA – Carlos Cruz & Associados undergoes litigation for many of its media clients, while the past year has seen the firm’s involvement in high-profile litigation proceedings, such as ‘Casa Pia’ and ‘Apito Dourado’. The firm is also expanding its arbitration capabilities to include tax arbitration.

Clients of Carlos Aguiar, Ferreira de Lima & Associados – Sociedade de Avogados, R.L. feature mid-to large-sized Portuguese and foreign companies, drawn from the banking, insurance, telecommunications, aviation and real estate sectors. Name partner Carlos Aguiar is noted for his solid understanding of arbitration proceedings.

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados continues to develop its dispute resolution practice, and represents companies such as Olympus, Infocapital, Clinicas Vita Dent and Aigle Azur in various court proceedings within Portugal.

Still a relatively new player, Mouteira Guerreiro, Rosa Amaral & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados R.L. is fast gaining a reputation for quality litigation work, particularly regarding insolvency and labour matters. Clients note ‘fast response times, thoroughness and competence’ as key strengths.

Ana Cláudia Rangel heads the dispute resolution department at Raposo Bernardo. The team acted for Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo in litigation proceedings regarding real estate guarentees. Other clients include Pastana and Bergen Plastics.

Clients of SPS – Sociedade de Advogados provide glowing reports on its high service levels: ‘They bring excellent clarity in reports and personal dedication to our files. They have good success rates in cases, and negotiation skills in settling agreements are second to none’.