The Legal 500

The strength of Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados’ corporate practice has led such clients to also seek the advice of its highly regarded employment lawyers. As a result, the team represents some of Portugal’s biggest and most reputable companies, and is seen as a go-to practice for the whole range of employment law matters. According to one client, the team demonstrates ‘profound knowledge of my issues, knowledge about my company and our way of doing business, and is dedicated and committed to the subjects we ask them to be involved with’. Recently, the team has seen a steady stream of collective dismissal work, judicial employment litigation activity and collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Luís Miguel Monteiro leads a team that inspires ‘great confidence’ among clients.

PLMJ – A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Martins, Júdice e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL has a longstanding reputation as one of Portugal’s premier employment law team, known for its ‘experience in covering a range of issues, and the fact that they are number one in size’. The team provides regular labour advice to big-name clients such as Alliance Healthcare, Ikea, Ford, Shell and Vodafone, while also providing employment litigation services as needed. Abel Mesquita leads the team, which has some 15 lawyers completely dedicated to employment law, eight of whom are senior practitioners. Tiago Cortes, Nuno Guedes Vaz, Filipe Azóia and former judge Luís Sobral attract top recommendations.

Led by the highly praised César Sá Esteves, Simmons & Simmons Rebelo de Sousa is widely regarded as a market leader in employment law. The firm continues to draw new clients who find its lawyer ‘very competent’. Covering the full range of employment issues, including restructuring, collective disputes and international secondment issues, the team has ‘experts able answer to any doubt’. Clients include a leading drinks company as well as a large telecommunications firm, to whom the team has advised on employment termination issues. The team is ‘very clear in helping to understand the correct interpretation of the law, and assists in a proactive manner in finding better ways to solve problems before they even occur’.

ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Bessa Monteiro, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL is positioned within the upper echelons of Portuguese employment law teams. While many firms consider employment law as more or less a corporate support service, Benjamin Mendes’ team has carved for itself a strong, stand-alone practice. Representative clients include Cisco Systems, Kraft Foods, Air France, Coca-Cola and Portuguese airline association, RENA. Recent highlights include advising on the collective labour agreement between Volkswagen Autoeuropa and the Works Council, while also representing Banco Santander regarding retirement pensions claims and outsourcing services.

Albuquerque & Associados has participated in some of Portugal’s biggest workplace reduction and restructuring operations over the past decade, including its work for General Motors Portugal, whereby 1100 employees were involved, and Lear Corporation, which involved the collective dismissal of more than 2200 employees. The firm’s labour litigation department is presently engaged in a number of noteworthy litigation procedures for top companies within the automotive, transport, shipping and electronics industries.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira was strengthened by the arrival of Diogo Leote Nobre, a ‘very strong practitioner’ and former founding partner of Saraiva e Sousa, Gomes de Almeida & Associados. Maria da Glória Leitão continues to lead the department which provided due diligence advice to the firm’s corporate team, in addition to advising on day-to-day matters for a number of domestic and foreign companies in the retail, banking and insurance sectors. Clients say, ‘Everytime we need their support the team is always available to talk with us and to solve problems very quickly’.

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. – Sucursal fetches positive feedback from clients who say, ‘unlike some other firms, they are truly specialists with deep expertise in all areas of the law – they are on a higher level’. The firm offers a strong standalone employment practice that caters to a number of large domestic and foreign companies on matters such as hiring, contractual conditions, and outsourcing. The team recently advised a major telecommunications company on the termination of two outsourcing agreements and the legislation of employees assigned to Angola. Led by João Paulo Teixeira de Matos, the team ‘provides very personalized service and has very well trained staff always ready to answer requests’.

Name partner João Saraiva e Sousa of Saraiva e Sousa, Gomes de Almeida & Associados is ‘a very good lawyer’ who ‘excels in this area’. This employment law boutique is particularly experienced in collective dismissals and corporate restructurings. Diogo Leote Nobre recently left to join Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira.

Sérvulo & Associados is fast becoming one of Portugal’s strongest employment teams, which is largely attributable to the tremendous expertise of department head Pedro Furtado Martins, chosen to serve as part of the commission responsible for revising Portuguese Labour legislation. Besides providing day-to-day employment advice, the team advises a number of companies on collective bargaining agreements, and most recently, acted in the restructuring of an organisation that subsequently lead to a collective dismissal. Noted for its ‘promptitude and professionalism’, the team is commended for providing ‘unconditional support’.

Uría Menéndez has a newly appointed department head in Filipe Fraústo da Silva, noted for his ‘availability, knowledge and trustworthiness’, who joined with his team from employment boutique Fraústo da Silva & Associados. Clients span a range of sectors, including aviation, insurance and corporate. Feedback indicates that the team provides ‘quick answers to all requests’ and displays ‘excellent business knowledge’.

The employment team at Abreu Advogados was bolstered by the arrival of one partner and five associates. Carmo Sousa Machado continues to lead the practice, which is known for its extensive involvement in international employment matters. The team recently advised a major international company on the closing of its Portuguese branch, which involved a collective dismissal, private negotiations and the termination of employment contracts. It also assisted one significant client with a business transfer and subsequent new company start-up.

Barrocas Sarmento Neves’ employment team is equipped to handle individual and collective employment matters, including disputes, executive contract and remuneration, as well as international employee relocations, workplace accidents and employee absence matters. Notably, the team also advises on employee stock option plans, profit sharing scheme and employee incentive schemes. The department was recently instructed by Allen & Overy LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP when Bristol-Myers Squibb Company sold its CoaTec business unit to Nordic Capital and Avista. The firm dealt with all Portuguese employee matters, including the employee transfer and benefits advice. Other clients include the Portuguese Ministry of Employment and the Tyco Fire and Security Group. Leading individuals include Claudia Santos Cruz, Dália Cardadeiro, José Miguel Oliveira, and José Alves do Carmo.

In collaboration with an international auditing company, F. Castelo Branco & Associados recently advised Avis-Rent a Car on the dismissal of a senior manager. According to one client, partner Pedro Guimarães ‘is able to guide clients in a pragmatic way throughthe labyrinth of Portuguese employment law, always taking into account the clients’ commercial needs’. Gonçalo da Cunha is also recommended. The team is praised for its ‘responsiveness, availability and reliability’ and international clients appreciate ‘the satisfactory result of all matters carried out and their willingness to work in English’

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados has niche expertise in diplomatic matters, having represented the Austrian, South African and Egyptian embassies in various politically intertwined labour cases. The team also assists Honeywell with the hiring and dismissal of employees and the drafting of its Portuguese labour policy, while also assisting WPP Group in the preparation of a stock option scheme involving multiple jurisdictions and thousands of employees. Led by Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes, the team takes a ‘practical approach to issues’.

Linklaters LLP remains focused advising on corporate transactions structured as asset deals and the structuring of employee benefits, also developing expertise in highly complex employment litigation. In one transfer of undertaking case, the team advised Companhia Portuguesa de Hipermercados on the acquisition of several commercial units sold by Sonae. With Miguel Pinto Cardoso at the helm, the team is lauded for providing ‘high homogeneous document output quality’ and ‘commitment to the client, collective experience and global service capacity’.

Pedro Pinto, Reis & Associados continues to advance its reputation under the leadership of Inês Reis, who, along with Bruno Barbosa, is considered ‘expressive, straightforward, dedicated and reliable’. Notable cases include advising Hexion Speciality Chemicals on the closure of its Portuguese plant, wherein the team assisted with the collective dismissal procedure involving some 90 people. The department is readily able to negotiate with top managers, and enjoys good relations with a number of international firms.

Respected for its ‘competence and notoriety’, Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL has experienced a year of consolidation, wherein its employment and social security practice has markedly increased its client portfolio and market profile. Main industries of focus include health, pharmaceuticals and consumer retail. The team assisted Ferrero Ibérica with setting up a pension scheme for its Portuguese branch, and, following the acquisition of CRT, also conducted due diligence for Euro Medic with regards to all employment and service contracts, and employment and social-security related compliance documentation. While advising the consortium involved in a tender bid for full capital of Aquapor, the team also undertook due diligence of all labour and social security information, a matter which involved over 600 employees. Miguel Koch Rua leads a team chosen for its ‘deep experience, knowledge, and practical sense’.

Vieira de Almeida & Associados added three new associates split between the firm’s Lisbon, Oporto and Funchal offices. The team litigated for Banco Espírito Santo following a lawsuit concerning the recalculation of several retirees’ pensions. Johnson & Johnson meanwhile instructed the team in connection with the acquisition of the McNeil Division from Janssen-Cilag, and the subsequent need for transfer of undertaking procedures in accordance with Portuguese TUPE regulations. Partner Frederico Gonçalves Pereira and senior associate Tiago Piló co-head the department.

Luís Almeida Carneiro leads the employment practice at Espanha & Associados. The team is active in union negotiations and company policy restructuring.

Marques Mendes & Associados is representing GMAC in the restructuring of the Portugal group’s corporate structure.

Raposo Bernardo’s employment practice is led by Abel Sequeira Ferreira, who recently advised The Phone House on the collective redundancy of almost 100 employees. The team also acted for South African Airways in the collective dismissal of some 40 workers.

Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados assists clients with recruitment matters, tax advice, salary management, and labour-related dispute resolution. The practice also advises on the drafting of employment policies and handbooks, as well as employee dismissals. Under the direction of Carlos Manuel da Silva Gomes, the team provides ongoing assistance to a major international retail company over the revision of its employment procedures and termination of labour agreements, including the negotiation of revocation agreements, disciplinary procedures and litigation.