The Legal 500

Joining the first tier, the ‘highly professional and qualified’ team at ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados has an excellent reputation under the leadership of ‘employment law specialist’ Benjamim Mendes. The group advised Philip Morris and ANACOM on various collective labour agreements, and also acted on a labour agreement between Volkswagen Autoeuropa and the Works Council. The team’s experience encompasses collective labour agreements, dismissal procedures, restructurings, lay offs, and employment litigation. The ‘customer-oriented’ João Guedes is singled out for his strength in contentious cases, and he represents clients such as Makro Cash & Carry, Dyrup and Santander. Vitor Madeiras Rodrigues is also recommended.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has a ‘very good team’ that offers ‘high-quality service’ regarding employment law. Luis Miguel Monteiro, who is praised as a leader in the field, continues to advise Pfizer on its dismissal proceedings and Santander Totta Group on a merger between private and commercial banking groups. Helena Tapp Barroso, who made partner in 2010, and António Pinto Leite advised BP Portugal on restructuring and relocating its accounting services centres from Lisbon to Bangalore. Associate Joana Almeida advised Mondial Assistance on collective dismissal proceedings and subsequent litigation.

‘One of the best Portuguese firms for employment law,’ PLMJ Law Firm offers expertise, ‘valuable support’ and a ‘consistent approach’. Abel Mesquita leads a strong team that also includes Luís Pais Antunes and Oporto-based Manuel Cavaleiro Brandão, who was active in collective dismissal work following the insolvency of Qimonda Portugal. Tiago Cortes, who is ‘affirmative and eloquent in court’, provides ‘very structured and solid arguments’, and is advising casino Estoril Sol on a collective dismissal procedure. Nuno Guedes Vaz is a ‘brilliant lawyer’ who advised CTT and Apifarma on negotiating new company agreements. Other clients include Nestlé, EDP and Ecco.

‘One of the top teams for employment law,’ SRS Advogados advises on some of the most high-profile cases in the country. César Sá Esteves is praised for his ‘business acumen, negotiating skills, professionalism and integrity’, and manages a team that is experienced in advising on collective redundancy procedures following corporate restructuring. This ‘knowledgeable’ group is well versed in contentious and advisory cases, representing clients such as Kraft Foods, BT, Galp Energia and Banco do Brasil. Associate Maria de Lancastre Valente is appreciated for understanding clients’ needs. Susana Afonso Costa and two associates left the firm in 2010 to join Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL.

Despite being one of the smaller players in the market, Albuquerque & Associados has a superb reputation for handling major restructuring operations, particularly in the wake of the financial crisis. João Salvador leads this experienced team, which advised on the restructuring and closure of an industrial plant managed by Lear Corporation Portugal, where 360 employment contracts were terminated. The group continues to assist General Motors with restructuring its operations in Portugal. Other key clients include General Maritime Corporation, Coloplast Group, and the Pepsi Group subsidiaries Matutano and Matudis.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s reputable practice goes from strength to strength under the leadership of the ‘exceptionally good’ Maria da Glória Leitão, who is supported by the very able Diogo Leote Nobre. The team has experience of restructurings and lay offs, and is advising NetJets – Transportes Aéreos on 98 employment contract terminations. It also assisted Cabovisão – Televisão por Cabo on staff restructuring. Nortel Networks Portugal and Charon are also clients.

Garrigues Portugal’s employment practice adeptly handles advisory and contentious matters. The team advises corporates including Faurecia Group, and has been increasingly active in restructuring and reorganisation work, including advising GE Money and IBM on collective dismissal cases. It advised Kraft Foods on employment aspects of its restructuring in Portugal. In terms of litigation, the team is representing DuPont Perfomance Coatings in a judicial proceeding brought by ten former employees. João Paulo Teixeira de Matos heads the team.

Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco & Associados offers ‘accurate and valuable support’ and ‘advice which goes beyond knowledge of the law, but is a solution to business issues related to employment’. The group, led by the ‘dedicated and competent’ Inês Reis, has experience advising on collective dismissals following restructurings, and assisted Pelpor and NEC Portugal in this regard. UCB Pharma, Cepsa and Motorola are also clients. Bruno Soeiro Barbosa is ‘professional and meticulous’.

Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL’s profile rose significantly in 2010 with the recruitment of Susana Afonso Costa and two associates from SRS Advogados. Costa now leads the team, which also features highly recommended associate Sofia Mateus. Recent instructions include advising Laboratórios Delta on terminating employee contracts and Afavias on collective dismissal. Magnum Capital and Black & Decker Portugal are also clients.

Saraiva e Sousa, Gomes de Almeida & Associados is an employment law boutique with an excellent reputation in collective dismissal matters, often representing employees as well as a number of domestic companies. João Saraiva e Sousa is ‘one of the top employee representatives in Portugal’.

Sérvulo & Associados continues to be very active in employment law, and much of its strength is attributable to the expertise of practice head Pedro Furtado Martins. Drawing on its public law practice, the firm is well placed to deal with employment issues in the public sector, and advises IPTM – Instituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos and IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional. The team also advises Enercon on employment issues including litigation, and represented regular client Rádio e Televisão de Portugal in negotiations relating to three collective bargaining agreements. Tiago Soares Cardoso is also recommended.

The ‘incredibly experienced’ Filipe Fraústro da Silva leads the team at Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, which pairs ‘very good expertise and response times’. The group’s recent experience includes advising on collective dismissals, and it also advised Barclays on employee transfers following its acquisition of Citibank’s credit card division in Portugal.

Employment law is a strong focus for Abreu Advogados, where Carmo Sousa Machado leads a four-partner team that is experienced in advisory and contentious work. In addition to due diligence instructions, the team advises on collective dismissals, lay offs and employee transfers. Longstanding clients include Hidden Hearing, the Portuguese Association of Publicity Agencies, and WPP Group companies including Ogilvy & Mather.

FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados divides its regular employment advisory and transactional work, the former handled by the ‘quick and knowledgeable’ associate Alexandra Almeida Mota and the latter led by the ‘responsive and understanding’ Pedro Guimarães. Both teams are advising Foot Locker on Portuguese employment contract terminations and disciplinary proceedings. Other clients include Prisa, Hewlett-Packard, Toys R Us, and Magnum Capital. Gonçalo da Cunha is also recommended.

Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes leads the employment group at Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados, which continues to advise the Portuguese subsidiaries of Olympus Group in all employment issues and is assisting Meda Pharma with a collective dismissal case. Other recent mandates include advising Dan Cake on its pension plan for 600 employees. Clients include Cortefiel Group, Honeywell, several foreign embassies and airlines including Aeroflot and Continental.

Linklaters LLP advises on contentious and non-contentious matters, and is noted for its ability to handle complex cases. Practice head Nuno Ferreira Lousa is ‘especially strong’ when advising on restructuring processes, and led the team during a major restructuring of an industrial and retail group, involving a collective dismissal and lay offs. The group represented another client in two claims brought by 15 former employees. Associate Marta Afonso Pereira also has a superb reputation.

The ‘very professional’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados offers a ‘high level of service’ comprehensively across the employment space. Frederico Gonçalves Pereira heads the team, which ‘brings a real added value’ with its extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry. Managing associate Tiago Piló advised Citibank on selling its Portuguese credit cards division to Barclays, and advised Deutsche Bank on the employment consequences of converting its Portuguese subsidiary company into branch status, a move affecting several hundred employees. Other clients include Banco Espírito Santo, McCann-Erickson, Johnson & Johnson and Clarins.

AAA’s team advises clients from the retail and technology sectors, and acts in a ‘timely and efficient manner’. Leonor Francisco demonstrates a ‘perfect understanding of the Portuguese labour legal framework’ and handles complex situations with ‘flexibility and rapidity’.

Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa provides an ‘excellent’ level of service across a range of employment matters. João Pedro Alves Pereira is recommended.

José Maria Castelo Branco at CCA Advogados has experience in advising employers on collective dismissals. Clients include HPP, Transporta, Europcar, and Rauschert. The team is ‘fast and very focussed’, and offers a ‘high-quality service with extreme cost efficiency’.

Macedo Vitorino & Associados is developing its presence in the employment arena, and is active in restructurings and collective dismissals. High-profile clients include Apple Portugal, Gamesa, Onitelecom and Electronic Arts. Sonia Ribeiro is praised for her ‘total availability’.

Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados provides ‘very quick and competent support’, and handles all employment matters for Decathlon, an organisation with 1,300 employees in Portugal. Delphi and Hard Rock Café Portugal are also clients. João Santos Paula is ‘very strong and practical’.

Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados houses ‘significant knowledge’, with practice head Inês Pinheiro and the experienced Martim Anahory both recommended. The team advised Global Notícias on the collective dismissal of 45 employees following the closure of two newspapers.

Abel Sequeira Ferreira’s team at Raposo Bernardo has an ‘impressive track record’, particularly in collective dismissal and restructuring work, and is developing expertise in the tourism sector for clients such as the National Tourism Confederation and ES Viagens. The firm also advised Interpass Group following a restructuring process, and continues to advise Multipessoal on transfers and hiring.

Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL handles advisory and contentious employment matters, and is noted for its strength in Lusophone Africa. Carlos Manuel da Silva Gomes leads the team, which assisted an international IT solutions provider on expatriate employment contracts. Ana Sofia Catarina is also recommended.