The Legal 500

Linklaters LLP draws on the strength of its corporate, finance, tax and litigation teams to provide a complete service to clients in distressed situations, and clients also appreciate its cross-border capabilities. The team was recently involved in the restructuring of plastic packaging manufacturer Logoplaste. It is also advising Imatosgil Group on the acquisition of two companies in insolvency, and continues to serve as counsel to PwC on the Lehman Brothers insolvency. Practice head Pedro Siza Vieira and Miguel Pinto Cardoso are recommended, as is managing associate and litigator Nuno Ferreira Lousa, who has ‘specialist insolvency skills’.

PLMJ Law Firm’s ‘very strong’ insolvency team recently assisted Banco Finantia in successfully opposing a claw-back action relating to the Oleocom insolvency. The group is representing Mercedes-Benz as creditor in claiming credits against default debtors. Other clients include Alliance Healthcare, BPP and Alicoop. Practice head Nuno Líbano Monteiro is recommended for his longstanding expertise, and associate Filipa Cotta has an excellent reputation.

Vieira de Almeida & Associados acts for clients in contentious cases and debt restructuring, and provides a general advisory service. Frederico Gonçalves Pereira is advising PT on CRH’s €20m insolvency proceedings, and continues to assist BCP, Banif and Casais as creditors in the insolvency proceedings of Sociedade Imobiliária e Turística do Campo de Baixo pertaining to Colombo’s Resort in Madeira. It also advised BCP during negotiations for construction group NOVOPCA’s restructuring plan.

Lisbon-based Miguel Esperança Pina and Oporto-based José de Freitas head the team at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira. Freitas is advising Câmara Municipal do Porto as the main creditor in the €2.2m Clube Fluvial Portuense insolvency, and has also been instructed by several clients on extrajudicial conciliation. The team is advising two creditors – Qimonda AG and Qimonda Dresden – on the Qimonda Portugal insolvency. Rita Gouveia’s clients include La Seda de Barcelona and Artenius Portugal.

At Garrigues, Diogo Leónidas Rocha combines corporate expertise with João Duarte de Sousa’s contentious experience to provide a broad-based insolvency and restructuring service. The team continues to advise Microcircuit Technology on the Qimonda Portugal insolvency. It is especially strong at associate level, with Bruno Ferreira, André Marçalo and Miguel Azevedo all busy representing clients such as Banc of America Securities, BPP and GE Capital.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados advises on insolvency and insolvency avoidance, and the team has related expertise in employment and tax, and cases involving criminal law. Senior lawyer and litigator Helena Soares de Moura is advising Shinsei Bank and JER as creditors seeking to recover €246m from the Fadesa Portugal insolvency, and is also advising EDP on Entigere’s insolvency. Carlos Osório de Castro is also recommended.

CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut’s Joaquim Shearman de Macedo is well placed to handle insolvency litigation, and is assisting a charity organisation regarding its €5m contract with NOVOPCA. Nuno Pena defended Solplay in an insolvency application brought by a creditor. The team continues to assist creditors following the insolvency and liquidation of BPP in Portugal and the Cayman Islands.

SRS Advogados is well placed to handle insolvency litigation, and is able to call on the firm’s sizeable dispute resolution team. The team, led by disputes expert José Luís Moreira da Silva, is also experienced in restructuring work, and acts for Rottapharm, Conesa, and ES Capital. Octávio Castelo Paulo is singled out for his experience.

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho draws on its litigation, employment and corporate teams to provide comprehensive restructuring and insolvency expertise. Oporto-based João Anacoreta Correia leads the group, which also features the ‘very good’ Tito Arantes Fontes. It is particularly experienced in construction sector insolvencies, where clients include Imocom and Construtora Tâmega. Correia concluded construction company AM Mesquita’s insolvency proceedings in February 2011.

Abreu Advogados fields an experienced team, led by Miguel de Avillez Pereira. Miguel Castro Pereira leads insolvency matters, with Miguel Teixeira de Abreu and Ana Sofia Baptista handling corporate restructurings. The group is advising Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo de Alcobaça on the €1.3m restructuring and insolvency of several civil construction companies.

Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa, RL is recommended for restructuring and insolvency. João Marques de Almeida is ‘excellent in every aspect’ and heads the team, which is advising Valormed, GlobalData and Fabricor on restructuring matters. The group is also advising Freyssinet Portugal, Drink In, Smart Events and Smart Advertising in insolvency proceedings.

FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados’ recent instructions include advising Contrinex, Lexibook and JAB Anstoetz on restructuring. Rodrigo Almeida Dias is ‘consistent and reliable’, and has ‘good communication skills’. Miguel Castelo Branco is also recommended, along with associate and litigator Rui Tabarra e Castro, who handles insolvency work. The team also features a debt collection practice.

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados has notable insolvency expertise. Tiago Caiado Guerreiro is advising Angelfrutas España as creditor on the recovery of €200m from an insolvent Portuguese company. Other clients include Banque Espírito Santo et de la Vénétie, and bulk chemicals supplier Interchim. Senior associate Sandra Ferreira Dias is also recommended.

At Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, Albano Sarmento handles insolvency cases, and Fermín Garbayo Renouard leads on restructuring. The group provides ‘very good service’, and advises corporate clients, particularly in the real estate and infrastructure sectors, and also assists banks and hedge funds. Senior associate Susana Morgado is ‘very focused and client-oriented’.

António de Macedo Vitorino at Macedo Vitorino & Associados continues to advise a hotel chain in insolvency proceedings. The group is also assisting Iberflorestal during insolvency.

Gonçalo Malheiro at pbbr (Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco, Alexandre Jardim & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados, R.L) handles corporate restructurings and insolvency work. The group is advising Viagens Marsans Lusitânia in its insolvency proceedings.

The ‘fantastic’ José Carvalhosa heads Raposo Bernardo’s ‘bright’ group, which advised Cash Converters on the restructuring plan for over 60 Iberian stores, and assisted EU-Steel with its corporate restructuring. Insolvency work includes advising Mega Madeira and Manuel Nunes.

Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados displays ‘competence and quality’ in its advice to banks and corporates in insolvency proceedings, particularly in the food distribution, media and travel sectors. Luís Miguel Cortes Martins is ‘a very good’ litigator, and Maria Raquel Moreira is also ‘excellent’.