The Legal 500

Offering a ‘first-class service’, PLMJ Law Firm is one of the most active firms in the market and calls on a large team with excellent capabilities at both partner and associate level. Led by the ‘very good’ Pedro Sáragga Leal, the group is praised for its ‘deep knowledge’ and ‘international mindset’ as it provides ‘quick and accurate advice’. The ‘client-oriented’ Sofia Gomes da Costa acted for Union Investment on its €70m acquisition of the Torre Oriente in Lisbon, and the firm continues to advise several German REITs on their Portuguese operations. The ‘trustworthy and dedicated’ Tiago Mendonça de Castro is assisting Ikea with a €590m land acquisition to develop four retail stores and three shopping centres. Oporto-based Frederico Perry Vidal is also recommended.

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s real estate team is ‘extremely thorough, insightful and high quality’, particularly for transactions, and has been handling a steady flow of work despite the slow market. Highlights included advising ING Real Estate, Sonae Sierra, Iberdrola Imobilária, and a holding company of Caixa Geral de Depósitos on the €70m sale of Torre Oriente to Union Investment Real Estate. Elsewhere, the group assisted Multi Development with the €1.3bn sale of a portfolio of shopping centres to Corio. The team also acts for Pestana Hotels & Resorts and Galp Energia. ‘Sharp negotiator’ Duarte Garin manages the ‘solid and pragmatic’ group. Principal associate João Torroaes Valente is ‘most capable’.

Garrigues Portugal splits its real estate practice into planning, zoning and transactional groups, and offers ‘perfect response times’ and ‘accurate service’. Practice head Miguel Marques dos Santos has ‘knowledge of the industry and comprehension of client needs’, and provided advice to Promotora Catalunya Mediterrânea on its €125m acquisition of the Prasa companies and their assets, including the Algarve resort of Vilamoura. Cement company Secil and real estate fund manager Norfin are also clients. Associate Pedro Pereira Coutinho is valued for his ‘technical skills and excellent connections’.

Linklaters LLP advises investors, developers and lenders on real estate financing matters and transactions, and provides a ‘very high level of service’. Highly recommended practice head Jorge Gonçalves acted for RREEF Alternative Investments on amending and renegotiating a development loan and also on refinancing a development portfolio. The team also advised AXA Real Estate Investment Managers on leasing and licensing for an office building in Lisbon. Other clients include Espírito Santo Investment, Body Shop International and British Land. Associates Miguel Pinto Cardoso and Tânia de Almeida Ferreira are recommended.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has developed notable expertise in commercial real estate, where zoning expert João Pereira Reis continues to advise Sonae Sierra on shopping centres. The team advised Eurohypo on the €24m refinancing of Arrabida Shopping, and is assisting a domestic bank with the €350m sale of seven shopping malls. The group also handles wider real estate instructions encompassing contentious matters, financing and zoning. Filipa Arantes Pedroso leads on transactions and acts for Spanish construction company Abertis on its Portuguese investments. Fernanda Matoso and senior lawyer Rita Ferreira Vicente are also recommended.

The ‘excellent’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados offers an ‘exceptional response to all requests and total availability’. It continues to advise Parkalgar in issues regarding its Algarve Motor Park, and is advising on planning for the eco-friendly development at Quinta da Ombria. The firm represents the government of the Azores on matters relating to its real estate portfolio. Other key clients include Portugal Telecom Imobiliária, real estate fund World Wide Capital, and Sonae Turismo. Sofia Galvão, regarded as ‘one of the best real estate lawyers’, co-heads the practice with Pedro Ferreirinha.

Abreu Advogados’ 14-partner team has very strong capabilities in real estate, and is a key practice for the firm’s Oporto office. Rui Peixoto Duarte and Duarte de Athayde lead the group, which is advising the Municipality of Oporto on a real estate fund developed for the regeneration of one of the city’s neighbourhoods. It also provides advice to BPN Imofundos regarding its real estate investment funds, and assists Staples with all of its real estate development and licensing requirements. The team is advising Adicais on selling an Oporto office building.

Offering ‘excellent real estate advice’, Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has particular expertise relating to projects in the leisure and tourism sector. The team represents Orizon on developing its luxury resorts and golf courses, and continues to assist HN Group with a beach resort project. Elsewhere, it advised H&M Group on establishing retail outlets in Portugal, and is negotiating storage facility contracts for DHL. Other clients include Millennium bcp, ING Real Estate and Aylesford International. Nuno Sá Carvalho ably assists practice head Frederico Pereira Coutinho.

The ‘very professional’ team at Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco & Associados gives clients ‘total confidence’ in its real estate advice, and is good value for money. The group continues to advise Bouygues Immobilier on developing a shopping centre in Portimão, and Fonteduero on building a hotel in Lisbon. ING RED Development is a key client. Pedro Pinto has ‘strong ethical principles and is a perfect partner to the customer’, and is known for his ‘dedication and technical accuracy’, while Teresa Freire is praised for her ‘energy and capacity for hard work’. Associate Tânia Osorio ‘never fails to meet a deadline’.

Raposo Bernardo represents developers and construction companies, and also assisted Gretas Investment Fund with acquiring a hotel in Cascais. Manuel Esteves de Albuquerque leads the team, and advises ERA Real Estate, Century 21, Opway Group and Petchey Leisure Group on a variety of transactions and projects.

Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL recently advised Inter Ikea Centre Portugal on a licensing issue, and Swedwood Group on matters relating to expanding its factory. Drawing on the firm’s expertise in the energy sector, the team advises REN Gasodutos in real estate issues relating to a registration project. Practice head Luís Abreu Coutinho is recommended for his longstanding experience.

Maria José Santana leads the practice at SRS Advogados, and is assisted by managing associate Gonçalo Maia Camelo. The firm has experience in Madeira, where it advises Maritimo Football Club and Grupo Sousa, and also advises on public tenders for real estate construction and development projects. On the financing side, it is advising a foreign bank on due diligence for credit restructuring relating to Portuguese real estate assets.

The real estate practice at ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados adopts a ‘business-like approach’. Luís Filipe Carvalho leads the ‘assertive and quick’ team, and associate João Pedro Varandas is a ‘highly committed and aggressive negotiator’. Recent highlights include advising EDP on the construction of new headquarters in Lisbon and Oporto, and advising real estate funds and REITs for clients such as Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Banif, Banco Espírito Santo and FundBox.

Baião, Castro & Associados, R.L. advises on investment, development, urban planning and land use, and on licensing issues for privately owned buildings and leisure projects. Senior associate Magarida Lima leads the team and advised MainSide Group on selling an office building and on a boutique hotel project in Lisbon.

Pedro Franca Pinto and Domingos Cruz at CCA Advogados are rated for their ‘legal knowledge and professional approach’. The team advised Imocom and Redevco on selling office space and on a real estate development in Lisbon.

The ‘competitive, reactive and dedicated’ practice at Carlos Aguiar, Ferreira de Lima & Associados – Sociedade de Avogados, R.L. advises investors, construction groups and commercial companies on various matters, including construction and leasing agreements. ‘Hard worker’ Maria Sottomayor is recommended.

Real estate is an important practice for Esquivel Advogados, and the team has been advising Lisbon Town Hall on a planning contract for the construction of homes for 65,000 inhabitants. Further afield, the team is advising Group Total on a construction project in Angola. The team’s expertise also encompasses transactions and litigation. José Luís Esquivel heads the practice.

FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados has experience in litigation, agricultural real estate transactions and projects abroad, including representing Opway and Siccal in Angola. Miguel Castelo Branco and Vitor Marques da Cruz lead the team, which advised Hotusa on the €42m acquisition of two properties in Lisbon. The firm also represents Makro, REpower and new client Londimo.

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados’ real estate practice fields João Caiado Guerreiro, who is ‘very quick on his feet, client-minded and creative’, and the ‘very careful and thorough’ Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes. Clients especially recommend the team’s litigation capabilities. The group advises several REITs, including Atlântida and FundBox, and also advised the Russian government on Portuguese real estate.

Susana Vieira leads the team at Macedo Vitorino & Associados, which continues to advise Bogaris Retail on developing several retail parks in Portugal. Rui Ribeiro is also part of the firm’s strong developer client base. The team is also acting for Standard Bank on due diligence for properties held by JJW Group.

Mouteira Guerreiro, Rosa Amaral & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados R.L.’s team is led by Helga Lopes Ribeiro and advises clients from the construction industry and hospitality sector. For example, it is assisting a Spanish hotelier on a new hotel construction in Portugal, and also represents the Hilton Group.

Clients find the practice at Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados to be a ‘very positive experience’. Miguel Pena Machete heads the team, which regularly advises major property group Chamartín Imobiliária.

Ana Sofia Catarino leads the team at Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados – Sociedade de Advogados RL, which also features Carlos Manuel da Silva Gomes. The group advises on construction, planning and contentious real estate matters. It is developing its presence in Lusophone Africa, for example advising a client on a housing construction contract in Angola, and another on an eco-resort project in São Tomé e Príncipe.