The Legal 500

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is very active in the tourism sector, having recently been involved in the beach resort project, Quinta da Praia. The team advised Colinas do Alvor in the negotiation of a management agreement between the Quinta da Praia resort and Hilton International, in addition to assisting with general real estate matters, such as town planning and licensing. On the residential side, Drago Capital instructed the department to advise on real estate issues concerning several residential developments in Lisbon and Oporto. Other active clients include Carlyle, Hamptons International and H&M. Under the direction of Frederico Pereira Coutinho and Nuno Sá Carvalho, the team is ‘at the client’s disposal to find out alternative solutions in a comprehensive way’.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados is recognised as having ‘several very strong clients’, many of which are pulled from the tourism sector. One such client includes SAIP, whom the firm advised on the planning and construction of a tourism real estate venture in Alentejo. The team is also advising Vila Sol on the planning and construction a €320m tourism development. Meanwhile, Sonae Sierra has instructed the firm to advise on real estate matters related to shoppings centres, land use, planning and municipal taxes. Fernanda Matoso heads this 6 fee-earner team that also includes the notable João Pereira Reis.

PLMJ – A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Martins, Júdice e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL fields one of Portugal’s largest real estate team, with an impressive 16 lawyers split between Lisbon and Oporto. Heading a team that is ‘always available just about any time – including weekends’ is Pedro Sáragga Leal, who clients describe as ‘very competent, honest and safety-oriented’. Clients state that Sofia Gomes da Costa is ‘always available to take my call and she makes me feel like I’m her number one client. She always delivers in the timeframes agreed and I have full confidence in any work she does’. The team assisted a financial services company with the €102m purchase and sale of 44 autonomous units in Lisbon and Parque Expo.

At Uría Menéndez, Duarte Garin heads the 13 fee-earner real estate department, ably supported by partner Antonio Villacampa and senior associate João Torroaes Valente. The team recently assisted the Bank of Portugal Pension Fund, legally managed and represented by Sociedade Gestora do Fundos de Pensões do Banco de Portugal, with the international bid and sale of a €50m real estate portfolio of buildings in Lisbon city centre and Oeira. The team also advised Hypo Real Estate Bank – Sucursal en España on the refinancing of the Penha Longa Tourism Complex, involving a loan facility valued at €46.9m.

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. – Sucursal boasts an outstanding real estate team, led by Miguel Marques dos Santos, who clients say ‘has the technical skills and business approach that make him one of the best real estate lawyers in Portugal’. The team is assisting Portelas do Guardiana with a €200m tourism development located in the Algarve, requiring the team to assist with property acquisition, planning, licensing and contract matters. Clients say, ‘it is easy to handle matters with the firm since it has vast experience in serving multinational companies involved in all kinds of assignments’. Pedro Pereira Coutinho, André Marques dos Santos, Pedro Corrêa d’Oliveira and Eduardo Gonçalves Rodrigues are all regarded as leading individuals.

‘Composed of truly lateral thinkers with a fantastic command of the legal framework in Portugal’, the real estate team at Linklaters LLP continues to advise on some of the country’s most coveted real estate projects. Recent work includes assisting the Pillar Retail Europark Fund (PREF), managed by British Land, with the acquisition of the Santarém Retail Park, including the financing of the transaction with Eurohypo. Valued at €25m, this was the fourth Portuguese retail park acquisition by PREF advised upon by the team. Meanwhile, Auchan instructed the team for its advice on the €22m acquisition of two operational shopping centres and one shopping centre project in Portugal. Practice head Jorge Gonçalves ‘is one of those lawyers that stays one step ahead of any difficulties a deal might present’, while Tânia Ferreira de Almeida is also praised. The practice is hailed for housing ‘top tier lawyers – they set the standards, they are the benchmark’.

Rui Pena, Arnaut & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados, RL’ practice is focused primarily on licensing, planning and zoning matters, and team leader Luís Abreu Coutinho has extensive experience in real estate acquisitions. The team advised REN Gasodutas and Transgás on the coordination of a real estate registration project involving more than 16,000 properties subject to natural gas public easements. The team was recently strengthened by the arrival of José Matos Correia.

Following ‘prominent lawyer’ Sofia Galvão’s arrival, clients feel that Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ real estate practice was ‘provided with a significant boost’. Pedro Ferreirinha continues to lead the 12 fee-earner department. Recent highlights include teaming up with Banco Espírito Santo de Iestimento (BESI) to advise the Madeira Regional Government on its entire real estate portfolio. The practice has assumed responsibility for all legals aspects of this asset management project, and now has a 6-member team permanently based in Madeira. The team has also taken a leading role advising Parkalgar on a national interest project, the Algarve Motor Park, having assisted with the purchase of land and all other ongoing legal issues.

Abreu Advogados is home to a massive 33 fee-earner real estate and construction department, headed by Rui Peixoto Duarte. The team assisted an international private company with the funding of the €123m purchase of hotels in Algarve, by way of a bridge loan granted by Millennium BCP and BCPI. The practice offers real estate services spanning property finance, property acquisition and real estate investment funds. Miguel Castro Pereira and José Maria Corrêa de Sampaio are recommended.

Simmons & Simmons Rebelo de Sousa continues to attract market recognition, particularly within the Madeira and Azores regions, where tourist-related projects have contributed to a rise in construction and real estate related instructions. José Moreira da Silva advised the Administration of the Port of Lisbon regarding the licensing of its geographical jurisdiction for industrial and leisure purposes. Maria José Santana leads the team, ably supported by tourism specialist, Gonçalo Maia Camelo.

Margarida Lima leads the real estate practice at Baião, Castro & Associados, R.I., assisted by Hugo Albuquerque and Sérgio Gusmão Pereira. Despite its small size, clients are pleased with the ‘high-quality’ service. The team is advising the promotor of the LxFactory, a 35,000 square metered real estate project in Lisbon, involving the conversion of several industrial buildings into lofts and ateliers. The team is also assisting the sellers with the €8m sale of two historical buildings in the Chiado area of Lisbon.

CCA – Carlos Cruz & Associados has advised on various real estate acquisitions, and is noted for its ‘dedication, regardless of the day or hour’ and ‘sound business approach’.

Esquivel Advogados advised Premiership Development on licensing and contracting matters related to a €12m five-star tourism project in the Algarve. Additionally, Walt Disney chose the team to advise on the opening of its first shop in Portugal at the Colombo Commercial Centre in Lisbon. Founding partner José Luís Esquível led the team in advising Kion Group on a multi-jurisdictional sale and leaseback transaction.

Leading real estate lawyers at F. Castelo Branco & Associados include Gonçalo da Cunha, Miguel Brito, Vítor Marques da Cruz and António da Cunha Reis. The team advised Generali on the negotiation of a turn-key agreement to aquire a commercial project in the south of Portugal. Involving the purchase of a commercial complex that will eventually house a shopping centre and hypermarket, the transaction is valued in excess of €100m.

Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados caters to a number of high-profile clients, advising on acquisitions, sales and leasing matters and the handling of all related mortgage and loan agreements. The team advised Nord and BET-Biodiesel Energy on an agreement with API and the Sines’ Port, the team’s advice relating to real estate use and surface rights concerning the incorporation of an industrial structure that will produce and distribute biodiesel.

Headed by Susana Vieira and Miguel Feldmann, the real estate team at Macedo Vitorino & Associados acted for Aggraria XXI, advising on the sale of large-scale agricultural facilities in Portugal. The team has also counseled Bogaris Retail in relation to purchasing commercial property and the implementation of retail parks in Portugal.

Mouteira Guerreiro, Rosa Amaral & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados R.L. houses Helga Lopes Ribeiro, leader of the firm’s real estate department. The team is assisting Integraço with construction work contracts, including that of the Tagus third bridge. The team also advises to high-net-worth families on various real estate matters.

Pedro Pinto, Reis & Associados is very active in real estate matters, and is continually adding a number of high-profile clients to its roster. Bouygues Immobilier chose the team to assist with a turnkey operation relating to the combined sale of a retail park in Portimão and two office buildings in the Expo area of Lisbon. Other highlights include assisting Group Guedol and Tomás Oliveira with the development of three retail parks and a shopping centre in the north of Portugal.

Bruno Xavier de Pina and Manuel Esteves de Albuquerque co-head the real estate department at Raposo Bernardo. The team is assisting Opway with its international expansion in Africa, including a project for a quarry concession. Century 21 is a key client to whom the firm provides general support with real estate transactions.

Best-known personalities at Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados include Luiz Augusto Teixeira de Freitas and real estate head, Carlos Manuel da Silva Gomes. Recently, the team assisted a Portuguese retail company on the construction, management and supervision agreements necessary for the construction and remodelling of its local stores, whilst also providing licensing advice.