The Legal 500

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is ‘one of the best in Portugal for TMT’, and demonstrates ‘in-depth knowledge’ and ‘deep understanding of clients’ needs’. Oporto-based António Lobo Xavier leads the team. Teresa Morais Leitão has ‘indispensable and all-round expertise on corporate TMT issues’, and focuses on media issues alongside João Alfredo Afonso. Clients include Audiovisual and Cinema Investment Fund, Medipress, Impresa and Pernod Ricard Portugal. IT expert Helena Tapp Barroso is advising Sonaecom on personal data processing to support litigation proceedings. Barroso also acts in telecoms matters, assisted by ‘pragmatic’ senior lawyer Nuno Peres Alves and senior associate Gonçalo Machado Borges. The knowledgeable Tomás Vaz Pinto acts for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

‘The best for TMT’, Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ team advises on IT outsourcing matters, regulation, privacy and data protection, media and electronic communication legislation. The group has expertise in matters locally and internationally, exemplified by ‘excellent’ regulatory specialist Magda Cocco’s recent advice to CV Móvel on the public tender for 3G and 2G licences in Cape Verde. Fernando Resina da Silva has ‘very good knowledge and negotiation skills’: he leads on the IT side, and advised Moza Bank on issues relating to outsourcing its IT infrastructure. The group is assisting the Angolan government with a new legal framework for the ICT sector, and advising PT Comunicações regarding the largest data centre in Portugal. Margarida Couto advises clients in Lusophone Africa, and has ‘real TMT know-how’. Senior associate Catarina Mascarenhas is also recommended.

PLMJ Law Firm’s highly rated TMT practice handles telecoms, technology and media matters, which are led by Luís Pais Antunes, Manuel Lopes Rocha and Vasco Marques Correia, respectively. Antunes acts for Samsung, MSTelcom and Vodafone. Other clients of the team include Toshiba, Eurosport and Microsoft. Senior associate Daniel Reis ‘speaks in a clear and simple language’.

Octávio Castelo Paulo heads SRS Advogados’ well-respected TMT team. ZON remains a key client, particularly in disputes against competitor PT Comunicações and regulator ANACOM. Recent instructions include representing Zapp Holdings/Mobizapp in penalty proceedings for an alleged misuse of frequencies. Other clients include BT Group, Google, Colt Group, and Estée Lauder. Luís Neto Galvão is a telecoms expert.

José Luís Arnaut heads CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut’s integrated TMT and IP group, which advises PT Telecom and PT Comunicações on all domain name issues, and represents Telecomunicações Móveis Nacionais in contentious matters. The group is also advising Infor Global Solutions on software licence agreements.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has wide-ranging TMT experience, with Carlos de Almeida Sampaio at leading the team. Recent highlights include advising Fair Isaac Corporation, Omnicom Media and The Boston Consulting Group on software and data protection compliance, and the Institute of European Media Law and the European Commission on television networks compliance with EU regulations.

João de Macedo Vitorino’s team at Macedo Vitorino & Associados is advising wireless telecoms operator AR Telecom and Cable & Wireless on ANACOM licensing issues, Brandia Central on media-related matters, and NBC Universal Global Networks España regarding TV broadcasting.

pbbr (Pedro Pinto, Bessa Monteiro, Reis, Branco, Alexandre Jardim & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados, R.L)’s lawyers display ‘quality, knowledge and awareness’. The team has experience in IT, software, data protection and advertising and media matters. It is advising Hermes International, Allianz, Honda, Disney and Sony Music on data protection issues, and is also assisting Compuware on licensing software agreements. IP expert César Bessa Monteiro, César Bessa Monteiro Jr and senior associate Ricardo Henriques are recommended.

Sérvulo & Associados acts for public bodies and regulators, including ANACOM. Public law expert Lino Torgal and Fernando Ferreira Pinto are the key contacts.

‘Great firm’ Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho fields a strong TMT team, in which Francisco Brito e Abreu and senior associate Jacinto de Bettencourt are particularly recommended. Bettencourt is advising Nutri Ventures on media matters, and Fox and Cogent Communications on regulatory issues.

ABBC – Azevedo Neves, Benjamim Mendes, Carvalho & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados’ TMT team is led by associates Ana Mira Cordeiro, Carmina Cardoso and Margarida Leitão Nogueira, who all have ‘deep industry knowledge’ and provide ‘accurate advice’. Clients include Compuware, Samsung, Warner Bros and Google.

‘Very professional and proactive’, CCA Advogados provides ‘excellent service’ to clients in the advertising, software, television and telecoms sectors. The team represented Go4Mobility in a judicial challenge of a fine pertaining to the provision of value-added services in Portugal. Other clients include Google, Tim We, and Euro RSCG. Martim Menezes is the key contact.

FCB&A – F Castelo Branco & Associados recently advised Logica on its bid for an IT outsourcing contract with a Portuguese bank, and assisted Nike in negotiating its sponsorship of the Federação Portuguesa de Futebol. Rodrigo Almeida Dias advises Hewlett-Packard on legal issues in Portugal.

Tiago Caiado Guerreiro’s ‘excellent’ team at Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados advised Infosistema on public tenders, and recently assisted Johnson & Johnson with a review of its internet monitoring policy in Portugal. Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes gave Olympus data protection and regulatory advice. Associate Tânia Albuquerque de Almeida provides ‘quality advice and assistance’.

Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados’ João Luís Traça and Rui Amendoeira are experienced in TMT matters. Clients have included Accenture Portugal and Western Union.

Abel Sequeira Ferreira heads Raposo Bernardo’s TMT group, which is advising Glintt on all issues relating to its planned expansion in Poland and Spain, and assisting Logicworks in licensing proceedings before ANACOM. Novabase Consulting, Phone House and Diusframi are also clients.

Abreu Advogados lost Leonor Chastre to Gómez-Acebo & Pombo in 2011. Consultant João Veiga Gomes now leads the team, and is advising iTouch Movilisto Portugal on partnership agreements concerning mobile telecoms services.

António de Mendonça Raimundo at Albuquerque & Associados provides regulatory, IT, data privacy and advertising advice.

Alves Pereira & Teixeira de Sousa, RL is advising the Initiative Media Group in the negotiation of supply agreements, and is also representing Europroducciones TV on production agreements. João Alves Pereira and Belén Granados are recommended.

MGRA & Associados’ Helga Lopes Ribeiro advises Canalmail Portugal, Symlabs, Velti and Shazam Entertainment on TMT matters.