The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

The ‘excellent’ Pedro Ferreira Malaquias leads the ‘very strong’ banking and finance group at Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho. Key mandates included advising ING Belgium Portugal and Société Générale on Jerónimo Martins’ €100m bond issue facility, and also on a €20m commercial paper issue by Corticeira Amorim; and advising ING Belgium Portugal and BPI on the granting of an additional €39m facility in the financing for PSA Sines – Terminais de Contentores.

Within Capital markets, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is ‘extremely effective at working to deadlines’, with ‘remarkable turnaround times’. Singled out for his ‘very good management skills’, Carlos Costa Andrade leads the team, and is supported by counsel Ana Sá Couto and senior associate Catarina Gonçalves de Oliveira. Key mandates included advising Morgan Stanley, Banco Espírito Santo de Investimento and Deutsche Bank (London branch) as dealer managers on a tender offer, and acting for Commerzbank on its issue and admission to trading on the EasyNext (managed by NYSE Euronext Lisbon).

Within Corporate and M&A, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s team is ‘excellent, quick and efficient’. Able to ‘find solutions in a pragmatic way’, the ‘very experienced’ Francisco Brito e Abreu recently advised Patris Investimentos on its acquisition of an asset management company. Daniel Proença de Carvalho advised Camargo Corrêa on its public tender offer for Cimpor, and Antonio Villacampa Serrano advised Caixabank on the acquisition of a stake in Banco BPI. Carlos Costa Andrade, Alexandre Mota Pinto and Oporto-based João Anacoreta Correia are also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s ‘very professional’ team demonstrates ‘a high level of know-how and expertise’. ‘Important player’ Daniel Proença de Carvalho is ‘pre-eminent’ in the market, and Tito Arantes Fontes is ‘one of the best litigation lawyers in Portugal’. Fernando Aguilar de Carvalho and Alexandre Mota Pinto are also recommended, along with João Anacoreta Correia in Oporto, as well as counsels Sofia Martins and Nuno Godinho de Matos, and principal associates Francisco Proença de Carvalho and Nuno Salazar Casanova. Recent work for the team includes shareholder disputes and white-collar crime matters. Clients include Iberdrola, NovaDelta and Bank of America.

Within EU and competition, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

At Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, Joaquim Caimoto Duarte has a ‘longstanding and successful practice’, and senior associate Tânia Luísa Faria is also recommended. Duarte is advising Camargo Corrêa Group on merger control matters regarding its public takeover bid for Cimpor. The team is also assisting Companhia Previdente and Socitrel in two appeal cases before the General Court of the European Union against a fine decided by the European Commission.

Within Employment, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

‘Operating at the top level’, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho has superb employment experience, across collective dismissals, restructurings and employee transfers, and acts for clients including Crown Packaging, Nokia Portugal and Barclays Wealth. The ‘very committed’ Filipe Fraústo da Silva has ‘deep knowledge’ and ‘long experience in the field’.

Within Energy and environment, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

‘Very hardworking and dedicated’, the team at Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho has particular strength in public law and corporate matters, ‘where the firm can really make a difference’. The ‘excellent’ Bernardo Diniz de Ayala continues to advise Cimpor on the reform of the legal framework regarding the licensing and operation of stone quarries.

Within Insolvency and restructuring, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a third tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho has experience across the hospitality, retail, and banking and finance sectors. João Anacoreta Correia in Oporto is advising Portuguese construction company A Ludgero de Castro on its €8m insolvency. Lisbon-based Duarte Garin is also recommended, alongside litigator Tito Arantes Fontes.

Within Intellectual property, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a third tier firm,

At Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, Francisco Brito e Abreu advises on trade mark licensing, prosecution and infringement. Senior associate Jacinto de Bettencourt left for an in-house position.

Within Oporto: Leading commercial firms, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

Demonstrating ‘top-level technical skills’, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s Oporto office handles corporate, tax, employment, real estate, public law and litigation matters, among other areas. Highly recommended for his experience, João Anacoreta Correia is currently advising Grupo Trofa Saúde on its acquisition of Hospitais Privados de Portugal. Managing associate José Amorim Magalhães advised Unilabs on its restructuring, and is currently representing RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal) in over 50 judicial claims related to employment issues. Senior associate Miguel Durham Agrellos has notable tax expertise, and managing associate Pedro Teixeira de Sousa is recommended for public law and real estate.

Within Project finance, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s expertise stems from the firm’s excellent banking and finance and public law practices. The team fields Bernardo Diniz de Ayala and Pedro Ferreira Malaquias, who provides ‘trustworthy advice’. It continues to advise several banks, including BBVA and Banco Santander Totta, on financing matters related to the Transmontana motorway subconcession, and Euroscut and Banco BPI remain key clients. Antonio Villacampa Serrano is recommended.

Within Public law, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a second tier firm,

‘Capable of handling extremely complex and sensitive public law work’, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho provides ‘a first-class service’ and ‘impeccable advice’, and achieves ‘outstanding results’. The ‘top-notch’ team ‘understands clients’ business needs’. Benefiting from ‘long and solid experience in dealing with public authorities’, Bernardo Diniz de Ayala is noted for his ‘mature strategic management of cases’. Highlights included successfully representing Cimpor in a public authorities’ liability case and subsequent appeal, worth €29m, and advising the Ministry of Finance on several infrastructure projects. Counsel Sérgio Deus Vieira gives ‘pragmatic and reliable advice’. Principal associate Rita Cunha Leal is also recommended along with senior associate Mafalda Ferreira, who is ‘a rising star’.

Within Real estate, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho’s ‘market-leading’ team is led by Duarte Garin, and is noted for its experience in the retail and hospitality sectors. It also assists clients in relation to tax, real estate investment funds, urban planning, and insolvency. Garin advised on the acquisition of mortgage-backed loans from several banks, and counsel João Torroaes Valente acted for BBVA Portugal on the sale and leaseback of its headquarters in Lisbon.

Within Shipping and transport, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a third tier firm,

At Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, João Anacoreta Correia, advises Barclays Marine Finance on ship arrests, mortgages and acquisition finance.

Within TMT, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a third tier firm,

At Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, Francisco Brito e Abreu has recently advised Rede Globo, Nokia, and Exictos Group. Jacinto de Bettencourt left the firm in 2012.

Within Tax, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is a first tier firm,

Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho provides a ‘world-class’ service. ‘True tax expert’ Filipe Romão has ‘deep knowledge of Portuguese tax law’, and provides ‘pragmatic solutions’. The team assisted Altice on its acquisition of Cabovisão from Cogeco, and is advising ECS Capital on its acquisition of several distressed Portuguese real estate companies. Romão also acts as a tax arbitrator. Among the senior associates, Marta Pontes is ‘very determined’, Cláudia Reis Duarte is ‘a rising star in tax litigation’, and Miguel Durham Agrellos provides support from Oporto. Associate António Castro Caldas is also recommended.