The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

‘Top-quality’ firm Vieira de Almeida & Associados is praised for its ‘experience and knowledge of a wide range of financing instructions’. The ‘prompt and dedicated’ team maintains a leading reputation for structured finance and securitisation, providing ‘spot-on advice’. Pedro Cassiano Santos is a finance expert with a far-reaching reputation, and recently assisted Deutsche Bank in converting its subsidiary in Portugal into a branch of the German parent company, as part of a European cross-border merger programme involving Portugal, Germany and Hungary. The team also advised Caixa Geral de Depósitos on a tender offer, and on two issues of notes guaranteed by the Republic of Portugal. Also singled out are Paula Gomes Freire and Pedro Simões Coelho.

Within Capital markets, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

With ‘great experience’ and ‘very good knowledge’, Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ ‘really solid and efficient’ team has experience across the area, with particular strength in debt work, and acts for all the major Portuguese banks. It advised a syndicate of ten banks as managers of a €200m notes offering by EDP, and also acted for Barclays and Banco BPI as managers on Semapa’s €300m fixed-rate bonds issuance. ‘One of the most experienced lawyers in Portugal’, Pedro Cassiano Santos advised Deutsche Bank on establishing three new debt instrument programmes. Paula Gomes Freire is ‘extremely professional and always available’, and Helena Vaz Pinto and the ‘very reliable’ Pedro Simões Coelho are also recommended. Managing associate Hugo Moredo Santos and senior associate Benedita Lima Aires are ‘always concerned with clients’ needs’.

Within Corporate and M&A, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados is noted for its cross-border expertise and experience in healthcare, energy and environment. ‘Always available’, the ‘very knowledgeable, efficient and proactive’ team provides ‘creative solutions’. João Vieira de Almeida acted for a client in the bid for the reprivatisation of REN, and also advised Stirling Square Capital Partners Second Fund on a €40m investment in the helicopter business of Omni Group. Helena Vaz Pinto advised Air Products on the sale of its European homecare business to The Linde Group and subsequent corporate reorganisation. Paulo Olavo Cunha has been active in Angolan transactions. Paulo de Barros Baptista has ‘in-depth knowledge’, particularly in relation to road concessions.

Within Dispute resolution, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a second tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados has a solid litigation and arbitration capability. Frederico Gonçalves Pereira successfully advised PT in defending three fines totalling €85m imposed for alleged abuse of dominance in the wholesale broadband market, the ducts market and the leased lines market. The team also acted for REN in a claim submitted for damages compensation. António de Magalhães Cardoso advises on pharmaceutical patent litigation, and managing associate Sofia Ribeiro Branco is also recommended.

Within EU and competition, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados advises on merger control, state aid, abuse of dominance, private enforcement and cartel investigations. ‘Outstanding practitioner’ Nuno Ruiz is ‘one of the most solid competition lawyers in the country’, with ‘excellent experience and legal knowledge’. In 2012, Ruiz successfully achieved an annulment of a 2008 fine by the PCA on behalf of PT Comunicações in relation to an alleged abuse of dominance in the leased lines market. Of counsel Miguel Mendes Pereira provides ‘top-level advice’, and advised Sany Heavy Industry regarding its merger with Putzmeister. Managing associate Ricardo Bordalo Junqueiro is advising Timor Telecom on matters associated with the liberalisation of the telecoms sector in East Timor.

Within Employment, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a second tier firm,

The team at Vieira de Almeida & Associados has ‘thorough knowledge’, and is experienced in collective dismissals, particularly representing clients in the pharmaceuticals and automotive sectors. Managing associate Tiago Piló has ‘prudence and wisdom’, and recently advised Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lilly Farma and Roche Diagnósticos on collective dismissal procedures. Managing associate Inês Coelho Simões and senior associate Benedita Fernandes Gonçalves are also recommended.

Within Energy and environment, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

The ‘effective and practical’ team at Vieira de Almeida & Associados has ‘excellent knowledge of energy markets’ and ‘understands specific client needs’. It has ‘sufficient size and expertise to play in an international league’, and is able to ‘put together multidisciplinary teams as required’. It was involved in two major privatisations in the energy sector in 2012, and the ‘highly specialised’ Vanda Cascão advised REN on the €75m financing of an EIP upgrade, the impact of the new waste law and on environmental aspects related to public tenders. Pedro Ferreirinha and senior associate Manuel Gouveia Pereira handle environment mandates, and Manuel Protásio is also recommended.

Within Insolvency and restructuring, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a second tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ team draws on the firm’s experience in areas such as litigation, finance and M&A. ‘Creative and pragmatic’ litigator Frederico Gonçalves Pereira is assisting Parkalgar in its restructuring and in defending an insolvency proceeding, and continues to advise Nanium on the implementation of its restructuring plan. Senior associate Teresa Pitôrra is also recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

The ‘accessible and responsible’ team at Vieira de Almeida & Associados has ‘unrivalled knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector’. Singled out for his ‘excellent strategic skills’, António de Magalhães Cardoso continues to assist Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, AstraZeneca, and Merck in patent enforcement litigation. Senior associate Ana Falcão Afonso is also recommended.

Within Oporto: Leading commercial firms, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a third tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados has a solid offering in Oporto under the leadership of Isabel Gião de Andrade, and is noted for its experience in the IT, health and industrial sectors. It provides corporate, public law and restructuring advice, and is particularly experienced in cross-border matters involving other Lusophone countries. Andrade advised DST Group on setting up a subsidiary in Mozambique, and is currently advising gas cylinder manufacturer Amtrol-Alfa on supply and distribution issues, and on the restructuring of the business operations of subsidiaries located in Poland and Brazil. Other clients include Nanium and Escala Braga. Managing associate Joana Domingues is also recommended.

Within Project finance, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ ‘very effective team’ has experience across infrastructure and energy projects in Portugal and Africa. Manuel Protásio advised Chile-based copper mining group Antofagasta on acquiring mining interests in Portugal. Vanda Cascão continues to advise Caixa Banco de Investimento and Caixa Geral de Depósitos on a chemical production plant in Sines. Paulo de Barros Baptista is recommended, and managing associates Frederico Quintela and Matilde Horta e Costa have PPP experience in the health and water sectors, respectively.

Within Public law, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a second tier firm,

With ‘broad capabilities in public law’ and ‘very deep expertise’, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is ‘permanently focused on clients’ needs’ and gives ‘competent and balanced advice’. The ‘highly professional’ team ‘combines great technical knowledge with an extremely approachable style’, and has ‘deep understanding of commercial contexts and political sensitivities’. The ‘creative, professional and proactive’ Paulo Pinheiro is advising PT Comunicações in litigation regarding the funding of the universal service of electronic communications, and Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira is acting for BRISAL in a €1.1m arbitration with the Portuguese state regarding a road concession. Mário Esteves de Oliveira is also recommended, together with managing associates Catarina Pinto Correia, Ana Marta Castro and André Proença are recommended.

Within Real estate, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a second tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados is noted for its ‘excellent industry and technical knowledge’, and its ‘professionalism and positive attitude’. Pedro Ferreirinha has ‘outstanding’ expertise, and is advising PT Comunicações on a data centre development in Portugal. Ferreirinha also acts for real estate closed-end investment fund Imopólis (part of the JP Morgan European property fund). ‘Highly qualified professional’ Sofia Galvão is ‘deeply focused on client needs’. Associate Hugo Nunes is ‘a rising star’.

Within TMT, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

The ‘very knowledgeable’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados is ‘always available to respond to requests’, and provides ‘valuable legal and technical support’. Noted for her expertise in African markets, Magda Cocco acted for PT subsidiary company Timor Telecom in relation to the liberalisation of East Timor telecoms and the end of its exclusive concession. ‘Very good lawyer’ Margarida Couto advises PT. Fernando Resina da Silva is recommended for IT, outsourcing and e-commerce work. Senior associates Catarina Mascarenhas and Inês Antas de Barros are recommended, alongside associates Helena Correia Mendonça and Tiago Bessa.

Within Tax, Vieira de Almeida & Associados is a first tier firm,

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ Tiago Marreiros Moreira provided advice to Zagope on indirect tax matters relating to a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) contract for a petroleum refinery in Angola. Among the managing associates, Conceição Gamito advises on VAT and indirect tax, and Joaquim Pedro Lampreia handles tax litigation and arbitration. Joana Domingues is also recommended, alongside senior associates Rita Magalhães and Ricardo Seabra Moura.