The Legal 500

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ ‘very professional’ team displays ‘very good technical knowledge’ and represents a number of major international banks. The group acted for Citibank on selling its Portuguese credit cards division to Barclays, and more recently advised Banco Espírito Santo as issuer and guarantor of €950m of BES Finance exchangeable bonds. The ‘excellent’ Pedro Cassiano Santos has a ‘Socratic mind and extensive knowledge’, while associate Sofia Ribeiro Branco is ‘very pragmatic, focussed and finely attuned to the customer’s objectives’. Pedro Simões Coelho is also recommended. Other clients include Banco Electrónico de Serviço Total and Caixa Geral de Depósitos.

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados is ‘excellent in all respects’, but especially recommended for its debt capital markets work. The team displays the ‘necessary depth and breadth of knowledge and experience’, and acted for JPMorgan as arranger and issuer in an SME credit line transaction, the first of its kind in Portugal. It also advised Morgan Stanley as lead bank in a syndicate regarding the establishment of Portugal’s €5bn EMTN programme, and subsequent issuance of $1.25bn Portuguese Republic bonds. Pedro Cassiano Santos is recognised for his ‘know-how, competence and commitment’, while João Vieira de Almeida is commended for his ‘leadership skills and professionalism’. The ‘timely’ Pedro Simões Coelho, Helena Vaz Pinto and managing associate Paula Gomes Freire are also recommended.

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

The ‘impressive’ João Vieira de Almeida heads the ‘solid’, ‘top level’ corporate team at Vieira de Almeida & Associados. He and Paulo de Barros Baptista have been advising Brisa on selling its holding in Companhia de Concessões Rodoviárias for €1.2bn. The ‘high-profile and competent’ Paulo Olavo Cunha advised Nanium on the corporate restructuring of Qimonda Portugal following its insolvency proceedings. Other clients include Bosch Group, medical waste management company Stericycle, and PME Investimentos. Helena Vaz Pinto and managing associate Rita Marques are recommended.

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ ‘terrific’ litigation group has strong arbitration capabilities, and has experience in IP and white-collar crime disputes. It recently advised PT Comunicações on a €25m dispute and in misdemeanour proceedings relating to an alleged breach of competition rules. Brisa and Banco Comercial Português are also clients. Practice head Frederico Gonçalves Pereira is well reputed, and ‘very detailed and organised’.

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

‘One of the best firms for EU and competition law,’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados recently advised key client PT in two appeals before the Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) concerning abuse of a dominant position. The firm’s leading expertise in the pharmaceutical sector extends to competition matters, and it is advising AstraZeneca and Novartis on new distribution models. It also assists Apifarma in competition matters. Uniself, Brisa and Camargo Corrêa are also clients. The knowledgeable Nuno Ruiz is recommended. In 2010, Oporto-based Isabel Gião de Andrade joined the team from Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira.

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

The ‘very professional’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados offers a ‘high level of service’ comprehensively across the employment space. Frederico Gonçalves Pereira heads the team, which ‘brings a real added value’ with its extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry. Managing associate Tiago Piló advised Citibank on selling its Portuguese credit cards division to Barclays, and advised Deutsche Bank on the employment consequences of converting its Portuguese subsidiary company into branch status, a move affecting several hundred employees. Other clients include Banco Espírito Santo, McCann-Erickson, Johnson & Johnson and Clarins.

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

The ‘superb’ practice at Vieira de Almeida & Associados combines value for money with strong expertise in project finance, transactions, licensing, and energy supply agreements. The team continues to advise International Power on its independent energy generation plants in Portugal. Environmental expert Pedro Amaral e Almeida is praised for his ‘knowledge and clear answers’. Pedro Ferreirinha is also recommended, along with Vanda Cascão and Manuel Protásio for projects.

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

Rated for its ‘excellent technical quality, client service, industry knowledge and responsiveness’, Vieira de Almeida & Associados advises creditors, debtors and insolvency administrators. Recent instructions include advising Qimonda Portugal (now Nanium) on its insolvency and representing BCP following the insolvency proceedings of Oleocom, Alicoop and Investvar Group. The team assisted Banif, Casais and BCP as creditors in the insolvency proceedings of Sociedade Imboliária e Turistica do Campo Baixo in Madeira. The group has a ‘great deal of experience and market knowledge’, and experience advising clients in the automobile, pharmaceuticals, telecoms and technology industries. Practice head Frederico Gonçalves Pereira is singled out for his expertise.

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ expertise in the pharmaceutical sector extends to its work in IP, where the team demonstrates an ‘intimate and accurate understanding of complex issues’ concerning patent rights and related litigation. The group provides ‘innovative and tailored solutions’ through its ‘excellent business acumen and knowledge’. Clients include Novartis, Eli Lilly, Lundbeck, and GlaxoSmithKline. The group is rated for its ‘persistence and hard work, all on a cost-effective basis’. The ‘influential and well respected’ practice head António Magalhães Cardoso has the ‘ability to think outside the box’. Managing associate Ana Falcão Afonso is ‘very experienced’, and associate Patrícia Paias is ‘proactive and responsive’.

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

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s 25-strong practice advises clients across practice areas including tax, corporate and M&A, and employment matters. Recent clients include Probiomass – Biomass and EDP Gestão da Produção de Energia. Practice head José de Freitas is highly recommended, but Isabel Gião de Andrade moved to Vieira de Almeida & Associados in 2010.

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados’ project finance team is ‘up there with the best’, and is particularly notable for its considerable expertise advising on transport infrastructure PPPs and financing transactions. Recent highlights include advising Elos as the winning consortium on the bid for the €1.45bn high-speed railway PPP. In early 2010, the team also advised a consortium of banks on the 15-year financing of a wind farm development in Portugal. Manuel Protásio is knowledgeable and experienced, and Vanda Cascão and Paulo de Barros Baptista are also recommended.

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

‘One of the best law firms in Portugal in any legal aspect,’ Vieira de Almeida & Associados is developing an excellent public law practice. Mário Esteves de Oliveira is a ‘recognised legal authority’ who excels on issues of ‘extreme legal complexity’, and acts for clients including Bank of Portugal, Santander Bank, Estradas de Portugal and Parpública. The team is assisting Transdev in a public procurement dispute relating to the Metro do Porto. It also continues to advise the airport public service body, ANA, on public procurement and contentious matters. Other clients include the Portuguese government, the Ministry of Education, REN, Brisa and the postal service, Correios de Portugal. Paulo Pinheiro is a ‘very competent professional’ who advises several health sector clients. Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira is also recommended.

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

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.

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

Having moved ‘well ahead’ of its competitors, the ‘leading firm’ of Vieira de Almeida & Associados provides domestic and foreign telecoms operators with ‘extraordinary commitment’ and ‘deep legal and technical knowledge’, with clients valuing the international capabilities of the firm. Magda Cocco uses her ‘in-depth expertise’ to advise on regulatory issues, and is assisting Portugal Telecom regarding a licence for a mobile communications operator in Mozambique. Fernando Resina da Silva, who leads ‘one of the most experienced and valuable legal teams in IT and outsourcing matters’, is praised for his technical understanding. He is advising the government and the Ministry of Education on several IT projects, and is advising Caixa Económica Montepio Geral on IT outsourcing. The ‘dedicated’ Magarida Couto displays ‘insight, experience and clarity’.

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

Vieira de Almeida & Associados provides ‘tailor-made’ service and ‘quick and objective responses of exceptional quality and depth’. It is particularly noted for its experience in international taxation matters, and advised the Portuguese branch of Citibank on divesting its credit card division to Barclays. It also assisted JPMorgan and the REIT Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário Fechado Imodesenvolvimento on establishing a new finance structure. Tiago Marreiros Moreira heads this ‘outstanding team’, which includes Conceição Gamito and Joaquim Pedro Lampreia. Four new associates joined in 2010.