The Legal 500

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal

AV. ENGº DUARTE PACHECO, AMOREIRAS, TORRE 1, FLOOR 15, 1070-101 LISBOA
Tel:
Work +351 21 382 1200
Fax:
Fax +351 21 382 1290
Web:
www.garrigues.com
Email:

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Portugal

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s solid finance capability is led by capital markets expert partner Diogo Leónidas Rocha. The firm has acted for several international banks in a number of securitisations and was recently involved in a major transaction for Banco Espírito Santo.

Capital markets

Within Capital markets,

Arguably GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s strongest practice area in Portugal, the firm has built an ‘ excellent’ team with an impressive track record in capital markets, with highly regarded expert partner Diogo Leónidas Rocha at the helm. The firm was instructed by PT to fend off the €12bn hostile bid from Sonaecom. Other key clients include major international banks. Up-and-coming senior associate Marta Graça Rodrigues wins praise.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A,

At GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal, Diogo Leónidas Rocha was the key adviser on PT’s defence of Sonaecom’s takeover bid last year. Even though the takeover was unsuccessful, the move caused PT to restructure its business, namely with regard to its media company PT Multimedia. Leónidas Rocha has been acting for PT the €2bn spin-off of PT Multmedia. The firm also advises a number of major international companies in Portugal on their general commercial and corporate work.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s practice aims at high-end complex litigation. João Paulo Teixeira de Matos heads up a team of seven fee-earners with extensive experience in arbitration. The firm was recently successful in defending a major company in the media sector, in a highly complex €20m arbitration. Other major clients in this field include one of the largest Iberian energy companies.

Employment

Within Employment,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s João Paulo Teixeira de Matos leads a team of 15 fee-earners, spanning offices in Lisbon and Oporto. The employment team has developed its contentious capability in the last few years and is now consolidated as a standalone practice. Recent highlights include advising a major international pharmaceutical company in connection with its corporate restructuring, a matter which involved the collective dismissal of over 200 workers.

Intellectual property

Within Intellectual property,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal merged with IP boutique Cabral, Cunha Ferreira & Associados in 2006 and is now one of the clear market leaders. The firm acts for several international clients on all IP-related matters.

Leading commercial firms: Oporto

Within Leading commercial firms: Oporto,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal was set up in 2006 by tax expert Miguel Reis. The Oporto office plays a key role in the firm’s coverage of the North West of the Iberian Peninsula, interacting frequently with its Galician offices in Vigo and A Coruña. Reis is the firm’s only resident partner and leads a team of 16 fee-earners.

Legal market

Within Legal market,

From late 2006, the Portuguese legal market has seen an unprecedented number of mergers, break-ups and lateral hires. Some argue that the two major takeover bids that were announced in 2006 (Sonaecom’s €12bn bid for Portugal Telecom (PT) and BCP’s €4.3bn bid for BPI), the two largest ever in Portugal, have been key in reshaping the market and defining Portugal’s top tier of corporate firms. In both takeover bids Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados scooped the lead role, advising the bidders. Gonçalves Pereira, Castelo Branco & Associados, GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal, PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Martins, Júdice e Associados Sociedade de Advogados, RL, Vieira de Almeida & Associados and Linklaters LLP were all across the table. Both takeover bids came to an unsuccessful end during the course of 2007.

Within Legal market,

A number of international firms have now consolidated their presence in Portugal. These include the longstanding Simmons & Simmons Rebelo de Sousa, Gonçalves Pereira, Castelo Branco & Associados, Uría Menéndez, GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal and Linklaters LLP.

Real estate

Within Real estate,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s nine-fee-earner team is on the up. ‘ Excellent practitioner’ Miguel Marques dos Santos has led the firm’s advice in some of the country’s largest real estate transactions. The firm has advised some of Spain’s most active investors in Portuguese real estate, spanning acquisitions of office buildings, tourism developments and apartment buildings.

TMT

Within TMT,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal is regularly a first-choice adviser for PT, but regarded as ‘ a good choice for any client in the telecoms sector’.

Tax

Within Tax,

GARRIGUES PORTUGAL, S.L. - Sucursal’s phenomenal tax capability relies on the strong expertise of partner Fernando Castro Silva, who arrived at the firm in 2006 to strengthen this practice area.


Law developments in Portugal

Law developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • SHORT-SELLING PRACTICE RESTRICTED IN PORTUGAL

    Following the financial crisis that has been felt in the markets all over the world, the Portuguese Securities Commission (CMVM) has recently approved a Generic Statement of Opinion on the Practice of Short Selling in the market, in order to restrict the conditions in which Short Selling is made.
    - Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados
  • Legal Privilege Protection Of Internal Communications Sent By In-House Lawyers

    Confidentiality and legal privilege protection of internal communications produced by in-house lawyers was secured by Lisbon’s Commerce Tribunal, in a recent decision ruled within the scope of administrative offence proceedings started by the Portuguese Competition Authority
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • Tax Benefits for Inland Regions

    The recently published Decree-Law 55/2008 of 26 March has set out the regulatory provisions necessary for implementing incentive measures for the speedier recovery of areas in Portugal that suffer most from typical inland regional problems, as provided for in the Tax Benefits Statute (EBF).
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • New Regime on Contracts of Insurance

    The Portuguese Government has recently enacted the Decree-Law nr. 72/2008, published in the Portuguese Official Gazzette on 16 April 2008, on contracts of insurance, which represents a significant milestone in the evolution of the regime applicable to contracts of insurance in Portugal.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • Bilingual Commercial Registry - Permanent Certificate in English

    Since December 2006, it is possible to obtain a permanent certificate of the commercial registry in Portuguese language. With the entry into force of Decree-law number 73/2008, of 16 April, a "bilingual" commercial registry is created, being the English language the one chosen for that purpose.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • White Paper On Damages Actions for Breach of the EU Antitrust Rules

    Antitrust rules are provided for by Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty, which ban restrictive business practices and abuses of dominant positions.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • THE TAX SYSTEMS OF ANGOLA, MOZAMBIQUE

    The Cape Verde of today is a country that is open to foreign investment and, since it enjoys socio-political and exchange stability, it is a fairly credible option for governments, companies and international financial institutions.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • Recent Developments in the Insurance Law

    1- NEW LAW ON INSURANCE CONTRACTS
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • Mediation in civil and commercial matters

    On 23 April 2008, the European Parliament formally approved, without amendments, the Council's common position on the new Mediation Directive. Following its signature by the President of the European Parliament and by the President of the Council, the new Directive will enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The purpose of the Directive is to facilitate access to dispute resolution and to promote the amicable settlement of disputes by encouraging the use of mediation and by ensuring a sound relationship between mediation and judicial proceedings.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart
  • 20% VAT as from July

    Awaiting approval by the Parliament of the Republic is a government-proposed bill aimed at reducing the normal VAT rate from 21% to 20% (and from 15% to 14% in the case of transactions deemed to take place in Madeira and the Azores), with effect from 1 July. Similarly to the previous changes in VAT rat, the entry into force of this legislative amendment will raise some practical difficulties as regards the application of the law and, as has been the norm in such situations in the past, will be regulated by government guidelines.
    - PLMJ - A. M. Pereira, Sáragga Leal, Oliveira Mart