Ms Sofia Galvão > PLMJ > Lisbon, Portugal > Lawyer Profile
PLMJ Offices
Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo, 43
1050-119 Lisboa
Portugal
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Ms Sofia Galvão
Work Department
Town and Country Planning practice
Position
Senior counsel
Career
Sofia is a senior counsel in the Town and Country Planning practice, with over 30 years’ experience.
She holds a law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, where she also completed her Master’s in Legal Sciences and where she was an assistant lecturer and a regular contributor to postgraduate courses and seminars. She has also been a guest lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Sofia has extensive experience in providing legal and strategic advice on the development of urban development, real estate and tourism projects. She frequently deals with territorial planning procedures (drafting, modification and revision of territorial management instruments) and administrative control procedures (licensing, prior communication, authorisations) for urban, real estate, tourism, commercial, industrial, agricultural and environmental projects.
Her practice also includes advising on environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment procedures as part of the development of various types of projects, as well as ongoing assistance in the design, planning, licensing and management of tourism developments, including hotels and resorts, and the structuring of urban regeneration and redevelopment operations. She also works on the licensing and construction of infrastructure and the licensing of activities related to the sea.
Sofia’s regular clients include property developers, investment funds, banks and private equity firms.
Prior to rejoining PLMJ, where she was partner in charge of the town and country planning department until 2005, Sofia was in charge of the real estate, town planning and environment departments at Sérvulo Correia & Associados and Vieira de Almeida & Associados. She then founded her own law firm, Sofia Galvão Advogados, dedicated exclusively to planning (2014-2024). As part of her public career, she held the positions of Secretary of State for Public Administration and Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in the 16th Constitutional Government.
Languages
Portuguese, English and French
Memberships
- Admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association
- AD URBEM – Association for the Development of Urban and Construction Law
- APDI – Portuguese Association for Intelectual Law
Lawyer Rankings
Portugal > Planning law
(Hall of Fame)‘Known in the national legal scene for the quality of its team’, PLMJ assists with urban and territorial planning across the energy, real estate and tourism sectors in Portugal and Lusophone Africa. The practice is led by Andreia Candeias Mousinho, who ‘stands out for her in-depth knowledge of urban planning law’, and is skilled in handling licensing issues, regulatory disputes and due diligence procedures. Following the July 2023 integration of the eponymous firm, Sofia Galvão
, a leading authority in planning law, bolstered the team with her wealth of experience in tourism, construction, and public procurement mandates. Luís Moitinho de Almeida made the move as well, showcasing skill in planning, real estate, construction energy and environmental matters. Benedita Lacerda focuses on administrative law and the planning of major tourism development, while Micaela Giestas Salvador advises on a range of real estate development projects.
Portugal > Real estate and construction
The ‘reliable and responsive’ real estate team at PLMJ is adept at handling significant real estate transactions and construction matters, with a particular emphasis on asset and real estate portfolio deals for large Portuguese and international investors. Led by Francisco Lino Dias, the team advises on a wide array of matters across the residential, commercial and tourism segments. Dias assists developers and investors with land acquisitions, lease negotiations, and contract structuring. Sérgio Teixeira is commended for his work with major hotel chains and retailers. Following the recent integration of RRP Advogados and boutique Sofia Galvao Advogados, Ricardo Reigada Pereira, a name to note for major real estate investors and developers alike, and Sofia Galvão, an authority in urban planning, joined the firm in July 2024. Sofia Gomes da Costa is no longer at the firm. Former co-head Teresa Madeira Afonso left the firm in June 2025.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
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