Manuel Requicha Ferreira > Cuatrecasas > Lisbon, Portugal > Lawyer Profile

Drawing considerable praise for its ‘competent, professional, very knowledgable and available’ team, Cuatrecasas instills ‘confidence’ in clients, advising on the full gamut of banking and finance matters. Counting banks, sponsors, borrowers, hedge funds and securitisation vehicles among its impressive roster of clients, the team regularly advises on large and complex transactions across the energy, real estate, fintech and retail sectors. The practice is jointly steered by Manuel Requicha Ferreira and Paulo Costa Martins: Ferreira is noted for his specialism in corporate finance and real estate transactions, with a particular focus on international hotel financing, while Martins is recommended for his broad experience in banking law, routinely advising banks and investment firms. Clients turn to Margarida Leal De Oliveira for her experience in debt restructuring, NPL’s and financing transactions across the roads, hospitality and energy spaces.

Sought after by national and international creditors and debtors in various stages of financial distress, Cuatrecasas‘ ‘multidisciplinary‘ department is well versed in the entire spectrum of restructuring and insolvency mandates. Refinancing, distressed M&A, loan-to-own strategies, and insolvency proceedings are all key areas of activity for the group, which is under the joint leadership of Manuel Requicha Ferreira and Miguel de Almada. Ferreira possesses a strong background in banking, finance, and capital markets, while Almada leads the litigation and arbitration practice with a focus on disputes involving the financial, construction, energy, and telecoms sectors. Maria Raquel Moreira and Diana Simão Lourenço, who joined in January 2023 after the firm’s merger with SLCM, bring added expertise in insolvency, debt restructuring, and recovery.

Variously praised as ‘experienced, pragmatic and knowledgable’, the capital markets team at Cuatrecasas is well positioned to advise clients on a range of matters, including debt and equity transactions, derivatives, structured finance and securitisations. Counting issuers, banks, institutional shareholders, securitisation vehicles, funds and investors among its roster of clients, the practice excels in cross-border mandates – made possible by seamless collaboration with the firm’s other offices across Europe. The team is jointly led by Paulo Costa Martins and Manuel Requicha Ferreira. Martins, lauded for his ‘rigour and extensive experience’, regularly advises banks and investment firms on public offers, private placements, takeovers, and fund formation, while Ferreira is recommended for his ability to handle structured finance and securitisations. Margarida Leal De Oliveira is a strong performer in DCM deals.

Cuatrecasas excels in advising national and international financiers and sponsors throughout all stages of project development, from tender structuring to implementation. The group, whose expertise spans the roads, rail, renewables, water, ports, hospitals, and transport spaces, is jointly led by a capable trio: Margarida Leal De Oliveira, who is active in healthcare, energy, ports, and natural resources projects in Portugal and abroad; Manuel Requicha Ferreira, a finance and structured transactions specialist, who is experienced in road concessionaires’ debt restructurings and project finance in the energy sector; and Lourenço Vilhena De Freitas, who specialises in public procurement and PPPs in the infrastructure space. André Duarte Figueira has recently left the firm.