Unit Legal – Sociedade de Advogados, SP, RL

Rita is a founding partner of Unit LEGAL, formerly Espanha e Associados. She coordinates the Commercial and Corporate Law Department and is responsible for the data protection area. Rita has directed and managed a significant number of corporate restructuring operations for national and foreign clients. She also coordinates the commercial and corporate law team on M&A operations on both buyer and vendor sides, specifically in legal due diligences and the drafting and negotiation of contracts. She has also advised board members of national and foreign clients, particularly in the area of corporate governance, and with particular emphasis on the negotiation of shareholders’ agreements. Rita has also expanded her experience in the area of data protection and is currently responsible for the creation of the Commercial and Corporate Law Department’s team dedicated to issues related to this matter. She has advised clients on compliance with the applicable data protection legislation as well as on the implementation of the new rules. Additionally, in the past years she has acquired specific know-how in the area of health having several clients in this area.

Luis Almeida Carneiro

Partner and Coordinator of the Labour Law and Civil Law Departments. Luís has experience in the areas of labour law, labour litigation, collective bargaining, social security law, real estate, civil law and civil litigation. He has been working in the areas of employment law and has advised the human resources departments of national and international clients on a daily basis in sectors like fitness, food and beverage, tourism, medical services and technology.

Catarina Neto Fernandes

Catarina works with UNIT Legal since 2022 and is a member of Commercial and Corporate Law Department coordinated by Rita Beirôco. Catarina is a member of Portuguese and Angolan Bar Association, having extensive experience in the national and Angolan market. Catarina works with national and international clientes advising them in matters of corporate law, banking, finance and insurance. Catarina has developed her experience in the Angolan market, having advised foreign companies in their implementation in that market, foreign and national financial and banking entities, and insurance companies.

Ana Monica Almeida

Mónica is a Lawyer and member of the coordination department. She has worked in several areas of civil law, mainly Tort law and contract law, but also family law and succession law. As civil law is a bedrock for the other branches of law, her support for the other departments is one of the key points of her work at Espanha e Associados. As to litigation, she has worked essentially in civil, corporate and insurance litigation.

Filipa Botelho Moniz

Filipa has been working at Unit LEGAL, formerly Espanha e Associados, since 2019 as a member of the labour law and civil law team. She has experience in the areas of labour law, labour litigation, collective bargaining, social security law, civil law and civil litigation. She has been working in the areas of employment law and has advised the human resources departments of national and international clients on a daily basis in sectors like fitness, food and beverage, tourism, medical services and technology.

Mafalda works with Unit LEGAL, formerly Espanha e Associados, since 2018 and is a member of the Commercial and Corporate Law Department coordinated by Rita Beirôco. She is also currently a member of the data protection team. Mafalda advises national and international clients on corporate restructuring processes, including mergers, demergers, acquisitions or sales. She also provides advice on negotiating shareholders’ agreements and commercial contracts, providing ongoing support for clients’ activities, advising them on compliance with their statutory obligations from a corporate housekeeping perspective.

Ricardo is a Senior Lawyer and a member of the coordination team. Ricardo’s work consists of providing tax advice to individual and corporate investors. He has worked in the area of income taxes and social security, providing support for non-habitual residents and seconded workers, analysing income and taxes on income, tax benefits, conflicts of laws and application of double tax treaties, among others. His work also involves tax litigation where he represents clients in administrative, judicial and arbitration proceedings on a very broad range of substantive issues.

Elsa is a partner of Unit LEGAL, formerly Espanha e Associados, and is the coordinator of the Tax Law Department. She has coordinated teams dedicating to advising clients in international investment operations and in national and international company group restructuring, as well as in M&A and demerger operations, including managing tax due diligence teams. She also advises on indirect taxes, including VAT and Stamp Duty, and on property taxes in real estate transactions. She has worked in tax litigation, representing clients in administrative, judicial and arbitration proceedings involving a very varied range of substantive issues.