Team size: Four

Jurisdictions your role covers: Portugal, Spain, France, USA, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia

How do you manage and coordinate legal responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions from a Portugal‑based role, and what are the main challenges this presents in practice?

We manage multiple jurisdictions with national lawyers of the in-house team, who are highly trained to handle diverse legal systems and knowledgeable about the company’s business. They are always supported by local lawyers. This solution ensures that the company’s business and objectives are always perfectly understood and protected within the local framework of each jurisdiction.

What advantages or constraints does operating from Portugal create when advising on regional or global matters, particularly when working with international leadership teams or boards?

As advantages I would refer to the solid understanding of the company’s business, its compliance, and the specifics of each deal. In what relates to the constraints I would refer to the time zones which reduce the number of work hours with the local legal supports. 

Is there a recent regulatory or legislative change in Portugal or at EU level that has had a broader impact across your international remit? How has your legal team responded?

The new Directives related with ESG. We are using several consultants and working together with the Sustainability team. 

In what ways does your legal function contribute to international business strategy, transformation or growth, beyond traditional compliance or risk mitigation?

Mainly with deal solutions and strategies which permit approaches with clients, partners and other stakeholders.

How do you structure relationships with internal stakeholders and external counsel across different jurisdictions to ensure effective collaboration and decision‑making?

We use the external counsel mainly as consultants, maintaining on us all the legal and deal decisions.

How do you see the role of Portugal‑based corporate counsel with international mandates evolving over the next few years?

The same way as the past years, but with advantages of using legal networks of offices in multi-jurisdiction deals.