Interview with: César Sá Esteves and Octávio Castelo Paulo, Managing Partners

SRS Legal continues to evolve in response to the changing needs of clients and the rapid transformation of the legal market, combining technical excellence with technology-enabled, forward-looking and business-oriented advice to deliver consistent strategic value.

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate SRS Legal from your competitors?

SRS Legal differentiates itself by combining technical excellence with a strategic, business-driven approach. We do not merely provide legal advice; we act as long-term strategic partners, helping clients anticipate risk, identify opportunities and frame legal decisions within an increasingly complex economic and geopolitical environment.

In a context marked by political instability, regulatory volatility and rapid technological transformation, we have developed an internal culture of agility and innovation. We invest consistently in technology, including artificial intelligence tools applied to document review, due diligence and knowledge management, always with the goal of delivering tangible value to clients.

Another key differentiator is our collaborative organisational model. We work through multidisciplinary teams, ensuring seamless responses to complex, cross-cutting challenges. In parallel, we place strong emphasis on the development of our people, promoting continuous training, internal innovation programmes and a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility, aligned with leading ESG standards.

Our size allows us to combine close client relationships with highly specialised expertise, a balance that is increasingly valued by sophisticated clients.

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

We anticipate significant growth in the following practice areas:

• Corporate and Finance, driven by continued strategic transactions, corporate restructurings and evolving financing needs in a context of geopolitical uncertainty, higher interest rates and tighter credit conditions. Businesses are increasingly seeking sophisticated structuring and funding solutions, while also adapting to regulatory developments, ESG considerations and rapid technological change.
• Energy and Energy Transition, driven by European decarbonisation targets, the reconfiguration of global energy supply chains and sustained investment in renewables, hydrogen and strategic infrastructure.
• Digital, Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence, through the implementation of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act and strengthened cybersecurity obligations are generating strong demand for preventative and strategic legal support.
• Dispute Resolution and Arbitration, given that economic and political instability is likely to increase commercial, corporate and investment-related disputes, particularly in long-term contractual relationships.
• Restructuring and Insolvency, considering an environment of high interest rates and financial pressure across certain sectors, we expect increased activity in preventive restructurings and special revitalisation proceedings.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

One of the most significant changes we have implemented in the firm is the structured integration of artificial intelligence into our legal workflows and internal processes.

We have introduced AI-powered tools to support tasks such as document review, contract analysis, large-scale due diligence and knowledge management. We have adopted two leading legal large language models, Legora and Harvey, allowing us to work with complementary systems and maintain a “challenger” approach that strengthens the reliability and robustness of AI-assisted outputs. In addition, the entire firm operates with Microsoft Copilot fully integrated into our internal systems, supporting day-to-day productivity, research and document management.

These technologies allow us to process large volumes of information more quickly and accurately, significantly increasing efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of legal quality.

For clients, this translates into faster turnaround times, greater predictability in the delivery of legal services and more cost-efficient processes, particularly in complex transactions or matters involving extensive documentation. By automating repetitive and time-intensive tasks, our lawyers can focus more on strategic analysis, risk assessment and tailored advice.

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Absolutely. Technology is reshaping both how we interact with clients and the nature of the services we provide. We use secure collaboration platforms, intelligent data rooms and project-management dashboards that offer enhanced transparency and real-time tracking.

Artificial intelligence allows us to conduct faster and more accurate due diligences, map regulatory risks in a structured way and deliver more robust comparative analyses. This translates into greater predictability on costs and timelines, which are critical factors for clients.

Technology also enables us to offer preventive and ongoing services, including digital compliance audits, AI and ESG risk assessments and automated regulatory monitoring.

That said, we firmly believe that technology is an enabler rather than an end in itself: human judgment, trust and strategic insight remain the true differentiators.

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

One of the ways in which we help clients add value to their businesses is by combining proactive knowledge-sharing with practical support in times of crisis.

On a continuous basis, we organise sector-focused webinars designed to provide clients with timely insights into key regulatory, technological and geopolitical developments that may affect their operations. These sessions address topics such as EU regulatory changes, developments in artificial intelligence and digital regulation, energy transition policies and emerging compliance risks. By translating complex legal developments into clear and practical guidance, we enable clients to anticipate regulatory change, adapt their internal policies and make more informed strategic decisions.

More recently, we also demonstrated this proactive and client-focused approach in response to the devastating impact of Storm Kristin on businesses and communities in Portugal’s central region. Following the severe human, social and economic consequences of the storm, which affected hundreds of companies, employees and families, SRS Legal established a dedicated internal task force bringing together members of our Corporate and Finance and Employment teams to provide urgent legal support to affected businesses.

Through this initiative, we allocated an initial package of pro bono hours to enable a rapid legal assessment of each company’s situation and to identify immediate short-term solutions across labour, financial, contractual and operational matters. Where additional support was needed, we also made further technical assistance available at reduced cost with deferred payment options.

By helping businesses stabilise operations, manage immediate legal risks and safeguard jobs wherever possible, while also equipping clients with forward-looking regulatory insights through our knowledge-sharing initiatives, we aim to create tangible and lasting value for our clients and the wider business community.

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Clients today operate in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment, shaped by geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change and evolving regulatory frameworks. As a result, they are not only looking for technical legal advice but also for stability, continuity and clear strategic direction from their law firms.

Rather than isolated technical advice, they expect lawyers who understand their industries, anticipate legislative change and can place legal decisions within a medium to long-term strategic framework.

SRS Legal is currently undergoing a period of transformation that reflects this forward-looking approach. Alongside the continued integration of technology and artificial intelligence into our work, we have also begun the renovation of our headquarters in Lisbon, a project that symbolises our commitment to growth, innovation and collaboration.

This renovation represents more than a physical transformation. It is part of a broader strategic vision to create a working environment that supports the way modern legal services are delivered: more collaborative, more technologically enabled and more focused on the needs of both our professionals and our clients. The project will expand working areas, improve energy efficiency and create new spaces dedicated to collaboration, innovation and wellbeing, while reflecting the firm’s culture and identity.

In three years’ time, we see SRS Legal as an even more firmly established reference firm in the Iberian market, supported by deep technological integration and a stronger international footprint.

Our ambition is clear: to be recognised not only for technical excellence, but for delivering sustainable, strategic impact for our clients.