Back to rankings
VdA

VdA

More information

Portugal

1

Porto: Leading commercial firms

Noted for its 'strong technical expertise with an integrated, multidisciplinary approach', VdA's Porto office is active across sectors including energy, TMT, mobility, infrastructure, and manufacturing, advising on corporate, tax, labour, public law, and dispute resolution mandates. João Velez de Lima leads the Porto office, focusing on sophisticated transactional, advisory and contentious tax matters. Miguel C. Reis is another key contact for domestic and international taxation issues. Manuel Cavaleiro Brandão is a reference for labour and employment matters, advising on restructurings, collective bargaining and litigation, while Isabel Gião de Andrade heads up the social economy and human rights and focuses on corporate governance, sustainability, ethics and third-sector legal frameworks. Other key practitioners include corporate and M&A specialist Maria da Conceição Cabaços; labour and social security law expert Benedita Gonçalves; João Soares Franco, who focuses on public law; Inês Sotto Mayor, who assists with white-collar crime mandates; and Pedro Duarte Batista, who advises on corporate and M&A.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Our legal relationship with the firm mainly covers employment matters, managed by Manuel Cavaleiro Brandão and Pedro Ferreira de Sousa. Their work is consistently excellent in every respect — professionalism, precision, quality of results, and personal interaction. The same high standard was shown by João Soares Franco in administrative law matters.’
  • 'Manuel Cavaleiro Brandão: partner with extensive knowledge in the area of corporate law. Conveys confidence and thoughtfulness to clients and colleagues.'
  • 'Maria da Conceição Cabaços: partner with extensive knowledge in the area of corporate law. Also noteworthy for her relationship with the Portuguese-French Chamber of Commerce.'
  • ‘VdA’s Porto office delivers outstanding legal advice, standing out in the market for its high-quality team and collaborative spirit. Clients clearly feel the benefit of the firm’s networked structure, where different departments work seamlessly together to ensure consistent excellence.’
  • ‘The firm combines strong technical expertise with an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. Collaboration between teams is fluid, allowing for creative and legally sound solutions. Client relationships are built on trust, transparency, and availability, with careful attention to the client’s strategic context.’
  • 'Miguel Reis: highly dynamic partner with extensive knowledge of all aspects of tax and international law. Excellent rapport with clients, colleagues, and other external collaborators.'

Key clients

  • Altice Amtrol-Alfa / Worthington Industries BA Glass Cellnex Group DS SMITH Engie Group Finerge, S.A. Futebol Clube do Porto Iberdrola Group IGNEO Movhera – Hidroelétricas do Norte, S.A. Novartis Prismore Capital (Sonae) RAR Group SBM Production Contractors Inc., S.A. - Sucursal em Portugal (Group SBM Offshore) SEAentia STCP - Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto, S.A. Vodafone Portugal – Comunicações Pessoais, S.A., one of the three major operators in Portugal

Work highlights

Advised IGNEO on the sale of a 25% interest in Finerge.
Advised Iberdrola on the structuring of Iberdrola Generación’s Portuguese business, consolidating its renewable energy portfolio in Portugal with assets valued at over €5bn.
Advised SBM on the structuring and consolidation of its Portuguese business, including labour, commercial, and real estate matters.

Lawyers

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Next Generation Partners

Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Leading associates

Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Pedro Duarte Batista
Pedro Duarte Batista
Inês Sotto Mayor
Inês Sotto Mayor
Practice head

João Velez de Lima

Other key lawyers

Isabel Gião de Andrade; Manuel Cavaleiro Brandão; Miguel C. Reis; Maria da Conceição Cabaços; Benedita Gonçalves; João Soares Franco; Inês Sotto Mayor; Pedro Duarte Batista; Miguel González Amado; Salomé Corte-Real; Carolina Cordeiro dos Santos; Pedro Ferreira de Sousa

Comparative Guides