Sofia Ribeiro Branco gave an interview to Jornal de Negócios in which she discusses her area of practice, legislative challenges and the importance of preventing illicit practices for companies.

In the interview entitled "Preventing corruption keeps companies alive for potential investors", Sofia Ribeiro Branco says that lawyers have a very important role to play in ensuring that companies are aware of "the importance of prevention, particularly on issues such as corruption".

It is in this sense that the necessity to regulate lobbying could be beneficial, as it is already "regulated in several countries, namely in European Union member states". Even so, the VdA lawyer clarifies that "in Portugal there is no regulation of the activity of this relationship".

This interview also discusses issues such as the "slow pace of criminal justice" and the influence that this lack of speed can have on investors' decisions when it comes to investing in Portugal. In this context, Sofia Ribeiro Branco explains that "the tension [between the Public Prosecutor's Office and lawyers] and the lack of speed can have a negative impact on investment in Portugal, as can corruption. That's why investing in corruption prevention is very important to keep companies alive for potential investors."

• The full interview is available here.