Magda Cocco
Head of Practice Partner Digital Frontiers, Head of Practice Partner Information, Communication & Technology
Magda Cocco
Magda joined VdA in 1994. Head of the Information, Communication and Technology practice, the Digital Frontiers practice and the Aerospace sector Magda has in-depth knowledge and experience with innovative technological projects in the electronic communications industry and across several jurisdictions and regions, notably Europe and Africa.
She has led multidisciplinary teams in different ICT projects & transactions and assisted Governments and Regulatory Entities in connection with the definition of regulatory policies and legislative drafting, having also advised various international organizations such as International Telecommunications Union, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.
Magda has provided expert advice to companies and public entities across different industries on several digital economy legal issues, from electronic and postal communications to information and emerging technologies, such as robotics, blockchain, nanotechnology, Big Data and IoT. She also specializes in AI topics, leading internally the VdA legal products in the context of the Centre for Responsible AI consortium and she participates in the working group of the Bridge AI project, aiming to provide guidance to policy makers when implementing the AI ACT.
She also advises clients on Data Protection & Cybersecurity. In this context, she has assisted several entities in connection with governance matters and data related strategies, coordinated several GDPR compliance programs and assisted public and private entities in connection with Cybersecurity threats.
Magda has been involved in various Space sector projects, including negotiating contracts for satellite construction and launch and for the installation of ground stations, and assisted Governments in connection with the definition and drafting of Space-related strategies and legislation. She is also leading internally the VdA legal products in the context of the New Space Portugal consortium.
She is a member of the Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructures (OEID) advisory board, and board member of the Portuguese Quantum Institute (PQI). She is an Officer at the International Bar Association (IBA) Communications Law Committee, and she co-coordinated the world-class project of the IBA Metaverse Regulation Guide. She is a member of the European Union’s Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG), a member of the World Economic Forum’s “Defining and Building the Metaverse” Governance working group and the “AI Global Alliance - Resilient Governance and Regulation” working group. She participated as an Independent Expert in the drawing-up of the first General-Purpose AI Code of Practice by European Commission’s EU AI Office. She also participates in several Space sector-related forums, namely the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and she is VdA’s representative at the International Astronautic Federation (IAF). She is also responsible for liaising with The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).
Lawyer of the year - IP&TMT Awards 2022
Lawyer of the year TMT - IP&TMT Awards 2022
Lawyer of the year Information Technology - IP&TMT Awards 2022
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers - Media Law - 2022
Lawyer of the Year TMT - IP & TMT Awards 2021
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers - Technology Law (Lisbon) - 2020
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers - Media Law (Lisbon) - 2019
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers - Technology Law – 2017
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers – 2015
“40 Under Forty”, Iberian Lawyer - 2007
In 2016, Magda was nominated for the Financial Times’ Legal Innovator of the Year award, along with the top ten most innovative European lawyers.
Law Degree – Lisbon University Law School.
Introduction to English Law - London School of Economics.
Negotiation Program for Lawyers - Harvard Law School.
Strategic Space Law Program - McGill University, Institute of Air and Space Law.
Compact MBA for Law Firm Leaders - Porto Business School and VdA Academia.
Leading Professional Service Firms - Harvard Business School.
Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age Program - Harvard University.
- Lecturer – Master's Course in Data Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto;
- Lecturer – Postgraduate Programme in Artificial Intelligence for Management, ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa;
- Lecturer – Postgraduate Programme in Personal Data Protection, promoted by NOVA School of Law & Jurisnova;
- Lecturer - Portugal and the Space Sector: Actors, Regulation and Economic Potential, course co-organized by the National Defence Institute (IDN) and University of Porto, Faculty of Letters;
- Lecturer - ECSL Summer Course on Space Law and Policy, promoted by European Centre for Space Law and Lisbon NOVA School of Law;
- Lecturer - Space Studies Program, International Space University;
- Lecturer - Space for Business Course, dedicated to the New Space Economy in Europe, promoted by NOVA School of Business and Economics;
- Lecturer – Cybersecurity Executive Program, promoted by Premivalor Consulting and University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences;
- Lecturer – Master’s in Law & Technology, Lisbon NOVA University, School of Law;
- Lecturer –Advanced LL.M. on Air and Space Law, International Institute of Air and Space Law/Leiden University.
She has penned or co-authored several articles published in national and international specialized publications, notably: World Economic Forum; Elgar Encyclopaedia of Space Law; Lexology In-Depth/ Panoramic Next: Artificial Intelligence Law; Chambers Global Practice Guide: Space Law and TMT; ISTE Ltd editions; Law Business Research Guide to Telecoms Arbitrations; Iberian Lawyer; Wolters Kluwer; OneTrust DataGuidance; Space in Africa Journal; Thomson Reuters; Via Satellite Digital; The Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity Law Review.
Admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association.
Admitted to the Timor-Leste Bar Association (Conselho de Gestão e Disciplina).
Member of the Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructures (OEID) Advisory Board.
Board Member of the Portuguese Quantum Institute (PQI).
Treasurer and Membership Officer of the International Bar Association (IBA) Communications Law Committee.
Member of the General Board of the Association for the Promotion and Development of the Information Society (APDSI).
English, French, Spanish.
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1 -
Chambers Global
Africa Wide: TMT - Band 2
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Legal 500
Portugal | TMT - Tier 1
Hall of FamePortugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Partner
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1"I would say that Magda is the best TMT lawyer in Portugal. She is very senior and has an incredible executive approach. She is clearly the go-to person in complex matters." -
Chambers Global
Africa Wide: TMT - Band 2
Band 3"Magda's reputation affords her immense credibility among our partners, members and stakeholders, who hold her input in high regard." -
Legal 500
Portugal | TMT - Tier 1
Hall Of Fame"I would like to mention Magda Cocco for her incredible work. I testify to her enormous skills and sense of responsibility, making her a great reference in the market."Mozambique | Foreign firms - Tier 1
Key LawyerPortugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Individual"I highlight Magda Cocco and Inês Antas de Barros for the incredible work they do with their team(s). I consider and testify to their enormous skills and sense of responsibility, making them a great reference in the market for me and, thus, justifying my loyalty as a client."
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1"Magda Cocco is an inspiration for her assertiveness and vision." -
Legal 500
Portugal | TMT - Tier 1
Hall of Fame"I don’t know anyone in the market who beats Magda Cocco and her strategic vision."Angola | Foreign firms - Tier 1
Key lawyerPortugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Individuals"Magda Cocco (...), in addition to the excellent reputation they have in the market, provide excellent service, demonstrating assertive and pragmatic leadership. They seek to understand the client’s business, providing opinions and legal advice of excellent quality. My experience with both continues to be absolutely exceptional; I emphasise the quality of Magda Coco(...); Magda Cocco, (...) are recommended; Magda Coco for her technical competence."Mozambique | Foreign firms - Tier 1
Key lawyer
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1"Has very strong experience in telecommunication sector, operators and regulators." "She has in-depth knowledge of the sector and is confident dealing with any aspect." "Her experience and vision make her a reference in the market." -
Legal 500
Portugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Individual"The seniority of the partner Magda Cocco (...) continues to impress me very positively, for their experience, resilience and organisational capacity, even in highly complex processes; Magda Cocco who has enormous knowledge and accumulated experience; Magda Cocco leads the team, with extensive knowledge of the matter, availability for dialogue and effective materialisation of solutions to legal problems, considering different angles."Portugal | TMT - Tier 1
Hall of Fame"Magda Cocco (...) are both partners with extensive experience and expertise in legal consultancy in the telecoms sector. They have the particularity of being a very natural part of multi-disciplinary consulting teams."
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1 -
Chambers Global
Africa Wide: TMT - Band 3
Notable practitioner -
Legal 500
Portugal | Hall of Fame - Hall of Fame
TMTPortugal | TMT - Tier 1
Hall of Fame / Recommended LawyerPortugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Individuals; Recommended Lawyer"An extraordinary lawyer with a tremendous ability to understand clients."
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Chambers Europe
TMT - Band 1
Band 1"Adaptable and flexible to the clients' needs." -
Legal 500
Mozambique | Foreign firms - Tier 1
Recommended LawyersPortugal | Hall of Fame - Hall of Fame
TMTPortugal | Data privacy and data protection - Tier 1
Leading Individuals / Recommended Lawyer / Recommended LawyerPortugal | TMT - Tier 1
Leading Individuals / Recommended Lawyers"Always available to the client and to brainstorm on new and innovative ways to deal with clients' issues." "An outspoken expert in the telecommunications law market."