Paulo Olavo Cunha
Group Senior Partner Social & Corporate Advisory | Partner Corporate and M&A, Head of Practice Partner Restructuring & Insolvency
Paulo Olavo Cunha
Paulo Olavo Cunha joined VdA in 2005. Social & Corporate Advisory Group Senior Partner, Head of the Restructuring & Insolvency practice and Partner of the Corporate and M&A practice.
Specialised in Corporate Law, Paulo has been responsible for overseeing some of the most important projects, transactions, and company restructuring processes, both nationally and internationally. He provides ongoing legal advice to members of the management board of leading Portuguese companies on corporate strategy and other complex corporate matters, as well as to major public limited companies with respect to shareholders relations and disputes.
In addition to providing legal opinions to management and supervisory bodies on a variety of issues, Paulo has acted on Corporate Governance, Sustainability and Ethics Committees as an expert.
Full Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of Católica University Lisbon (UCP), where he has taught since 1984.
Author of a vast bibliography on Corporate Law and of an extensive bibliography (studies and articles) on Commercial, Insolvency, and Corporate Law.
Law degree, Católica University Lisbon, Faculty of Human Sciences.
Masters in Law [Legal Sciences (Commercial Legal Sciences option)], Católica University Lisbon, Faculty of Law.
PhD in Law (Commercial Legal Sciences), Católica University Lisbon.
“Aggregation” in Law by Católica University Lisbon.
Full Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of Católica University Lisbon (UCP), where he has taught since 1984.
Coordinator of the Masters in Corporate Law and of the Postgraduate in Commercial Companies Law (Lisbon).
Director, in the 1st semester of the current academic year (2022-23), of the modules (i) Commercial Law, of the Undergraduate degree in Law at UCP Lisbon, and (ii) Corporate Governance, of the Masters in Corporate Law also at UCP.
Director, in the 2nd semester of the current academic year (2022-23), of the modules (i) Commercial Companies, of the Undergraduate degree in Law at UCP Lisbon, and (ii) Contestation of Company Resolutions and (iii) Structure and Governance of Public Limited Companies, of the Masters in Corporate Law at UCP Lisbon and the Masters in Law and Management at UCP Porto, respectively.
Speaker at several national and international congresses and workshops, particularly on topics related to commercial companies and insolvency.
Former partner of Ferreira Pinto, Olavo Cunha & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados (2002-2005) and founding partner of Olavo Cunha, Franqueira Dias & Associados – Sociedade de Advogados (1994-2002).
Author of several publications, the most recent of which include:
- Direito Comercial e do Mercado (Commercial and Market Law), Almedina, Coimbra, 2021 (578 pp.);
- O Ensino do Direito Comercial e do Mercado (The Teaching of Commercial and Market Law), Almedina, Coimbra, 2021 (148 pp.);
- Deliberações Sociais: Formação e Impugnação (Shareholders’ Resolutions: Formation and Contestation), Almedina, Coimbra, 2020 (XX-400 pp.);
- Direito Empresarial para Economistas e Gestores (Corporate Law for Economists and Managers), 3rd edition, Almedina, Coimbra, 2020 (XVII-527 pp.);
- Direito das Sociedades Comerciais (Commercial Companies Law),7th edition, Almedina, Coimbra, 2019 (XXII-1353 pp.).
Author of an extensive bibliography (of studies and articles) on Commercial, Insolvency and Corporate Law.
Member of the Portuguese Bar Association.
Member of the International Bar Association (IBA).
Director and editor of «Direito das Sociedades em Revista» (Corporate Law Review).
Editor of «Revista de Direito da Insolvência» (Insolvency Law Review).
Member of the Scientific Committee of «Revista de Direito Financeiro e dos Mercados de Capitais» (Financial and Capital Markets Law Journal).
Member of the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law / Centro de Estudos e Investigação em Direito (CEID) da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
Founding member of the Portuguese Intellectual Property Law Association.
Listed arbitrator of the Commercial Arbitration Centre of the Lisbon Trade Association of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Chairman of the General Meeting of several public limited companies.
English, French, Spanish.
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IFLR 1000
Capital Markets: Equity 2024 - Tier 1
Highly Regarded"Paulo is specialised in Company Law and has been responsible for major projects, transactions, and group restructuring operations."M&A 2024 - Tier 1
Highly Regarded"Paulo actively advises members of the board of directors of some of the major Portuguese companies in strategic and complex corporate related aspects."
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IFLR 1000
M&A 2023 - Tier 1
Capital Markets: Equity 2023 - Tier 1
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IFLR 1000
M&A 2022 - Tier 1
Highly RegardedCapital Markets Equity 2022 - Tier 1
Highly RegardedM&A (31st Edition) - Tier 1
Highly RegardedCapital Markets Equity (31st Edition) - Tier 1
Highly regarded
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IFLR 1000
Capital Markets Equity - Tier 1
Highly RegardedMergers and acquisitions - Tier 1
Highly Regarded -
Legal 500
Portugal | Commercial, Corporate and M&A - Tier 1
Recommended Lawyer
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IFLR 1000
Capital Markets Equity - Tier 1
Highly RegardedM&A - Tier 1
Highly Regarded -
Legal 500
Portugal | Commercial, Corporate and M&A - Tier 1
Recommended Lawyer