Sofia Ribeiro Branco
Sofia Ribeiro Branco
Joined VdA in 1999. Head Partner of the Investigations & White-Collar practice.
Has extensive experience in advising on criminal litigation matters, with a focus on economic and corporate crimes (including cybercrime, capital markets-related crimes, fraud, corruption and related offences, scams, and tax crimes, among others), including searches and seizures.
Recognised for designing and implementing innovative defence strategies in regulatory and misdemeanour proceedings brought by the various sectoral regulatory authorities and by transversal authorities (including the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM), National Data Protection Commission (CNPD), Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE), Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC), Portuguese Regulatory Authority for Communications (ANACOM), Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE), Portuguese Regulatory Authority for the Media (ERC), Portuguese Games Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ), Portuguese Authority for Medicines and Health Products (INFARMED), and the Inspectorate-General for Agriculture, the Sea, the Environment, and Spatial Planning (IGAMAOT), in the following sectors: banking, financial and capital markets, insurance, environment, tax, labour, telecommunications, privacy, postal, health, games, construction, real estate and urban planning, and competition).
Has vast corporate risk management expertise, advising both national and multinational entities on the design and development of compliance programmes in the fields of corruption prevention, anti-money laundering and terrorist financing, and whistleblower protection.
Advises on international sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Nations and supports the defence in non-compliance investigations.
Assists clients in ongoing cases of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Conducts internal investigations to prepare companies’ defences following the launch of sanction procedures and in the context of due diligence exercises and periodic compliance reviews.
Regularly participates in proceedings for the enforcement in Portugal of sanctions imposed by foreign countries and for the collection of evidence requiring international judicial cooperation.
Law Degree, Catholic University of Lisbon, Faculty of Law.
Masters degree in Corporate Law, University of Lisbon, Faculty of Law (dissertation on shareholders’ right to information).
Post-graduation in misdemeanour/administrative offenses applicable by Regulatory Authorities, University of Lisbon, Faculty of Law.
Specialized Course I in Compliance and Criminal Law.
Author or co-author of several articles, in national and international publications, namely:
- “A responsabilidade dos Administradores e do Responsável pelo Cumprimento Normativo no contexto da Prevenção da Corrupção: breve comentário à luz da aprovação do Regime Geral da Prevenção da Corrupção”, in A Prática do Contencioso - Reflexões e Tendências de Direito Substantivo e Processual, Coord. Frederico Gonçalves Pereira, Almedina, 2024
- “Green “Watching””, Jornal Económico, September 2024
- “A Reputação de Manhã é Ouro, à Tarde Prata e à Noite Mata” (Reputation in the Morning is Gold, in the Afternoon Silver, and at Night it Kills), Advocatus Magazine, 2024
- “Requiem pela Vida Privada do Ofendido”, Jornal Económico, April 2024
- “Knocking on constitutional court’s door”, Jornal Económico, November 2019
- “Corporate crimes and related-infractions”, Direito das Sociedades em Revista, IV Congresso, Livraria Almedina, 2016
- “Businesses must introduce new data privacy rules”, Iberian Lawyer, 2016
- “Greater scrutiny of companies means external lawyers’ role is crucial“, Iberian Lawyer, 2016
- “Delegation of powers within corporations: a way to mitigate criminal liability for corruption offences”, Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division, Volume 9, Number 1, September 2016
- “The Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Review - Portugal”, Law Business Research, Edition 5, 2016
- “Notas sobre os crimes do Código das Sociedades Comerciais e alguns afins”, Direito das Sociedades em Revista, IV Congresso, Almedina, 2016
- “The Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Review - Portugal”, Law Business Research, Edition 4, 2015
- Iberian Lawyer Review: Special Focus: White Collar Crime, 2014
- “Lei da Arbitragem Voluntária”, 2013, co-author
- New Package of Criminal Legislation 2013, 2013
- “The new Arbitration Law”, 2013, co-author
- “Shareholders’ right to information”, Livraria Almedina, 2008
- “The representation of minority shareholders in the Board of Directors”, O Direito, 2004
Participates in numerous conferences, seminars and round tables, in her areas of expertise.
Admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association.
Member of the Management and Disciplinary Board of Timor-Leste’s Bar Association.
Member of the Advisory Board of Fórum Penal (the Portuguese Criminal Justice Forum).
Member of the Portuguese Compliance and Regulatory Observatory (OPCR).
English, French.
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Chambers Europe
White-Collar Crime - Band 2
Band 1"Sofia Ribeiro Branco is extremely dedicated, always available, has a deep knowledge of procedural matters and pays attention to detail." -
Legal 500
Portugal | Fraud and white-collar crime - Tier 1
Leading Individual"The team has unique expertise in the Portuguese market. Sofia Ribeiro Branco is an excellent professional, with great experience in the area. She combines very solid legal knowledge, sagacity and great availability, involvement and commitment to the cases she works on."
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Chambers Europe
Dispute Resolution - Band 1
Band 1"Sofia Ribeiro Branco is an excellent litigation strategist, always providing a comprehensive analysis and extremely attentive to details; Sofia is very practical and proactive." -
Legal 500
Portugal | Fraud and white-collar crime - Tier 1
Practice head
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Chambers Europe
Dispute Resolution - Band 1
Band 2: Corporate Crime
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Chambers Europe
Dispute Resolution - Band 1
Band 2 | Dispute Resolution - Corporate Crime"A great lawyer, she is someone who is dedicated to the client." -
Legal 500
Portugal | Fraud and white-collar crime - Tier 1
Recommended Lawyers
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Chambers Europe
Dispute Resolution - Band 2
Band 2 | Dispute Resolution - Corporate Crime -
Legal 500
Portugal | Dispute Resolution - Tier 1
"A remarkable young lawyer. Clearly one of the best of her generation."Portugal | Fraud and white-collar crime - Tier 1
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