Prémios e Rankings | Rankings

Chambers Global

"VdA's team is always very well coordinated and easy to work with under pressure, with tight deadlines and complex issues."

Leading law firm with an expansive bench and an impressive reputation. VdA has a solid client roster which includes major domestic and international banks and other financial institutions. The team advises on the full scope of transactional and regulatory matters, with outstanding expertise in debt restructurings and securitisation mandates. The firm assists with the sale of existing securitisation notes and handles applications to the Portuguese financial services regulator for the authorisation of new securitisation companies. It also offers strong cross-border capabilities involving other lusophone countries, having advised African banks on the financing of domestic public infrastructure projects.

Notable Practitioners

  • Paula Gomes Freire | Eminent Practitioner
  • Francisco Sá Carneiro | Senior Statespeople
  • Pedro Cassiano Santos | Star Individual
  • Benedita Aires | Band 4
  • Hugo Moredo Santos | Band 4
  • Tiago Correia Moreira | Band 4

VdA offers a highly regarded capital markets practice praised for its first-rate expertise in DCM. The team regularly assists international investment banks with their role as managers and underwriters of Portuguese bond issuances, including retail and green bonds. The lawyers also have extensive experience acting on the underwriter side of capital increases carried out by major Portuguese energy or construction companies. The law firm advises on securitisations, acting for an impressive list of originator banks, issuers and investors.

Notable Practitioners

  • Paula Gomes Freire | Eminent Practitioner
  • Pedro Cassiano Santos | Band 1
  • Hugo Moredo Santos | Band 1
  • José Pedro Fazenda Martins | Band 3
  • Orlando Vogler Guiné | Band 4

VdA is a well-reputed outfit tackling complex and high-profile M&A transactions, as well as corporate governance and restructuring operations in the energy, telecommunications and manufacturing industries. The team leverages expertise in tax, capital markets and labour to offer comprehensive assistance to clients. Its clients often include financial groups, multinational entities and asset management companies. The law firm also boasts extensive international capabilities, particularly in Angola and Cabo Verde.

Notable Practitioners

  • João Vieira de Almeida | Senior Statespeople
  • Jorge M Bleck | Senior Statespeople
  • Francisco Sá Carneiro | Senior Statespeople
  • Cláudia Cruz Almeida | Band 1
  • Raul Mota Cerveira | Foreign Expert for São Tomé e Principe (Spotlight)
  • José Miguel Oliveira | Foreign Expert for Angola (Spotlight)
  • Paulo Trindade Costa | Foreign Expert for Angola (Spotlight) | Band 5 
  • Cristina Melo Miranda | Associates to Watch
  • Sofia Bobone | Up and Coming

VdA has a sizeable and multidisciplinary practice with the capacity to handle varied commercial disputes, including international arbitration. The team advises on debt recovery proceedings, corporate disputes and claims arising from the termination of distribution agreements. It has further experience in the enforcement of arbitral awards in Portugal. The lawyers provide support across Portuguese-speaking jurisdictions including Angola, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, assisting with diverse matters ranging from environmental claims to investor-state arbitration.

Notable Practitioners

  • Miguel Pinto Cardoso | Band 1
  • Frederico Gonçalves Pereira | Band 1
  • Mariana França Gouveia | Most In Demand Arbitrator | Band 3
  • Carla Gonçalves Borges | Band 3

VdA's first-class department is active in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The law firm is experienced in the corporate and financial aspects of various road concessions, renewables, waste and water projects. It also boasts further expertise in the healthcare sector. The team benefits from a strong domestic-side practice as well as strengths in international work owing to an extensive network of offices across lusophone Africa, including in Mozambique. The lawyers advise an impressive roster of clients including major financial institutions as well as Portuguese construction companies. 

Notable Practitioners

  • Manuel Protásio | Eminent Practicioner
  • João Afonso Fialho | Foreign Expert for Angola (Spotlight)
  • Vanda Cascão | Foreign Expert for Angola (Spotlight)
  • Teresa Empis Falcão | Band 2
  • Paulo de Barros Baptista | Band 3
  • Ana Luís de Sousa | Band 4
VdA is a market-leading independent law firm with a formidable reputation in the cross-border transactional space. The Lisbon-based practice has a burgeoning international profile with teams covering 13 jurisdictions, including integrated services in lusophone Africa, francophone Africa and Timor-Leste. The firm is particularly highlighted for its strong presence in Angola. For multi-jurisdictional work which extends beyond the firm's footprint, it engages with trusted co-counsel, drawing upon its non-exclusive list of partnership firms across Europe, America and Africa. VdA frequently collaborates with highly rated firms from the UK and USA, which also includes the regular secondment of lawyers.
 
Its superb transactional offering, with leading expertise in M&A, private equity and capital markets, is much sought after by multinational corporations and asset managers. It also houses a top-ranked banking team that is regularly instructed by international financial institutions on the complete range of transactional and regulatory matters. The law firm also boasts an impressive disputes practice covering cross-border commercial litigation, international arbitration and white-collar crime cases. The team is further singled out for its strong international capabilities in outbound project finance, particularly within the oil and gas sector.

VdA is a well-regarded international law firm that is highlighted for its work on behalf of companies from the energy and natural resources space. The Lisbon-headquartered team is adept at handling corporate, tax and finance mandates for clients with interests in Angola, notably those involved in the oil and gas sector. Clients also benefit from its on-the-ground presence via its association with local firm ASP Advogados.

Expertise Based Abroad | Notable Practitioners 

  • João Afonso Fialho | Band 1 
  • José Miguel Oliveira | Band 3 
  • Paulo Trindade Costa | Band 4 

VdA houses an admired team handling both contentious and non-contentious work in Mozambique. The Lisbon-based group is skilled in assisting with project finance, corporate and real estate mandates. The firm's lawyers are also recognised for their presence on significant matters arising within the energy and natural resources sector. Its clients benefit from the firm's local presence through its partnership with Guilherme Daniel & Associados.

Expertise Based Abroad | Notable Practitioners

  • Teresa Empis Falcão | Band 2

VdA is an esteemed Portuguese law firm that is often retained by major corporations from the aviation, beverage and energy sectors to assist with a plethora of mandates. The team is noted for its expertise in public law and regulations in São Tomé e Príncipe. The group is experienced at handling corporate, litigation and real estate matters. It is associated with local law firm VNA Advogados.

Expertise Based Abroad | Notable Practitioners

  •  Raul Mota Cerveira | Spotlight

VdA maintains a respected practice in Dili, supported by its offices in 11 other lusophone or francophone jurisdictions. It principally handles oil and gas and telecoms mandates, and also offers expertise in banking, M&A and tax, among other areas. The firm acts for a number of government entities as well as private sector clients, including banks and oil and gas companies. 

Expertise Based Abroad | Notable Practitioners

  •  João Afonso Fialho | Band 2

VdA is a Lisbon-headquartered law firm that is recognised as a leading expert in the energy and oil and gas sectors. Its team also has capabilities in labour law, litigation and arbitration, including in regional matters, and frequently advises global clients on transactional due diligence. It also actively advises on local regulatory frameworks, including matters concerning foreign exchange rules and banking.

VdA is a well-regarded Lisbon-based law firm that advises clients on sophisticated mandates arising within the natural resources sector in Guinea-Bissau. Clients also benefit from its experience handling regulatory and finance mandates.

VdA is a well-respected Portuguese law firm with considerable experience and activity operating in lusophone Africa, in addition to francophone Africa. The team is well positioned to assist with regulatory concerns, as well as the development of legislation in this space. It has further expertise in the financing and construction of communications infrastructure. In addition to representing private companies in the telecoms and technology sectors, the firm possesses extensive experience acting for public sector bodies and associations.

Notable Practitioners

  • Magda Cocco | Band 3 

VdA is a well-known Portuguese law firm with considerable resources dedicated to transactions across lusophone Africa, particularly Angola and Mozambique. The firm is noted for its experience advising on the privatisation of state-owned entities, as well as investments into infrastructure development. The team possesses deep experience in a number of key industries, including the energy and power sectors, as well as financial services and manufactuing.

VdA is sought after by a plethora of big-name clients to handle a variety of disputes in Africa. It is especially noteworthy for its focus on lusophone jurisdictions such as Angola and Mozambique. The team is adept at handling a variety of cases, including commercial litigation and investor-state arbitration as well as corporate investigations. 

VdA is a well-established Portuguese law firm that possesses considerable expertise in lusophone Africa, most significantly in Angola and Mozambique, including with regard to large cross-continental projects. It also has further strength advising on matters arising in francophone jurisdictions. The group possesses a significant presence in the oil and gas sector, where it represents major international companies and development banks. In addition to providing counsel on development and financing mandates, the group also handles an array of regulatory and M&A work.