Banking:
- Benedita Aires | Notable Practitioner
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Francisco Sá Carneiro |Highly Regarded
- Hugo Moredo dos Santos | Highly Regarded
Banking and Finance:
- Pedro Cassiano Santos | Market Leader
- Pedro Simões Coelho | Highly Regarded
- Tiago Correia Moreira | Rising Star Partner
- Maria Cunha Matos | Rising Star Partner
- Tiago Correia Moreira | Rising Star Partner
- Pedro Cassiano Santos | Market Leader
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Francisco Sá Carneiro |Highly Regarded
- José Pedro Fazenda Martins | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Hugo Moredo Santos | Highly Regarded
- Francisco Sá Carneiro |Highly Regarded
- José Pedro Fazenda Martins | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Olavo Cunha | Highly Regarded
- Pedro Cassiano Santos | Market Leader
- Hugo Moredo dos Santos | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
- Pedro Simões Coelho | Highly Regarded
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly Regarded
- João Afonso Fialho | Highly Regarded
- Jurisdiction: Angola
- João Vieira de Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly Regarded
- José Miguel Oliveira | Highly Regarded
- Maria Cunha Matos | Rising Star Partner
- Paulo de Barros Baptista | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Olavo Cunha | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Trindade Costa | Highly Regarded
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly regarded
- João Vieira de Almeida | Highly regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly regarded
- Ana Luís de Sousa | Highly Regarded
- Manuel Protásio | Highly Regarded
- Paulo de Barros Baptista | Highly Regarded
- Vanda Cascão | Highly Regarded
- Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira | Highly Regarded
- Teresa Empis Falcão | Highly Regarded
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Filipa Cotta | Highly Regarded
- Frederico Gonçalves Pereira | Highly Regarded
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly Regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly Regarded
- Teresa Pitôrra | | Highly Regarded
IFLR1000 Women Leaders is an elite ranking category reserved for the most prominent women lawyers across the world working in the areas of law IFLR1000 researches. This is an exclusive group of lawyers with outstanding reputations within their markets who either have expertise and experience of working on complex deals, or who have risen to hold leadership roles with their firms or their practices. For some individuals both these things are true.
- Ana Luís de Sousa
Practice area: Project Finance - Cláudia da Cruz Almeida
Practice areas: Banking, Capital markets : Debt, Capital markets : Equity, M&A, Restructuring and insolvency - Filipa Cotta
Practice area: Restructuring and insolvency - Paula Gomes Freire
Practice area: Capital markets: Debt, Capital Markets: Equity, Capital markets: Sturctured finance and securitisation - Teresa Empis Falcão
Practice area: Project development - Vanda Cascão
Practice area: Project finance
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
In capital markets the firm has developed relationships with Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Banco Invest, Haitong Bank, Mota-Engil SGPS, Sport Lisboa e Benfica - Futebol, Morgan Stanley & Co, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and Banco Santander Totta.
- Maria Cunha Matos | Rising Star
- Tiago Correia Moreira | Rising Star Partner
"Very proactive, always looking out for the best interests of the customer."
"VdA's team is proactive, easy to contact and work with. They understand very well the needs of the client and perfectly decode the requirements of Portuguese law for non-Portuguese operators. In our experience they are focused on providing excellent advice with a highly efficient procedure."
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In debt capital markets the firm worked on bond and note issuances for clients connected with financial services and consumer services.
- Pedro Cassiano Santos | Market Leader
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- José Pedro Fazenda Martins | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In equity capital markets the firm worked on private placements for clients in financial services.
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Hugo Moredo Santos | Highly Regarded
- José Pedro Fazenda Martins | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Olavo Cunha | Highly Regarded
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In structured finance and securitisation capital markets the firm worked on securitisations for clients connected with banking and financials services.
- Pedro Cassiano Santos | Market Leader
- Hugo Moredo dos Santos | Highly Regarded
- Paula Gomes Freire | Highly Regarded
- Pedro Simões Coelho | Highly Regarded
"Professionalism, knowledge and organization were common skills."
"Quality of work and experience, with an excellent client approach following up on every request."
"Excellent response time and quality of responses."
"Deep knowledge and a great track record of similar transactions, they were objective and pragmatic."
"Both teams have different skills, what they have in common though was professionalism, knowledge and organization."
"VdA demonstrated strong and solid knowledge of the sector."
"Very experienced M&A team, smoothly running the process. They provided high quality legal advice and business oriented. Great competitor firm to team up with."
"The lawyers involved in the transaction showed a strong knowledge of the telecommunication sector."
"Professional, they met deadlines and provided excellent technical advice."
"The firm provides an all-in service, with an available team who are knowledgeable about both the work under way and the applicable law, and who are pragmatic in their handling of matters but are still very client oriented. The last two operations were conducted under lockdown due to COVID-19 and all negotiations continued smoothly and were uneventful."
"They showed know-how, expertise, coordination, team spirit, and had a capacity to deliver on time, under pressure and in very complex situations."
"Competent and professional. They made efforts to ensure the deal was made and were highly available."
"Strong knowledge of the Portuguese legal code, with a deep bench of talented young lawyers but also a Partner commitment."
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions for clients connected with banking and financial services, renewables, consumer goods and services and real estate.
Key clients
In M&A the firm has developed relationships with José de Mello Capital, Parpública – Participações Públicas (SGPS), Portuguese State, Cellnex Telecom, China Communications Construction Co, SAUR, Novabase SGPS, Finerge, First State Investments, Finerge Group, Ageas Portugal, ENGIE, Horizon Equity Partners and A4F.
Research period review: 31st edition
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions for clients connected with banking and financial services, renewables, consumer goods and services and real estate.
Deal highlights: 31st edition
Carlyle investment in Logoplaste
Cellnex Telecom acquisition of NOS Towering
Portuguese rescue loan and acquisition of Transportes Aéreos Portugueses shares
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- "Very experienced and client oriented."
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly Regarded
- João Afonso Fialho | Highly Regarded
- Jurisdiction: Angola
- João Vieira de Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly Regarded
- "Very experienced and client oriented."
- José Miguel Oliveira | Highly Regarded
- Maria Cunha Matos | Rising Star
- "Strong and solid knowledge in M&A transactions."
- Paulo de Barros Baptista | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Olavo Cunha | Highly Regarded
- Paulo Trindade Costa | Highly Regarded
- "He is client oriented, has negotiation skills and is flexible in his thinking."
- "Pro-active, very insightful of the law, client oriented, determined in getting the deal done in the client's best interest."
- "Knowledgeable and effective."
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly regarded
- João Vieira de Almeida | Highly regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly regarded
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In project development the firm’s work focused on concessions, negotiations and licensing work for clients connected with renewables, oil and gas and financial services.
Deal highlights: 31st edition
Finerge Group €150 million financing
Rovuma Basin $20 billion LNG project
Sunrise Fields LNG project
Luanda Refinery Modernisation & Expansion project
Baixo Tejo subconcession project
- Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira | Highly Regarded
- Teresa Empis Falcão | Highly Regarded
- "Knowledgeable and effective."
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In project finance the firm worked on financing projects for clients connected with financial services, oil and gas and renewables.
Key clients
In projects the firm has developed relationships with Total E&P Mozambique, European Investment Bank, Brisa, Finerge, AEBT, KT, Timor-Leste National Petroleum and Minerals Authority, Unicredit, Novo Banco and Simemens Bank.
Deal highlights: 31st edition
Finerge Group €150 million financing
Rovuma Basin $20 billion LNG project
Sunrise Fields LNG project
Luanda Refinery Modernisation & Expansion project
Baixo Tejo subconcession project
- Ana Luís de Sousa | Highly Regarded
- Manuel Protásio | Highly Regarded
- Paulo de Barros Baptista | Highly Regarded
- Vanda Cascão | Highly Regarded
"Highly skilled in difficult negotiations with a strong legal basis."
"They are true experts in the field, and really understand what can be achieved and how."
"Excellent knowledge of Portuguese restructuring and insolvency procedures including within the context of EU State Aid."
"It is a full service law firm, one can fully rely that VdA's advice is promptly given and thoroughly thought. Always available to explore complex structures and take the lead in the negotiations on our behalf if requested."
"VdA provides highly technical advice regarding the various legal aspects to take into consideration the restructuring, with detailed knowledge of the sector of activity of the company(ies) at hand."
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
Key clients
In restructuring and insolvency, the firm has developed relationships with Banco Comercial Português, Carval Investors, Fir Tree Partners, Värde, Wingspan Investments, Citibank London; Banco de Portugal, Massa Insolvente do Fundo Promovest, Massa Insolvente da Sociedade de Renovação Urbana do Campo Pequeno and Caixa Gestão de Ativos.
Research period review: 31st edition
During the research period the firm was active in banking, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation capital markets, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In restructuring and insolvency, the firm worked on corporate restructuring and insolvency proceedings for clients connected to financial services, healthcare and consumer services.
In August 2020 the firm welcomed PLMJ restructuring partner Filipa Cotta to the firm.
- Cláudia da Cruz Almeida | Highly Regarded
- Filipa Cotta | Highly Regarded
- "An excellent business adviser, much more than a lawyer."
- "An expert in her field. She understands the issues facing the client and provides solutions."
- "Excellent knowledge of Portuguese restructuring and insolvency procedures."
- "Filipa is wise, knowledgeable of the files and applies a strategic approach."
- "Quickly grasps complex, high value issues and provides timely, innovative and commercial advice."
- Frederico Gonçalves Pereira | Highly Regarded
- Helena Vaz Pinto | Highly Regarded
- Jorge Bleck | Highly Regarded
- Teresa Pitôrra | | Highly Regarded
- "Knowledgeable and available."
- "Teresa is highly skilled, efficient and dedicated to the project and the client. She fully understands the client's requests, anticipates the issues that will be raised by our counterparties and excels in handling complex matters.""
The firm is a leader across the market achieving top tier status in all ranked practice areas in Portugal. The firm has also developed a specialism for working with clients connected to banking and financial services.
Client Feedback: 31st edition
Financial services regulatory
- "Pro-active, efficient, experienced (with good judgment) and well-connected"
Insolvency
- "They showed strategic thinking in a multidisciplinary action with an ability to explore extrajudicial solutions."
__________
Jorge Bleck
- "Jorge has a very distinctive characteristic, which is not only expert legal knowledge and sector understanding, but the ability to oversee the whole operation and enforce the position of the client against possible strategies that the counterparty may come up with."
Maria Cunha Matos
- "She showed an expertise, leadership, coordination, communication, capacity to deliver under tight deadlines and in complex situations."
- "Solid knowledge and available to discuss and find different solutions to issues raised by the other party and also extremely enjoyable to work with."
- "Solid knowledge, solution and consensus maker, excellent (top) relationship with colleagues and reliable."
Tiago Correia Moreira
- "Experienced, thoughtful and good at adapting to changing situations and coming up with constructive suggestions."
Tiago Bessa
- "Knowledgeable, reasonable, has excellent relationship with colleagues and is calm."
Ana Lickfold de Novaes e Silva
- "Client oriented, very knowledgeable about the law, flexible and innovative in finding solutions forthe client. She is always optimistic though quick to analyze the possible downsides of an issue and work against them, seeking the best solution possible."
Antonio Mendes de Almeida
- "He comprehended the deal and its details and showed good communication capacity with both the client and his counterpart. He demonstrated a proactiveness in presenting solutions and had excellent technical capacity."
Inês Gomes Ferreira
- "Excellent client feedback and quality responses." "Very good client follow up and available with huge experience in the sector where she works. She is a problem solver and also pragmatic."
Orlando Vogler Guiné
- "Available, committed and an expert."
Francisca César Machado
- "Francisca is a young lawyer who has demonstrated a great ability to assist with the matters we have been dealing with during our transaction. Her attention to detail, ability to meet difficult deadlines and technical legal knowledge is more than one would expect at her level."
Isa Rodrigues
- "Highly available and very knowledgeable."