Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is experienced in bank lending, derivatives, regulatory issues and restructuring. Recent instructions include representing the lender in the refinancing of senior and mezzanine debt. Luís Branco is a ‘star’ and Filipe Lowndes Marques and Pedro Gorjão Henriques are also recommended. The firm recently recruited a Macau-based partner to enhance its international offering.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has traditionally had a strong focus on debt matters, but has bolstered its equity practice through its involvement in privatisations. Luísa Soares da Silva advised Caixa – Banco de Investimento and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, as the joint global co-ordinators, on the second phase of the reprivatisation of Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN). Carlos Osório de Castro and Luísa Soares da Silva are recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has traditionally had a strong focus on debt matters, but has bolstered its equity practice through its involvement in privatisations. Luísa Soares da Silva advised Caixa – Banco de Investimento and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, as the joint global co-ordinators, on the second phase of the reprivatisation of Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN). Carlos Osório de Castro and Luísa Soares da Silva are recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ combines ‘a proactive approach with a strong knowledge of clients’ businesses’. Practice head António Pinto Leite, an IP specialist, is advising new client One-Red on prosecuting counterfeit products. Rui Patrício is defending NOS – Communicações, formerly Optimus, against criminal proceedings alleging a breach of personal data. Miguel de Almada and Francisco Cortez are also recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is ‘among the best firms in Portugal’. Helena Tapp Barroso is advising Impresa Group on restructuring matters and Pedro Pardal Goulão has been assisting Saint Julian’s School with work permit issues and litigation. Luís Miguel Monteiro heads the ‘strong’ team, which also includes António Emílio de Vasconcelos and senior associates Joana Almeida and Oporto-based Paula Ponces Camanho.
Energy and Environment
2015
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados provides ‘a high standard’ of service. Nuno Galvão Teles and senior associates Ricardo Andrade Amaro are advising EDP – Energias de Portugal on electricity tariffs. Tomás Vaz Pinto heads the energy practice. João Pereira Reis, who heads the environment team, is advising Sonae Sierra on environmental impact studies.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has noted an increase in instructions on state aid matters. Department head Carlos Botelho Moniz, who is ‘proactive and diplomatic’, is advising Caixa Geral de Depositos on state aid issues, following the European Commission (EC) review of recapitalisation and restructuring. The firm advised Parpública on the privatisation of state-owned waste management company EGF. Joaquim Vieira Peres, Gonçalo Machado Borges and Eduardo Maia Cadete are also recommended.
Insolvency and Restructuring
2015
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ recent mandates include initiating judicial recovery procedures and acting for Barclays, as a creditor, in the insolvency proceedings of Monofásica. Helena Soares de Moura heads the team.
Intellectual Property
2015
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ full-service IP practice has gained new clients including Sony and Nutrinveste. Tomás Vaz Pinto assists REN with software protection and António Pinto Leite is advising One-Red on counterfeiting enforcement and litigation. Ricardo do Nascimento Ferreira provides ‘excellent advice in a professional manner’ and Vasco Stilwell d’Andrade demonstrates ‘negotiation and settlement skills’
Oporto: Leading Commercial Firms
2015
At Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados, Eduardo Verde Pinho, Bernardo Lobo Xavier and Luís Gagliardini Graça handled Swiss client Dufry’s CHF1.55bn acquisition of The Nuance Group. António Lobo Xavier is representing Cofina in a dispute with the Portuguese tax authorities regarding the application of tax abuse rules. Carlos Osório de Castro, Joaquim Vieira Peres and Jorge Simões Cortez are also recommended. The team works closely with the firm’s Lisbon and international offices.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ experience includes advising on energy projects, road and rail concessions, water and sanitation concessions as well as the construction of football stadiums. Practice head Luís Branco, Filipe Lowndes Marques and Pedro Gorjão Henriques are the key figures.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ ‘solid’ team is advising AgustaWestland Portugal on the supply of a fleet of helicopters to the armed forces; Fernanda Matoso led the advice. Margarida Olazabal Cabral acted for Parpública on the privatisation of the state-owned waste treatment company EGF. Nuno Peres Alves, Pedro Costa Gonçalves and Miguel Nogueira de Brito are also recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados handles real estate acquisitions, financing, disputes and planning matters. It advised EDP on the sale and subsequent leaseback of four buildings in Lisbon; real estate M&A specialist Filipa Arantes Pedroso led the deal with the assistance of Rita Ferreira Vicente and Rui Ribeiro Lima. João Pereira Reis provides ongoing advice to Sonae Sierra Group on planning and municipal taxation pertaining to its shopping centres.
Shipping and Transport
2015
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados provides ‘an excellent all-round service, with commercially focused advice’. Its broad practice spans aviation, shipping and other forms of transport. The team is representing INAER Portugal in an administrative action and precautionary measure challenging the provision of helicopter emergency services by a Portuguese public company. Francisco de Sousa da Câmara leads the shipping practice, which includes Madeira-based Cátia Fernandes and Manuel Freitas Pita. Segismundo Pinto Basto leads the aviation team, which includes Luís Roquette Geraldes.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados assisted Caixa Geral de Depósitos, as vendor, during the privatisation of its insurance business, advising on corporate income tax, VAT, transfer pricing and stamp duty. Francisco de Sousa da Câmara and Oporto-based António Lobo Xavier co-head the team and Bruno Santiago is ‘a first-class tax expert’. António Pedro Braga and Maria Quintela were promoted to the partnership in 2014.
The ‘very professional’ team at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is acting for the newly established NOS Comunicações in a range of matters relating to the merger between ZON and Optimus and is also representing the client in challenging the decision of the telecoms regulator regarding a compensation payment. It represented Safira, an IT consulting boutique, during its sale to KPMG Portugal. Oporto-based António Lobo Xavier heads the team and Lisbon-based Nuno Peres Alves, João Alfredo Afonso, Gonçalo Machado Borges and Eduardo Maia Cadete are also recommended.