Shipping and Transport
2016
The lawyers at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados provide ‘timely and informed responses’. Segismundo Pinto Basto leads the aviation team. Madeira-based senior associate Cátia Fernandes has expertise in aviation tax, while also advising shipping clients on Madeira’s special tax regime.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados provides ‘detailed and professional’ advice on tax structuring, compliance and litigation. Oporto-based António Lobo Xavier and ‘tax expert’ Francisco de Sousa da Câmara head the team, which includes António Pedro Braga, Maria Quintela and recently promoted partner Bruno Santiago.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is a “go-to” adviser for NOS Comunicações and media group IMPRESA, and is increasingly instructed by online gambling companies. IT and data protection specialist João Alfredo Afonso, telecoms expert Nuno Peres Alves and Oporto-based António Lobo Xavier, who is experienced in electronic communications regulations, are recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados regularly wins key instructions on high-profile transactions. Filipa Arantes Pedroso led a team, which included new partner Rita Ferreira Vicente and Rui Ribeiro Lima, advising Fundo de Pensões EDP on two deals relating to the sale and leaseback of buildings in Lisbon’s business centre. João Pereira Reis is a key name for environment matters and real estate litigation.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has notable expertise in the pharmaceuticals sector, where Margarida Olazabal Cabral is leading advice to several pharmaceuticals companies on the public procurement procedure for the supply of medicines and medical devices to Portugal’s health authority. In other work highlights, Fernanda Matoso is assisting Agustawestland with the supply of helicopters to the Portuguese armed forces. Nuno Peres Alves, Pedro Costa Gonçalves and Miguel Nogueira de Brito are also recommended.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados received a flow of instructions from Galp Energia, as project sponsor, and Âncora Wind – Energia Eólica to prepare, revise and negotiate works contracts, which included assisting with five works contracts for the construction of wind farms with Senvion. Luís Branco, Filipe Lowndes Marques and Filipa Morais Alçada are ‘able to quickly present solutions and alternatives’ in negotiations. Ana Monjardino and Pedro Gorjão Henriques are also recommended.
The planning team at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados works closely with the firm’s real estate practice, as well as handling standalone matters. João Pereira Reis and Rui Ribeiro Lima are assisting Millennium BCP with planning issues pertaining to the construction of two buildings in Lisbon, which includes advising on planning permits.
Oporto: Leading Commercial Firms
2016
The Oporto office of Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados was recently retained by Meriton to handle the acquisition of FC Valencia; a matter led by Carlos Osório de Castro. Corporate and commercial practitioners Bernardo Lobo Xavier, Luís Gagliardini Graça, Jorge Simões Cortez and Eduardo Verde Pinho, along with EU and competition expert Joaquim Vieira Peres, and head of tax António Lobo Xavier are the names to note.
Intellectual Property
2016
At Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados, António Pinto Leite is highly rated for IP arbitration, recently handling patent disputes in the pharmaceuticals sector. Carlos Osório de Castro advises well-known personalities such as Cristiano Ronaldo on image rights. Senior associate and ‘great negotiator’ Vasco Stilwell d’Andrade ‘achieves extraordinary results’, and Tomás Vaz Pinto and senior associate Ricardo do Nascimento Ferreira are also recommended. Clients include Apple, One-Red and SK Chemicals.
Insolvency and Restructuring
2016
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados assisted pharmaceutical distributor OCP Portugal with the recovery of credits in insolvency and revitalisation proceedings involving several pharmacies, and routinely advises banks on credit recovery from insolvent lenders. Helena Soares de Moura and Carlos Osório de Castro are standout practitioners.
Fraud and white-collar crime
2016
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados routinely acts on high-profile fraud cases and is also experienced in handling international criminal law and compliance matters. Practice head Rui Patrício is defending a board member and several employees of Banco Espírito Santo against criminal charges for insider trading, and is representing Maria Eduarda Casadinho Napoleão, Lisbon’s former town planning councillor, in criminal proceedings pertaining to the alleged unlawful approval of a property sale to BragaParques. Tiago Félix da Costa is also recommended.
Energy and Environment
2016
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados acts for major consortia including Galp Energia and EDP – Energias de Portugal; Nuno Galvão Teles and the recently promoted Ricardo Andrade Amaro are advising the latter on electricity tariff securitisations. Tomás Vaz Pinto is a key name for energy transactions and senior associate Catarina Brito Ferreira is also recommended.
At Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados, the ‘very good’ team handles a broad spread of contentious and advisory work. Practice head Pedro Pardal Goulão is recommended, and Helena Tapp Barroso is advising the Impresa Group on labour and social security matters. Previous practice head Luís Miguel Monteiro (‘who is very competent and highly reliable’) remains a key part of the team, which also includes António Emílio de Vasconcelos, Joana Almeida and Paula Ponces Camanho.
The ‘very professional’ group at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados receives standout instructions across the full spectrum of competition matters. Carlos Botelho Moniz, Pedro de Gouveia e Melo and the ‘intelligent’ Luís do Nascimento Ferreira were part of a team representing EDP in a high-profile state aid investigation undertaken by the European Commission. Joaquim Vieira Peres is taking a leading role advising clients on complying with the 2013 Restrictive Trade Practices Act.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is involved in several arbitration proceedings in Lusophone countries. On the litigation front, Francisco Cortez is representing Deutsche Bank in a case against two of its clients pertaining to a contractual change following the financial crisis. Practice head António Pinto Leite was appointed as the Portuguese member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in July 2015. Also recommended are Miguel de Almada and arbitrator Filipe Vaz Pinto, who is an ‘intelligent and seasoned lawyer’.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has a sizeable team with 15 partners dedicated to this area, including a number of well-regarded figures, such as Carlos Osório de Castro, Nuno Galvão Teles and João Soares da Silva. Eduardo Paulino and energy and natural resources specialist Ricardo Andrade Amaro were promoted to the partnership in 2015. The team advised Solvay on a joint venture agreement with specialty and intermediate chemicals company INEOS for the creation of a joint PVC producer, and assisted EDP Labelec with setting up an R&D centre.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has an excellent track record in capital markets work. On the debt side, the team acts for Barclays, Energias de Portugal (EDP) and Morgan Stanley. Practice head João Soares da Silva, Luísa Soares da Silva and Carlos Osório de Castro are key names to note. Ricardo Andrade Amaro and Eduardo Paulino were made up to partners in 2015.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is particularly renowned for its project finance expertise, and recently assisted both the borrower, Parque Eólico do Pisco, and the shareholder, WPR – Windpartners Renováveis, with the financing of the construction, operation and maintenance of a €50m wind farm; Filipe Lowndes Marques led the advice. Pedro Gorjão Henriques and practice head Luís Branco are also recommended.