IFLR: Morais Leitão wins again "Portugal Law Firm of the Year” and Diana Ribeiro Duarte is distinguished as Rising Star

Morais Leitão is distinguished for the eighth time as "Portugal Law Firm of the Year" by the prestigious British directory IFLR (International Financial Law Review) in its European awards, repeating once again one of the most important distinctions in the legal sector.
Diana Ribeiro Duarte, senior lawyer, is also presented with the Rising Star of the Year Award, an award that highlights, at a European level, her role in an impressive 2020 transaction list.

As usual, this award highlights the work of the most reputable national and European firms throughout the year 2020, regarding the advisory provided in the most innovative transactions, in all legal areas. It is awarded based on the innovation and complexity of the transactions evaluated, as well as on the recognition from clients, peers, and through an independent research.

According to IFLR, “ML wins Portugal law firm of the year 2021 for its impact and roles on several highly innovative transactions. Perhaps one of its most impressive pieces of work was for EDP (Energias de Portugal), where a team led by Ricardo Andrade Amaro advised EDP on the sale of six large hydroelectric dams to a consortium of Engie, Mirova and Crédit Agricole Assurances. The deal was unprecedented, involving the auctioning of dams that had been with the business for over half a century, deeply integrated into the local economies and located in a region under a unique legal framework governed by Portugal and Spain. The deal was highly regulated and raised multiple first-of-their-kind legal issues.”

Another highlight deal was Tagus RMBS Green Belém 1, shortlisted for “Structured Finance and Securitisation Deal of the Year”. The firm advised Banco Santander as arranger and manager. The deal was the first public securitisation of loans in the Portuguese market made under the EU's Securitisation Regulation, the first to be labelled STS (simple, transparent and standardised) under the Securitisation Regulation in Portugal and the first green RMBS securitisation in the Iberian Peninsula.

Diana Ribeiro Duarte, on the other hand, had, according to IFLR, “an instrumental role on Engie-led consortium’s acquisition of six dams from EDP and on the acquisition of Brisa by APG Asset Management, National Pension Service of the Republic of Korea and Swiss Life Asset Managers. She also worked on the shortlisted acquisition of Idealista by EQT.”

For Nuno Galvão Teles, managing partner of Morais Leitão, "this award reflects the outstanding work of the Morais Leitão team. In a particularly demanding year from a personal and professional balance point of view, we maintained the most demanding standards of client service, advising the most innovative and relevant transactions in the Portuguese market".