Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados acts for a number of national and international clients, such as Alcoa Fujikura, EDP – Electricidade de Portugal and Santander Group. Senior associate Luís Miguel Monteiro is he firm’s head of practice.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados’ head of department. Among several other transactions, the firm advised EDP in relation to notification to the European Commission of the acquisition of Hidroeléctrica del Cantabrico (the fourth largest electricity producer and retailer in Spain).
Following Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados’ recent merger, the firm now boasts three of the best litigators in Portugal: Joao Morais Leitao, José Manuel Galvao Teles and Miguel Galvao Teles. Although name partner Joao Morais Leitao has retired from the main practice, he is still very active on international arbitrations. The firm’s very experienced team also includes partner António Pinto Leite who is also highly recommended. Highlights include advising EDP – Electricidade de Portugal on an arbitration relating to the construction of the Alqueva dam.
The post-merger Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares Da Silva & Associados has become a prime corporate firm in Portugal. Joao Soares da Silva, Nuno Galvao Teles, Segismundo Pinto Basto and Luísa Soares da Silva are four top-drawer partners in a star team. Highlights include advising Millennium BCPin the €843m sale of the insurance company of the Millennium BCP group. The firm also advised EDP – Electricidade de Portugal in its acquisition of an additional stake in Hidroelectrica del Cantabrico,having represented it on the largest foreign investment ever made by a Portuguese company.
The sheer experience and highly distinguished reputation of partner Francisco de Sousa da Câmara in the market secures Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ position as a leading practice in the field. In addition, having merged with Osório de Castro, Verde Pinho, Vieira Peres, Lobo Xavier e Associados, the firm saw one of the country’s most cherished tax experts, António Lobo Xavier, integrate into its astounding team of partners. The firm’s capabilities in complex matters were noted in its advice to EDP group, namely in the privatisation of 11% of its share capital. This was a ground-breaking transaction and the largest-ever in Portugal, which was intended to finance the acquisition of a 56.2% stake in Spanish energy company Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico. Particular tax work was performed in order to have new shareholders benefit from specific tax incentives.
Another of the acclaimed teams in telecoms is headed by Filipa Arantes Pedroso, partner at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados. She led the firm’s advice to ASCOM Holding AG, a Swiss listed telecommunications company in relation to Project Mario, involving the sale of its private branch exchange division to a Danish subsidiary of Aastra Technologies Limited – a €7m transaction that involved a number of share and asset deals across various European countries.
Real Estate and Construction
2006
Also recognised as a leading practice, Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados advised Sonae Sierra Group on various issues, namely shopping centres, land use planning and municipal taxes, and Vilamoura XX, a €350m urban development project in the Algarve. Partner João Pereira Reis led the firm’s advice in these transactions. The firm was also advising SAIP on the planning and construction of a €900m tourism real estate venture in the south of Portugal.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados offers a high standard of legal advice and collects praise for its outstanding team. Partner Fernanda Matoso is a leading individual and fellow partners João Serra and João Pereira Reis are also highly regarded practitioners. Some of the firm’s main operations include giving legal opinions on public procurement and water legislation issues to ADP (Águas de Portugal), advising concessionaire AGS in matters related to water and sewage concessions, and advising EDP (Electricidade de Portugal) on legal issues concerning electricity tariffs. Senior associate Margarida Olabazal Cabral gamers high praise.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados had another successful year across the board with partners Luís Branco and Filipa Arantes Pedroso spearheading a team whose highlights last year include advising the syndicate of leading Portuguese banks that provided project finance facilities to the Sport Lisboa e Benfica Stadium. The work was connected to the €100m restructuring of such facilities by introducing a commercial credits assignment structure. Other major projects the firm was involved with include the €103m Tagus rail link concession and the €36m natural gas concession.
Intellectual Property
2006
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ six-strong team is led by co-managing partner and litigation expert António Pinto Leite and is the adviser of choice for a wide range of international and domestic clients. The firm advised Pernod Ricard Portugal on trade marks in the context of its acquisitions of the Allied Domecq Group.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is legal counsel to some of the most important players in the Portuguese market. The team comprises three partners and is headed by senior associate Luís Miguel Monteiro. Highlights last year include advising BCP (Banco Comercial Português) on the proposed privatization and acquisition of the majority of the share capital of Banca Comerciale Romana, the largest Romanian bank.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados continues to enhance its reputation with strong merger control capability co-existing alongside a renowned litigation practice, as demonstrated by its representation of BCA (Banco Comercial dos Açores) before the ECJ regarding the annulment of a decision by the Commission on the compatibility of income tax in the Azores with EU state and rules. Partners Carlos Botelho Moniz and Joaquim Vieira Peres are two of the most reputed in the field.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ formidable capability in litigation is recognised in the market by peers and clients alike. Spearheaded by co-managing partner António Pinto Leite, the department boasts eight highly regarded partners and 20 lawyers. Name partner João Morais Leitão (mainly developing his work in arbitration), José Manuel Galvão Teles and Miguel Galvão Teles are just a few of the more senior names . While regularly being involved in some of the leading litigation cases in the country, the firm has also, most notably acted as advocate for the Portuguese Government in a case concerning the legality of the use of force the International Court of Justice (Serbia and Montenegro v. Portugal). Acting in major arbitrations for EDP – Energias de Portugal are other highlights of 2005.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados scored a major coup in the market once again by merging with outstanding former second-tier firm Osório de Castro, Verde Pinho, Vieira Peres, Lobo Xavier e Associados. The move justifies this year’s promotion in first tier, given the unparalleled corporate and commercial team and the quality of clients that were brought together under the same roof. The firm owes its stellar reputation to a thoroughly impressive team of corporate partners which includes name partner João Soares da Silva, Nuno Galvão Teles, Carlos Osório de Castro, António Lobo Xavier, Joaquim Vieira Peres, Eduardo Verde Pinho, Segismundo Pinto Basto and Luísa Soares da Silva. Its expertise in top-drawer deals was confirmed in its advice to EDP (Energias de Portugal) in the negociation with REN (Rede eléctrica Nacional) for the termination of a number of power purchase agreements, an operation adding up to €3.2bn. Other highlights include advising the same client in the €81 m sale of a 60% stake in the share capital of Edinfor to LogicaCMG.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados is a universally acknowledge as being at the top of the capital markets tree. Boasting some of the most highly experienced partners is the field such as name partner João Soares da Silva and Nuno Galvão Teles, the firm was most notably involved in advising Millennium BCP in the €1.5 m securitisation of a mortgage backed credit portfolio. Following the firm’s merger with Osório de Castro, Verde Pinho, Vieira Peres, Lobo Xavier e Associados, the arrival of expert partners Carlos Osório de Castro is one of the most notable ones to Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ capital markets team.
One of the most acclaimed specialists in the field is Luís Branco, head of department at Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados. The firm boasts two partners in banking (partner Filipa Arantes Pedroso is also a leading individual) leading a team of eight lawyers. Well known for being the leading advisor to Banco Comercial Português, one of the largest banks, Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados’ highlights in 2005 include advising the said bank with respect to the granting of credit facilities to Control invest, SA for the acquisition of leading Portuguese media group Lusomundo – Serviços, SGPS, SA - a deal worth € 184, 800 m. Senior associates Pedro Gorjão Henriques and Filipe Lowndes Marques are also highly regarded in the sector.
Leading Commercial Firms: Oporto
2006