Chambers Europe 2023

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados is a highly respected practice noted for its outstanding regulatory advice. The firm often provides assistance to prominent financial institutions and investment funds and is well placed to assist with transactional or operational issues. It has experience in the establishment and authorisation of payment services entities.

Manuel Magalhães has notable experience in financing matters arising within the context of insolvencies of Portuguese credit institutions. He also earns praise for his broader finance practice, which includes advice on the negotiation of new corporate loans.

Paulo Câmara leads financial services regulatory matters both for major Portuguese banks and for new entrants to the market.

Francisco Barona demonstrates solid knowledge of corporate finance matters and debt restructurings.

Strengths:

"The firm has a multidisciplinary team of lawyers who identify and solve problems in a very efficient way."

"They have been really cooperative and have tried their best to help us in all circumstances."

Chambers Review:

In addition to its strong reputation for financial services regulatory work, Sérvulo & Associados has experience on the issuer side of debt issuances and capital increases. The firm acts for banks, fund managers and public bodies.

Paulo Câmara has a superb financial services regulatory practice and has additional experience in public M&A transactions and capital increases. He further stands out for his experience working with key clients based in Cabo Verde.

Verónica Fernández is a key member of the team's mixed finance transactional and regulatory practice. She is well placed to advise on the structuring of securities issuing programmes.

Strengths:

"They provide legal advice with detail and knowledge."

"They devote strong attention to clients in all matters, being available and responsive."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados stands out for its focus on assisting public authorities and financial sector clients with state aid matters. The law firm also handles behavioural investigations and merger clearance filings, including representing third parties in challenges to filings. It has further experience in competition compliance matters and in disputes concerning EU regulations.

Miguel Gorjão-Henriques is highly regarded for his ability to handle state aid matters. He also has experience in contentious merger control proceedings, behavioural investigations and competition compliance matters. He further assists clients with matters relating to EU legislation. "He has extensive experience and knowledge in this area of law."

Alberto Saavedra often assists clients with state aid matters and competition compliance mandates. In addition, he assists with behavioural investigations and merger clearance filings. "He has very strong knowledge and awareness of the subjects."

Strengths:

"The team responds quickly and clearly to requests for support."

"Sérvulo's team displays qualities like commitment and dedication."

Chambers Review:

The team handles a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and share acquisitions. Its client list comprises domestic and international players from the energy and real estate sector.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo & Associados benefits from a multidisciplinary group of lawyers that are specialised in diverse areas."

"The team demonstrates solid knowledge of the matters in question, it is a cohesive team."

"The law firm is very quick in adapting to a fast-pace changing M&A operations."

Chambers Review:

The firm offers comprehensive service in litigation and arbitration. It has acted for the insolvency estates of several Portuguese banks on cases brought by creditors. It assists banks, funds and public bodies with high-value debt recovery actions. The firm has experience in the defence of civil liability claims, including within the context of environmental disasters or medical malpractice. Criminal law is a further strength for the team, focusing on financial and corruption-related offences. It advises major domestic clients with activity in various industry sectors, including natural resources, life sciences, real estate and sport.

João Saúde has experience representing clients from the banking sector in insolvency-related disputes. He also handles commercial litigations, with further prowess in handling commercial and investment treaty arbitrations.

Mafalda Ferreira Santos regularly advises on banking and real estate disputes, with the proven ability to assist with international matters.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo has been consistently helping us with very complex and sophisticated matters and has been able to provide us with the adequate guidance and support."

"The team has excellent strategy, pragmatism and know-how."

Chambers Review:

José Lobo Moutinho is well versed in criminal cases, advising a number of private clients from the infrastructure, energy and public sectors on corruption, fraud, theft and misuse of power.

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados is a public law-focused boutique with prominent activity in the employment sphere. The law firm regularly assists with the employment aspects of transactions, restructuring and compliance procedures, offering further advice on collective bargaining agreements, the employment aspects of public service contracts, redundancy processes and employment-related litigation.

Rita Canas da Silva advances in the rankings following excellent client feedback. She is well placed to assist with employment litigation, restructuring, redundancy procedures, collective bargaining agreements, collective labour regulations and implementation of working conditions.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo lawyers always provide accurate and consistent legal advice."

"The lawyers have high knowledge of complex subjects and a very pragmatical approach of the business view, which helps companies to define an action plan."

"The team stands out for its responsiveness level, but must also be recognised for the ability to balance technical knowledge and practical expertise."

"Rita Canas da Silva is an extremely active person and always available for clients. From a technical point of view, she is a very good jurist and lawyer, she has the ability to combine customer service with technical knowledge."

"Rita Canas da Silva is very solid, with sophisticated and reasoned approaches, she immediately inspires confidence in those who contact her."

Chambers Review:

The law firm houses a strong team able to provide advice for public and private clients in a diverse range of energy matters, including assistance with hydropower and solar energy projects. The lawyers are also well versed in regulatory law matters. The team further advises clients on project developments and finance.

Mark Kirkby frequently advises public and private entities on the structuring and development of large-scale projects. He is regularly mandated to advise on renewable energy projects and PPA agreements.

Ana Luísa Guimarães is a frequent adviser on renewable energy matters, with considerable experience concerning both hydropower and solar projects. Of late her work has also had a particular focus on electric mobility issues.

Strenghts:

"Sérvulo & Associados team is able to fully understand our needs and build the legal framework for our service."

"The team has a strong ability to develop innovative legal structures."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados advises on a wide range of FinTech matters and its lawyers regularly assists with regulatory and registration applications for e-money, crypto and payments operations. Clients include established financial institutions, as well as specialist crypto and payments businesses.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo & Associados has a very high level of knowledge on the subject and the ability to convey, in a simple way, more complex issues."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados has a notable practice housing a first-rate life sciences team which regularly assists leading generics clients with patent infringement and invalidity disputes. The law firm also advises pharmaceutical clients on clinical trials and EU regulatory matters, as well as on legislation around the use of biological materials and human embryos. The team is experienced in trade mark registrations and infringement disputes.

Ana Rita Paínho is highly active in patent infringement and invalidity proceedings, often representing clients from the pharmaceutical industry. She has additional experience in life sciences matters such as clinical trial agreements and data privacy, and further assists clients with regulatory matters.

Strengths:

"The team demonstrates strong responsiveness and attention to detail."

"The lawyers have a very good knowledge of pharmaceutical patent litigation."

"Sérvulo & Associados has good, knowledgeable life sciences lawyers in both domestic and European law."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados has a notable practice housing a first-rate life sciences team which regularly assists leading generics clients with patent infringement and invalidity disputes. The law firm also advises pharmaceutical clients on clinical trials and EU regulatory matters, as well as on legislation around the use of biological materials and human embryos. The team is experienced in trade mark registrations and infringement disputes.

Ana Rita Paínho is highly active in patent infringement and invalidity proceedings, often representing clients from the pharmaceutical industry. She has additional experience in life sciences matters such as clinical trial agreements and data privacy, and further assists clients with regulatory matters.

Mariana Costa Pinto joins the rankings following an increased market presence and good client support. She is well placed to advise on generic medicine mandates, including patent infringement and marketing issues.

Strengths:

"The team demonstrates strong responsiveness and attention to detail."

"The lawyers have a very good knowledge of pharmaceutical patent litigation."

"Sérvulo & Associados has good, knowledgeable life sciences lawyers in both domestic and European law."

"Mariana Costa Pinto is great to work with. She delivers swift and accurate advice and provide instant clarifications and additional information when needed."

Chambers Review:

Eduardo Gonçalves Rodrigues moves up the rankings this year following strong client feedback and activity in the market. He offers support with a variety of planning matters, including contractual and licensing issues.

Strengths:

"Eduardo Gonçalves Rodrigues recognises our commercial needs and is able to think along with our business strategically."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados draws on its vast experience in public law to advise public entities and state-owned companies on the regulatory and contractual elements of various domestic projects. The law firm benefits from a broad industry knowledge encompassing the public infrastructure, construction and healthcare issues. The team is well placed to advise on concessions and PPPs.

Ana Luísa Guimarães often assists clients with the negotiation of concession agreements and public tender procedures, as well as with regulatory matters.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo has a team of specialists in different areas and a vast experience in the field."

"The team holds a full understanding of the client business."

"We were positively surprised by the lawyers' pragmatism, profound know-how on the sector and the way that they tried to help the client in the resolution of problems, with pragmatism and objectivity."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados is distinguished by its longstanding expertise in public law and is widely recognised in the market for its knowledge and experience. The team is noted for advising an impressive roster of public entities, for which it handles public procurement, PPPs, disputes and regulatory work. Its advice spans a range of sectors, including telecommunications, retail, energy, transport as well as food and beverages industries. The law firm also offers environment law expertise.

Founding partner José Manuel Sérvulo Correia is highly regarded by interviewees, who consider him a figure of reference in the public law sector. He is an expert in regulatory matters and arbitration proceedings.

Rui Medeiros is well regarded for his experience handling regulatory proceedings in relation to public-private partnerships, as well as complex administrative matters.

João Amaral e Almeida rises in the rankings following an increased market presence.

Mark Kirkby has considerable experience assisting domestic and international clients from both the public and private sectors with public procurements, arbitral disputes and the amendment of concession agreements.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo & Associados' lawyers have extensive experience in matters of public law."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados has a well-known department providing advice to clients on the litigious aspects of insolvency processes and liquidation proceedings. The law firm offers a solid bench of noted practitioners who advise both creditors and indebted financial institutions as well as companies from the transportation and construction sectors. The team also assists with special revitalisation proceedings, credit claims and restructuring plans.

Manuel Magalhães has a broad practice that takes in large liquidation proceedings, credit claims, clawback disputes and insolvency liability litigation. He often advises banks and real estate clients.

Mafalda Ferreira Santos assists clients with contentious matters within insolvency, including pre-litigation and litigation proceedings, as well as revitalisation proceedings and credit claims.

Strengths:

"Sérvulo & Associados demonstrates high quality and consistency in the execution of the work."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados is an established group frequently advising clients on tax planning and tax litigation matters. It further offers experience in assisting companies with tax structuring and potential tax liabilities. The team is adept in submitting ruling requests before the Portuguese tax authorities.

Strengths:

"The team at Sérvulo & Associados provides a high level of service, it is insightful and also customer-centric."

"The team is prepared to give quick and clear support on all topics."

Chambers Review:

Sérvulo & Associados is an independent domestic group offering expertise in promotional campaigns and advertising matters as well as software-related issues. The law firm acts for clients from a range of industries such as life sciences, technology, and food and drink. The practice offers additional strength in data protection issues and reviewing of contract terms and conditions.