Standing out for its expertise in advising logistics and road transport companies, the team at Gómez-Acebo & Pombo is led by Ana Luísa Guimarães, who specialises in PPPs, concessions, and mobility-related projects.
Transport in Portugal
Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
Highlight-Mandate
Cuatrecasas
Cuatrecasas frequently advises clients in the aviation, rail, and cargo segments on infrastructure concessions, administrative and regulatory matters, and M&A transactions. The practice is jointly led by Luís Soares De Sousa, who regularly advises on the incorporation and licensing of charter air transport companies, aviation finance, leasing, and sector-related M&A, and Lourenço Vilhena De Freitas, noted for his expertise in motorway and railway concessions and related arbitration. Marisa Mirador enhances the team’s offering with experience in public procurement, judicial reviews, and administrative proceedings, while Margarida Leal de Oliveira and Telma Carvalho further strengthen the group.
Praxisleiter:
Luís Soares de Sousa; Lourenço Vilhena de Freitas
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Marisa Mirador
Kernmandanten
Dronamics
Genesis Aircraft Services Limited
Discovery Land Company (DLC) (Costa Terra)
Modaxo YesKTIRI – Rent a Car Portugal
White Airways
The Milestone Aviation Group (GE Capital AviationServices)
Apollo Aviation Management
Rolls-Royce & Partners Finance
Group Transdev
CP – Comboios de Portugal
Metropolitano de Lisboa
Metro do Porto
Aercap Ireland NoIridium
CINTRA
Auto-Estradas do Atlântico
Fergrupo (Comsa Group)
Beacon Rail Finance
Textron Financial Corporation
Westpac Banking Corporation
Willis Lease Finance Corporation
L3HARRIS Technologies
Flight Training Europe
Euroscut Açores
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising Group Transdev on carrying out public tenders to procure road passenger transport services.
- Advised Modaxo on the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of SISCOG – Sistemas Cognitivos and its subsidiaries.
- Advising Discovery Land on licensing a heliport at the Costa Terra development.
DLA Piper ABBC
A go-to choice for aviation sector clients, including global carriers, DLA Piper ABBC advises on the financing, leasing, purchase, maintenance and registration of aircraft, as well as litigation and regulatory compliance. The practice is led by António Moura Portugal, a reference for major airlines operating in Portugal. Stéphanie Sá Silva focuses on M&A, corporate, and regulatory matters in the aviation sector, while Inês Teixeira advises on complex regulatory issues in this space. Catarina Portela Morais is experienced in aviation litigation, and Inês Santana Metello specialises in sector-related compliance, litigation, and licensing matters.
Praxisleiter:
António Moura Portugal
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Stéphanie Sá Silva; Inês Teixeira; Catarina Portela Morais; Inês Santana Metello
Referenzen
‚They don’t just give answers; they also provide valuable contributions in terms of ideas and paths to follow, while also highlighting obstacles. They conduct a comprehensive and constructive analysis.’
‘I would like to highlight António Portugal, Catarina Portela Morais, and Inês Santana Metello, with whom I deal regularly, for all the qualities described above regarding the team, adding their attentiveness and the fact that they are always available, and even when not in contact (due to meetings or hearings), they promptly return the call, sometimes even quickly on weekends.‘
‘One of the traits that most distinguishes DLA Piper in Portugal is the complete availability of its team and the speed of its response to our requests, reflecting a genuine commitment to the effectiveness and success of each project. Our relationship with DLA Piper has been guided by a true partnership, marked by trust and clear communication, reflecting a rigorous, proactive, and results-oriented approach. The team demonstrates an exceptional capacity for response in diverse contexts, both in Portugal and abroad, ensuring efficient monitoring of complex and multidisciplinary processes.’
Kernmandanten
Air France / KLM
Lufthansa
NetJets
Turkish Airlines
EasyJet
Emirates
Wizz Air
Swissport
British Airways
TAP Portugal
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, United, Turkish, SATA, TAAG, and TAP on challenging the „parking charge“ levied by the company that manages the airports in Portugal (ANA Airports) for a service (boarding bridges) not provided by the airport managing body.
- Representing RENA (airlines association, comprising 18 legacy carriers based in Portugal) in the consultation procedures for airport charges, quality of service and the new airport of Lisbon.
- Representing TAP Air Portugal, Eurowings, Cabo Verde Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras, and easyJet as counter-interested parties in a lawsuit where the company that manages the airports in Portugal (ANA Airports) challenged the National Authority of Civil Aviation in Portugal (ANAC) decision to reimburse airlines regarding the €7.1m in excess revenue collected at Lisbon Airport in 2020.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados maintains a strong presence in the shipping and aviation sectors, advising clients on financing, litigation, and regulatory matters. Claudia Santos Cruz is noted for her expertise in shipping finance, regularly acting for lenders. Segismundo Pinto Basto focuses on contentious aviation matters, while Manuel de Freitas Pita advises on M&A and international shipping agreements. Luís Roquette Geraldes assists clients with aircraft finance and regulation, and Tiago Geraldo specialises in criminal and regulatory litigation, including corporate defence in aviation-related disputes.
Praxisleiter:
Claudia Santos Cruz; Manuel Freitas Pita; Segismundo Pinto Basto
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Luís Roquette Geraldes; Tiago Geraldo
Highlight-Mandate
Abreu Advogados
Abreu Advogados demonstrates strong expertise in maritime litigation, aviation, and transportation law, advising on regulatory frameworks, safe freight transport, and public service obligations. The team is co-led by Nuno Luís Sapateiro and João Marques de Almeida. Sapateiro possesses over 15 years' experience in the aviation and insurance sectors, while Almeida is recognised for his expertise in aviation disputes, finance, and regulatory matters. Benedita Marques Pombo is a key team member with extensive experience in M&A and corporate matters across the aviation, maritime, and wider transport sectors.
Praxisleiter:
Nuno Luís Sapateiro; Joâo Marques de Almeida
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Benedita Marques Pombo
Referenzen
‘João Marques de Almeida is excellent, knowledgeable, reactive and experienced. A go-to cutting-edge lawyer in the aviation sector and other transport-related sectors in Portugal. ’
‘They offer a deep understanding of the Portuguese aviation market and offer a credible alternative to the bigger names in the market.’
‘We regularly work with Nuno Sapateiro and appreciate his pragmatic approach to matters.’
Kernmandanten
Alsa/NEXCONTINENTAL
Aviation Capital Group
Embraer Portugal., S.A.
Expeditors Portugal Transitários, Lda. (Expeditors Washington Inc)
Genesis Aircraft Services Limited
Jackson Square Aviation
Loomis
National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel
Nordic Aviation Leasing Nine Pte Ltd
Ogma – Indústria Aeronáutica De Portugal, S.A.
Patentes Talgo Slu
Prio Group
TrueNoord Services Ireland Limited
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised a leading French bank on a secured loan transaction involving the mortgage of a Falcon F2000LXS aircraft registered in Portugal, including structuring, negotiation, and registration of the aircraft mortgage with the Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority.
- Represented ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal and Allianz France in a high-profile aviation dispute arising from a collision between an Airbus A330 and a Boeing 767 during towing operations, advising on liability allocation, ground handling procedures, and the interpretation of international aviation standards.
- Represented Ryanair in high-volume regulatory and litigation matters concerning EU air passenger rights in Portugal, including disputes under EU Regulation 261/2004 and engagement with the Civil Aviation Authority on the interpretation of European aviation rules.
PLMJ
PLMJ is highly regarded for its expertise in the aviation, road and inland transportation sectors, regularly acting for airlines, financiers, aircraft manufacturers and ground handling companies, as well as transport operators and urban mobility platforms. The team is co-led by Diogo Perestrelo, who assists domestic and international clients with aviation projects, and Pedro Lomba, noted for his extensive experience in the road, railway and urban mobility sectors. Saul Fonseca adds further strength to the team with in-depth knowledge of regulatory issues affecting aviation clients.
Praxisleiter:
Diogo Perestrelo; Pedro Lomba
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Saul Fonseca
Referenzen
‘The team distinguishes itself through excellence, professionalism, and profound legal knowledge, being composed of highly qualified lawyers with extensive experience in various areas of law. The commitment to quality service is evident in the personalised, rigorous, and strategic approach that each team member applies to cases, guaranteeing effective solutions aligned with clients‘ interests.‘
‚What makes this firm truly unique is the combination of technical competence and a culture of cross-functional collaboration, which promotes knowledge sharing and the construction of integrated solutions. This approach allows for an agile and multidisciplinary response to the most complex legal challenges, positioning the firm as a benchmark in the national market.‘
‚Among the most outstanding elements are the close client relationship, which translates into a relationship of trust and a clear understanding of their strategic objectives; the specialisation and complementarity of practice areas, which guarantee comprehensive and in-depth coverage of clients‘ needs; and interdepartmental collaboration, which encourages innovation and the creation of more robust legal solutions.‘
Kernmandanten
Ryanair
Lufthansa
World2Fly
State of Cabo Verde
Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras
NAV Portugal
Cateringpor
Groundlink
Tekever
Infoportugal
Navigator Aviation
Flixbus
Highlight-Mandate
- Assisting Lufthansa AG in the privatisation process of TAP Air Portugal.
- Assisting Azul – Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras with the licensing procedure before ANAC aimed at enabling it to carry out category 1 (ground administrative assistance and supervision) ground handling services at Porto Airport.
- Advising the State of Cabo Verde on the privatisation of the country’s handling company (CV Handling).
Pérez-Llorca
With recognised strength across the mobility sector, Pérez-Llorca advises public and private entities on transport-related matters spanning public tenders, regulatory compliance, contracts, transactions, and litigation. The practice is jointly headed by Débora Melo Fernandes, who brings extensive public law expertise with a focus on procurement, privatisation, and licensing matters, and Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, who handles work at the intersection of transport, public regulation and technological innovation.
Praxisleiter:
Débora Melo Fernandes; Adolfo Mesquita Nunes
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Rita Leandro Vasconcelos
Kernmandanten
Atlante
Bolt Support Services
AMT
EMEL
ChargeGuru
Mobi.E
Mota-Engil Renewing
Autonomous Region of the Azores (Região Autónoma dos Açores)
SATA Holding
Yunex Traffic
Highlight-Mandate
- Representing Bolt in an appeal against the decision to exclude its bid from the Cascais Próxima e-mobility tender, and leading the negotiations with the Municipality of Lisbon for the new micromobility protocol.
- Advising on the privatisation process of the Azores Airlines.
- Preparing and developing general guidelines for AMT’s approval of policies for the use ofartificial intelligence (AI) in the mobility and transport sector.
Raposo Bernardo
Raposo Bernardo acts for clients in the aviation and maritime sectors in the financing, leasing and purchase of both aircraft and cruise operations. Co-heading the practice, Joana Andrade Correia combines extensive corporate and finance expertise to guide clients through complex aviation deals. Fellow co-head Júlio Martins Júnior complements the practice with a focus on regulatory compliance, lease negotiations, and insurance matters.
Praxisleiter:
Joana Andrade Correia
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Júlio Martins Júnior
Referenzen
‚They know the operating principles of an aircraft, how the entire life cycle of an aircraft unfolds, its financing, management, and profitability; they are perfectly familiar with the basic rules of airport management, airport slots, and route operation.‘
‚We value Joana’s innate qualities, such as being a leader who motivates and inspires the other lawyers on her team, to whom she delegates in order to be able to handle a vast number of issues, but always with a thorough and detailed knowledge of all the files, even the least predictable points.‘
‚Joana has a great ability to manage high-pressure situations, impressive peaks of work, and I believe that this adrenaline gives her even more dynamism and ability to handle matters. It’s noticeable that she is extremely organised and very methodical, which allows her to maintain such impressive work rhythms.‘
Highlight-Mandate
SRS Legal
SRS Legal, led by José Luís Moreira da Silva, offers strong expertise in transport projects, finance, M&A, and public procurement, spanning rail, road, sea and air. Moreira da Silva brings extensive experience advising on complex transport projects in Portugal, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Alexandre Roque represents both private and public sector clients in shipping matters, while Mariana Silva Marques plays a key role in regulatory issues, port and airport concessions, and transactions involving ships, aircraft and railway equipment.
Praxisleiter:
José Luís Moreira da Silva
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Alexandre Roque; Mariana Silva Marques
Referenzen
‘Very responsive, great network, intimate knowledge of Portugal.’
‘Good price-quality ratio and industry knowledge.’
‘José Luís Moreira da Silva and Alexandre Roque have extensive experience in the sector.’
Kernmandanten
Lisbon Port Authority
Setúbal and Sesimbra Port Authority
Sines Port Authority
Grupo Sousa
European Mar
EISAP – European International Shipowners Association of Portugal
Transtejo, S.A.
Soflusa, S.A.
A4Shipping
Forum Oceano
APRAM – Ports of Madeira, S.A.
Portos dos Açores, S.A.
ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde, SA
Lisbon Port Authority
Setúbal and Sesimbra Port Authority
Sines Port Authority
Grupo Sousa
European Mar
EISAP – European International Shipowners Association of Portugal
Transtejo, S.A.
Soflusa, S.A.
A4Shipping
Forum Oceano
APRAM – Ports of Madeira, S.A.
Portos dos Açores, S.A.
ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde, SA
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising the Lisbon Port Authority on developing and contributing to a response to the Transport Mobility Authority to justify the extension of the Barreiro Liquid Bulk Terminal, currently under concession to the company Chane Terminal Lisbon, S.A.
- Advising the Lisbon Port Authority on the formalisation of the contract for the concession of exclusive use of the Palença Food Grain Terminal, in Almada, with SOVENA.
- Advising ENAPOR on the preparation of the tender documents and launch of the international public tender for the design and construction of a Ro-Ro passenger vessel for inter-island traffic in the Cape Verde Archipelago.
VdA
At VdA, the infrastructure and mobility practice delivers multidisciplinary advice across road, rail, airport, port and urban transport projects, covering PPPs, concessions, project finance and regulatory matters. Paulo de Barros Baptista leads the team, advising sponsors and operators on major infrastructure developments. José Miguel Oliveira focuses on shipping and offshore transport mandates. Teresa Empis Falcão is noted for her work on transport PPPs and large-scale highway financings and renegotiations.
Praxisleiter:
Paulo Barros Baptista
Weitere Kernanwälte:
José Miguel Oliveira; Teresa Empis Falcão
Highlight-Mandate
Albuquerque & Almeida
Albuquerque & Almeida’s shipping and transport practice is recognised for its expertise in administrative and public law, advising leading maritime and port entities on concessions, procurement, contracts, and operational matters. The team is co-led by Alexandre De Albuquerque, noted for his proficiency in public law and arbitration, and João Salvador, who brings extensive experience in shipping-related matters.
Praxisleiter:
Alexandre de Albuquerque; João Salvador
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Diana Silveira
Kernmandanten
ETE Group
ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, S.A.
Setefrete Group
Transinsular – Transportes Marítimos Insulares SA
CV Interilhas
ETE Fluvial, S.A.
S&C – Gestão de Navios e Tripulações, Lda.
Navaltagus – Reparação e Construção Naval, S.A.
Navalrocha – Sociedade de Construção e Reparação Navais, S.A.
ETE – FLUVIAL, S.A.
Ultratug ApS
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised ETE Group, Portugal’s leading maritime and port operator, on concession agreements, navigation, and forwarding agent matters as part of ongoing legal support.
- Advised Setefrete Group, a leading Portuguese shipping and port operations company, on concession agreements, navigation, and forwarding agent matters.
- Advised Transinsular/Navaltagus on the public tender launched by Atlanticoline for the construction of two electric passenger and vehicle ships for the Azores, and on subsequent judicial proceedings related to the tender.
Miranda & Associados
Led by Mafalda Oliveira Monteiro, Miranda & Associados advises clients across the aviation, road, and rail infrastructure sectors, showcasing expertise in PPPs, public procurement, transactional and contentious matters. Oliveira Monteiro is skilled in asset finance, while Bruno Sampaio Santos and Francisco Alves Dias bring experience in transactions involving the aviation sector.
Praxisleiter:
Mafalda Oliveira Monteiro
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Bruno Sampaio Santos; Francisco Alves Dias
Highlight-Mandate
Sérvulo & Associados
Sérvulo & Associados possesses strong expertise in public and administrative law, regularly assisting government bodies, municipal authorities, and public entities with the structuring, development, and concession of major transport projects, including rail and road infrastructure. The practice is headed up by Mark Kirkby, who is highly experienced in procurement procedures and public contracting.
Praxisleiter:
Mark Kirkby
Weitere Kernanwälte:
João Amaral e Almeida; Francisca Mendes da Costa
Referenzen
‘Technical excellence and unparalleled efficiency.’
Kernmandanten
Metropolitano de Lisboa, E.P.E.
Metro do Porto
Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica, I.P. (INEM)
Municipality of Ponte de Sor
Government of Cabo Verde
Embraer
SPMS – Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde, E.P.E.
Intermunicipal Community of Coimbra Region (CIM Região de Coimbra)
Boat Center S.A.
Intermunicipal Community of the Beiras and Serra da Estrela Region (CIM Região Beiras e Serra da Estrela)
Regional Government of Azores – Fundo Regional dos Transportes Terrestres
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Metropolitano de Lisboa E.P.E. on the expansion of Lisbon’s metro network, including major contracts for the Rato–Cais do Sodré connection, Campo Grande viaducts, and the new Red and Violet Lines, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
- Advised Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes, I.P. on representing the Portuguese State in four high-profile arbitrations brought by motorway concessionaires (Atlântico, AEDL, Scutvias, and Lusoponte), involving €260m in claims related to the financial impact of COVID-19 on traffic volumes between 2020 and 2022.
- Advised the Regional Government of Azores on the public tender for the concession of passenger road transport services on São Miguel Island, in accordance with Law No. 52/2015 and European Regulation 1370/2007.