Hall Of Fame

Firms To Watch: Transport

Transport in Portugal

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo

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.

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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


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  • 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


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  • 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


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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


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  • 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


 


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  • 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.‘

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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


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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


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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.