PLMJ Advogados, SP, RL

PLMJ's Corporate M&A practice advises large and medium-sized companies and investment funds on acquisitions, mergers, de-mergers, and joint ventures in the Portuguese market. It has also worked on the main privatisation processes that have taken place in Portugal.

We act for companies in a wide range of sectors, in mergers and acquisitions, in and out-of-court corporate restructuring, and corporate governance.

Our team advises on matters of corporate law, commercial law, and contracts, and we also provide support in the negotiation of partnerships and joint ventures.

In advising our clients, we focus constantly on being aware of the sectors and markets where they operate, and we always keep in close contact with the regulators of each sector.

We support our clients in highly complex disputes critical to their businesses and reputations, and we work consistently on the most sophisticated and sensitive Portuguese and international disputes.

Our dispute resolution practice has a highly specialised team that handles a broad range of litigation cases, as well as arbitration cases and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. We represent clients from a wide range of sectors.

Our multidisciplinary approach allows us to have a team of specialists that combines knowledge in areas such as competition, banking, finance, and capital markets, with solid experience in litigation and arbitration.

We act in major banking disputes and in cases involving mis-selling of derivatives and other financial instruments, or responsibility for issuing prospectuses for public offers of securities. We provide support in the most significant corporate disputes, often implementing strategies for step-in and for reorganisation of shareholder structures.

Our team has represented clients in defending the most important class actions, including liability of directors of listed companies and manufacturers’ civil liability.

We also have extensive experience representing clients in competition and regulatory proceedings before the Portuguese Court of Regulation, Supervision and Competition.

We specialise in complex commercial disputes, acting in cross-border matters arising from breach of contract, professional malpractice, business torts, insurance and reinsurance matters, and distribution and agency agreements. We also deal with distribution and agency agreements, and maritime law matters. Our team represents automotive manufacturers in large scale domestic and cross-border conflicts. We also have experience in pharmaceutical sector litigation, at all stages of the economic process, and in disputes arising from contracts for public and private works.

In restructuring and insolvency, we act in preventive corporate rehabilitation proceedings (PER and SIREVE) and in insolvency and business reorganisations. Our experience includes preparing and negotiating recovery and liquidation plans, and then dealing with their implementation. Our team is called on to act in cross-border insolvency cases and to advise large companies or international financial institutions on defining and implementing business strategies in corporate recovery or insolvency scenarios.

We represent our clients in commercial, construction and investment arbitrations under the rules of arbitration of the leading international arbitration centres. Our team has great experience in dealing with arbitrations in Portugal and abroad, with a special focus on Portuguese-speaking countries, conducted in various languages and with diverse applicable laws. We often set up specific multidisciplinary teams, and even teams from multiple jurisdictions, depending on the nature of the litigation and the needs of our clients.

Our lawyers have worked on the most complex and high profile cases in Portugal, acting in all areas of criminal law and administrative offence law, and providing support to companies, and to their directors and staff. With a strong focus on prevention, we provide customised compliance services helping companies to detect potential contingencies and provide corrective advice.

Our mission is to support companies in their quest to become leading employers in the Portuguese and international markets.

The employment team is especially dedicated to providing legal advice to companies. This advice covers the most critical areas, including collective labour relations, compensation and benefits, restructuring, employment litigation, disciplinary investigations, and settlements.

Because we maintain long-standing relationships with our clients, we have an in-depth knowledge of their organisations, the sectors in which they operate and the challenges they face. Our mission is to support companies in their quest to become leading employers in the Portuguese and international markets.

The employment team is especially dedicated to providing legal advice to companies. This advice covers the most critical areas, including collective labour relations, compensation and benefits, restructuring, employment litigation, disciplinary investigations, and settlements.

Because we maintain long-standing relationships with our clients, we have an in-depth knowledge of their organisations, the sectors in which they operate and the challenges they face.

We have extensive experience in compliance auditing processes and advise on the structuring and implementation of cost reduction strategies, compensation and benefits governance, and social security issues.

Our team supports companies in collective labour relations, especially in relations with workers' representative structures. As a result of our strategic approach, we reach agreements that act as drivers for companies to develop.

We deal with highly complex employment litigation cases, where we define the objectives to be achieved and the strategy to be followed. Above all, we know how to respond in a way that is in line with the risk profile of each client.

We deal with highly sensitive disciplinary investigations, quickly achieving an outcome in line with our clients’ expectations, both in terms of the results and of the management of the process.

PLMJ's Intellectual Property team works on all IP matters including trademarks, industrial designs, patent protection, copyright, and unfair competition. It advises on the whole spectrum of IP issues, from defining strategy, dealing with applications for registration, marketing, and licensing of rights, to litigation. We also handle restructuring and transactions where it is necessary to verify and assess intellectual property rights and related issues.

A single teams deals with questions of technology and with intellectual property, including copyright, trade secrets, trademarks, and patents. This approach ensures greater proximity to our clients' businesses.

By keeping abreast of the latest technological developments in the area of intellectual property, we can guarantee expert advice in areas of rapid development and growing impact, such as information technology and e-commerce.

We also focus on keeping up to date with the most recent developments in areas as diverse as the cultural industries, fashion, biotechnology, and nanotechnology

Our real estate and tourism team has more than 20 lawyers with vast experience in real estate and corporate real estate matters.

Over the years, we have advised on major real estate transactions in Portugal and, in doing so, we have assisted our clients with a wide range of real estate matters. These include sale and purchase transactions, leasing and other forms of property management, sale and leaseback, forward funding and forward purchase, construction contracts, turnkey contracts, and asset management contracts.

We represent the market's main investors and developers in the sale, acquisition, marketing, operation, management, development, and rehabilitation of all types of real estate assets. Examples include office buildings, tourist and residential developments, and logistics parks.

In the tourism sector, we have acted for some of the most important investors and other operators, both Portuguese and foreign. We deal with projects from their inception, through the real estate structuring of the tourism project, the preparation and negotiation of the hotel management contracts, and the tourism operation contracts, to the marketing of accommodation units, among others. Our experience also includes helping clients to obtain the licences necessary to set up and operate leading tourism developments.

We bring our vast experience in the area of real estate law to each project, and we always establish a close relationship with our clients in a spirit of true partnership.