Private Equity
Europe Guide 2024 : Portugal
Band 2
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+351 21 381 7400About
Provided by Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados
Private Equity
In private equity (strictly speaking) the firm has been a recurrent presence in the high-profile buy-out and growth deals, with targets varying from hospitals to motorways and power plants. The team is focused on carefully tailoring and negotiating the investment and acquisition documentation to suit the client’s concrete strategy being deployed and to assemble the specialist expertise to thoroughly understand the main features of the target’s assets and other procedural constraints of the transaction (notably insolvency procedures and takeover offers).
Venture Capital
In venture capital, Team Genesis has unparalleled experience in the burgeoning start-up and scale-up scene where we work alongside some of the most exciting new ventures in technology (including fintech) and life sciences, not only on the pivotal moments but also on an ongoing basis in a myriad of legal matters (such as equity incentive plans or regulatory validation of business models/new products or features in one or multiple jurisdictions simultaneously). All strategic transactions in the venture lifecycle are covered notably fundraising (convertible instruments, preferred rounds, venture debt, performance warrants), growth (notably international expansion efforts) and exits.
Chambers Review
Morais Leitão boasts a superb venture capital practice, frequently advising new Portuguese start-ups and specialist venture capital firms on the negotiation of early-stage or higher-value equity investment rounds. The team assists with fund structuring mandates. It also covers a range of private equity-driven M&A transactions, having handled highlight mandates that involve secondary buyouts of real estate companies or toll road concessionaires.
Work Highlights
- Morais Leitão advised fintech start-up Coverflex on its series A investment round led by SCOR Ventures.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team is technically very strong with excellent abilities of negotiation and an immediate availability to help."
"Its lawyers provide timely responses and efficient support. They give tailor-made legal solutions to clients' business needs."
"Morais Leitão has high standards of work. The team thinks outside of the box and has a high commitment to support clients on demanding timelines."
"Without a doubt, they bring an added value with their support, expertise, speed and pragmatism in advising and validating the defence of our interests. The quality of the team leader and other members is superb."
"The team is technically very strong with excellent abilities of negotiation and an immediate availability to help."
"Its lawyers provide timely responses and efficient support. They give tailor-made legal solutions to clients' business needs."
"Morais Leitão has high standards of work. The team thinks outside of the box and has a high commitment to support clients on demanding timelines."
"Without a doubt, they bring an added value with their support, expertise, speed and pragmatism in advising and validating the defence of our interests. The quality of the team leader and other members is superb."
Notable Practitioners
Luís Roquette Geraldes has a superb reputation for his work both on the investor and founder side of venture capital transactions.
"Luís Roquette Geraldes is very knowledgeable about business and he reveals a big commitment to our matters."
"He has very in-depth knowledge of how venture capital works, especially in the Portuguese market."
"He is pragmatic and collaborative. He can reduce conflicts to pragmatism and he has excellent communication abilities."
Up-and-coming lawyer Diana Ribeiro Duarte is well placed to assist with restructurings and private equity transactions.
"Diana Ribeiro Duarte is very easy to get along with and very responsive."
"Her opinions are always very well founded. At the same time, if she doesn't agree with a topic, she is the first person to say so, which is extremely necessary in a business."
"Her way of working combined with her intellectual capacity gives us a lot of confidence when we follow her advice and opinions."
"She has very good knowledge of the market and the main stakeholders. She has a strong capacity for analysing the more complex and challenging questions and issues."
"She offers an excellent quality of service and has strong negotiation skills."
Isabel Carneiro Kahlen enters the rankings this year following strong market support. She brings experience assisting clients in the technology sector on investment rounds.
"Isabel is a rock star. She is super detail-oriented."
Pedro Capitão Barbosa enters the rankings this year thanks to strong market support. He is experienced assisting on both public equity incorporations, investments and exit transactions.
"Pedro manages to give quick opinions on complex topics, which is very good. He is the kind of person who will not rest until he finds the answer that works best for us. His intellect in brainstorming sessions is notable, which brings additional confidence when we follow his advice."
"He always thinks outside of the box."
"He is very responsive and helpful."
Ranked Lawyers at
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados
Portugal
Members
Provided by Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados