DLA Piper Africa, Mozambique (SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda)

Managing Partner: Eduardo Calú

Senior Partners: José Caldeira, Samuel Levy

Number of partners worldwide: 7

Number of other lawyers worldwide: 32

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Firm Overview:

SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda., is a leading, full-service Mozambican law firm headquartered in Maputo and a member of DLA Piper Africa, an alliance of legal practices operating across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the USA. The firm strives to combine local experience with international best practice to offer high quality legal services. It not only offers expert knowledge in its key practice areas but also works actively on legal reform in Mozambique. The firm’s clients include many multinational and national corporations including leading oil and gas and mining companies as well as other foreign investors, international banks and many diplomatic missions and international NGOs.

As well as its company-specific work, the firm was instrumental in founding and representing the Mozambican international petroleum operators’ association (Associação Moçambicana de Operadores Petrolíferas Internacionais (AMOPI)) and the Chamber of Mines of Mozambique (CMM). As such, SAL & Caldeira participates in the negotiation of legislation and regulations on behalf of the extractive industries vis-à-vis the government in a broad range of matters, from sector-specific regulations to labour rules and tax laws. The firm also frequently represents Mozambique’s Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA) in the negotiation of strategic, business-related legislation (for example, the mega-projects law and the labour law).

Although particularly recognised for its activity in the field of natural resources, the firm’s expertise covers the full range of legal disciplines including banking, tax, corporate, commercial, administrative law, employment, immigration and litigation. Most SAL & Caldeira lawyers speak English as well as Portuguese. The firm is ranked Top Ranked by Chambers Global (Band 1 firm for General Business Law work), on IFLR 1000 as a Tier 1 firm for financial and corporate work and also for project development and also on Legal 500 EMEA as Tier 1 firm.

Main Areas of Practice:

Corporate & Commercial:

The team provides general legal assistance in all commercial matters including negotiation and drafting of contracts, incorporation and licensing of companies and due diligence matters.

Contacts: Gisela Sitoe, Isabel Ngobeni, Victória Sande, Henrique Massango, Joyce Cossa, Rita Donato, sebastião Pangaya

Labour & Employee Benefits:

The firm offers advice on general labour law issues, disciplinary proceedings, employment agreements, internal regulations, pension and incentive schemes.

Contacts: Gimina Mahumana, Celvicta Munguambe, Dioclécio David

Legal Reform:

SAL & Caldeira is too keen to assist with legal and regulatory reforms that lead to the strengthening of the Rule of Law and good governance. The team has worked on laws and regulations in various practice areas including arbitration, bankruptcy, civil procedure, commercial and industrial licensing, justice sector institutional surveys, labour, mining, oil and gas and telecommunications.

Contacts: José Caldeira, Gimina Mahumana, Eduardo Calú

Litigation & Arbitration:

The firm conducts a broad practice with a particular focus on commercial, civil, labour, tax and maritime issues. The team assists clients with both strategic advice and representation in court.

Contacts: José Caldeira, José Gonçalves, Florentina Tembe, Rafael Banguine, Humaira Zengeni, Derick Alafo, Ester António

Maritime & Transportation:

The firm provides legal services concerning all aspects of regulation, licensing, ports and rail infrastructure.

Contact: José Caldeira

Banking & Foreign Exchange:

The team provides transactional support and regulatory advice relating to financial institutions and foreign exchange matters, including registration of projects, loan agreements and capital imports and exports with the Central Bank. The firm also assists with registration of companies with the Mozambican Stick Exchange

Contacts: Marla Mandlate, Erna Guetsa, Idanês Pessuro

Energy & Natural Resources:

The firm offers advice on licensing, concession negotiations, contracts and regulation issues.

Contacts: Samuel Levy, Kaina Arentsen, Télio Murrure, Suniza Mussa, Mónica Barros

Competition/Antitrust:

Contact: Gisela Sitoe

Construction:

Contact: José Caldeira, Gisela Sitoe

Dispute Resolution:

Contacts: José Caldeira, José Gonçalves, Florentina Tembe, Rafael Banguine

Environment:

Contacts: Kaina Arentsen, Télio Murrure, Mónica Barros, Suniza Mussa

Finance:

Contacts: José Caldeira, Marla Mandlate

Intellectual Property:

Contacts: Marla Mandlate, Gisela Sitoe, Isabel Ngobene, Victória Sande, Henrique Massango

Public Institutions:

Contacts: Gisela Sitoe, José Caldeira

Real Estate:

Contacts: José Caldeira, Gisela Sitoe

Restructuring & Insolvency:

Contacts: José Caldeira, José Gonçalves

Tax:

The team offers advice general legal assistance with tax and customers matters.

Contacts: Eduardo Calú, Vanda Portugal, Hélio Mabjaia, Latifa Zandamela

Telecoms & Media:

Contact: José Caldeira

Immigration:

The firm offers advice on general immigration issues, work permit applications and all kinds of visas, as well as assistance with the registration of NGOs in Mozambique.

Contact: Soraia Issufo, Nyoni Matsolo, Anísio Zacarias