Europe Portugal Competition/European Law

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has an outstanding practice that is noted for advising on sophisticated domestic and international matters. The law firm is active across the full range of competition matters, including merger control cases, state aid issues, antitrust investigations and sector-related disputes before both the national and the European courts. The team is also noted for its experience in abuse of dominance cases, as well as for supporting clients in appeals to competition authorities and in damages procedures. The firm's client roster comprises companies from diverse industries such as financial services, energy and retail, and includes both public and private entities.

PLMJ remains one of the leading teams in the Portuguese competition law market. The firm is highly regarded for representing clients in Portuguese Competition Authority investigations into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and restrictive practices. It also has notable strength in appeals against PCA decisions and in high-profile class actions arising from behavioural investigations. The law firm assists clients with obtaining competition clearance for proposed mergers and with the compliance aspects of commercial agreements. The team also acts on state aid mandates. It is a popular choice with clients from the financial services, transportation and FMCG sectors.

SRS Legal enters the top tier of the rankings this year. The law firm is particularly strong in contentious competition law matters, representing clients in sector inquiries and antitrust infringement investigations, as well as advising on challenges to fines and follow-on damages actions. The team also acts for clients on merger control mandates, assisting with notifications before the Portuguese and Angolan authorities. It has further experience in state aid matters. The firm often acts for clients from the food and beverage, energy, healthcare and financial services sectors.

VdA maintains its position as one of the leading competition law firms in Portugal. The team stands out for its expertise in behavioural investigations, often in relation to horizontal agreements, and for assisting clients with appeals against Portuguese Competition Authority decisions. The team also has experience in merger clearance filings, including before the Angolan competition authorities, and state aid issues. It is a popular choice with clients from the financial services, sports, telecommunications and transportation sectors.

CMS assists clients with the full gamut of competition law matters. The team has experience in merger clearance notifications and state aid matters. On the contentious side, it represents clients in investigations into allegations of abuse of dominance and cartel involvement, as well as in challenges to fines. The law firm attracts clients from the advertising, transport, and food and beverage industries.

Cuatrecasas has recently expanded the firm's competition law department with the hiring of Miguel Pena Machete as part of the combination with Serra Lopes, Cortes Martins & Associados. Cuatrecasas is particularly active in merger control filings, often acting alongside the firm's Spanish offices on multinational notifications. The team also represents clients in behavioural investigations, including into allegations of price fixing and price maintenance.

Linklaters' compact team is regularly appointed to advise on merger control operations and state aid matters. The team also handles Portuguese Competition Authority investigations and appeals against infringement decisions. It leverages a superb network of offices to assist with multi-jurisdictional mandates. The law firm offers further abilities in antitrust compliance. It has a number of clients from the technology and financial services sectors.

Sérvulo & Associados stands out for its focus on assisting public authorities and financial sector clients with state aid matters. The law firm also handles behavioural investigations and merger clearance filings, including representing third parties in challenges to filings. It has further experience in competition compliance matters and in disputes concerning EU regulations.

Uría Menéndez works alongside the firm's highly regarded dispute resolution team to defend clients in high-profile follow-on damages claims, as well as representing them in the initial investigation and in challenges to infringement decisions. The law firm also advises clients on merger notifications, as well as assisting with competition compliance mandates. The team acts for clients from the financial services, energy, leisure and telecommunications sectors.

Cruz Vilaça Advogados rises in the rankings on account of impressive feedback. The law firm assists clients with both competition law and European law matters, often representing energy sector clients before the CJEU in matters based on EU directives. The team also has experience representing clients in contentious competition law matters and state aid mandates.

Garrigues acts for clients in Portuguese Competition Authority investigations into alleged involvement in cartels and advises on obtaining competition clearance for corporate transactions. The law firm also assists high-profile clients from the technology, fashion and automotive industries with competition compliance matters, including advising on distribution agreements.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo assists clients with contentious and non-contentious matters of competition and European law. The firm represents clients in follow-on damages claims in Portugal, as well as disputes before the European courts. The team advises on merger control filings and state aid matters. It has further experience in compliance mandates.

Abreu Advogados often assists clients with merger control filings and with competition compliance matters. The law firm also has experience in contentious mandates, defending clients in PCA investigations and representing them in follow-on damages cases.

TELLES provides a full service in competition law matters. The law firm represents clients in investigations into allegations of abuse of dominance or cartel involvement, as well as in subsequent appeals against fines and follow-on damages actions. The team also assists clients with merger clearance notifications, including advising on possible gun-jumping investigations. It also has experience in state aid matters and the competition compliance aspects of distribution agreements.