PLMJ has just set up a new International Projects team, which will focus specifically on providing legal support in cross-border operations

The law firm PLMJ has just set up a new International Projects team, which will focus specifically on providing legal support in cross-border operations and large-scale investment projects that involve a number of different countries. 

The team is coordinated by PLMJ founding partner Luís Sáragga Leal, working alongside partner Sofia Gomes da Costa, in a team that also features an important contribution from Emílio Rui Vilar, a consultant lawyer specialising in energy, oil and gas, finance and banking and international investments. The team also includes senior associate Francisco Lino Dias and associate Maria José Sousa Leite. With the launch of this project, set up in light of the growing number of international clients seeking legal advice from PLMJ, the firm announces the arrival of two new lawyers to strengthen the team.

 PLMJ senior associate Lin Man, is fluent in Portuguese and  Mandarin, and will focus her work on matters related to the Chinese market, an area that is witnessing growing demand from both Portuguese and international clients. PLMJ associate António Cid recently completed an L.L.M. Advanced Masters of Law in International Business Law at Católica Global School of Law.

The International Projects team will take a proactive, multi-jurisdictional approach to its work, making the most of the international know-how PLMJ has gained from its presence in Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, China, Macao, South Africa and other emerging markets through the member firms of PLMJ International Legal Network.

According to Luís Sáragga Leal, the path to renewed growth in the Portuguese economy now lies increasingly in the internationalisation of Portuguese business and in the development of partnerships in Portuguese-speaking countries where PLMJ has a competitive advantage. The path to growth also lies in the capacity to attract foreign investment and large projects to Portugal. All this means that PLMJ's investment in the creation of a team to bring together and consolidate its collective know-how in a group of lawyers dedicated to these types of projects is fully justified. The types of projects and operations involved demand senior, highly-qualified lawyers and this is precisely what we have in this team. The decision to create a team with a this range of skills and level of specialisation was made with a view to handling forward funding contracts, acquisitions with income guarantee, sale and lease back operations, investment funds and operations with institutional investors. 

This team is also prepared to deal with Chinese investors by providing services in Mandarin in accordance with Chinese culture and standards. This capacity is the fruit of a successful partnership with China's largest law firm, Dacheng Law Offices, where PLMJ has a China Desk staffed by three lawyers including one who is fluent in Mandarin. This team is also well-qualified to provide assistance to Islamic investors as it is experienced in the structuring and implementation in Portugal of Islamic investments subject to the principles of Islamic (Shari’ah) law.