Abreu acquires ACRLEX of Porto

Abreu acquires ACRLEX of Porto

Interlex network membership is on the cards for Abreu with the addition of four lawyers to the Porto office

The biggest law firm in Portugal, Abreu Advogados, recently acquired ACRLEX of Porto.

ACRLEX, with clients including some of the region's largest firms as well as foreign firms, boasts a strong presence in the wine, agriculture, textiles, renewable energies, aviation, transport and logistics, as well as real estate and construction industries. The company is headquartered in Lisbon.

Moreover, it is the sole Portuguese firm registered with Interlex Group, a global network of 49 law firms in more than 60 countries, ranked as Band 1: Elite by Chambers & Partners and including Bennett Jones in Canada, Carey in Chile, Demarest in Brazil and Taylor Wessing in the UK.

Interlex will still require Abreu to apply for membership, but it is anticipated that it will be admitted as soon as possible.

As part of the move, four of the seven attorneys listed on ACRLEX's website have moved to Abreu in Porto: founder Pedro Pessanha has moved to corporate and M&A, while Francisco Costa Leite will be a member of the public and environment practice. A professional partner was appointed to Abreu's corporate and M&A team as Diogo Pessanha, one step away from becoming a full partner. Benedita Pessanha is the firm's senior associate in the real estate practice.

By adding four partners and four professional partners to Abreu, the firm's headcount in Porto now totals almost 30 lawyers.

With more than 40 years of experience in law, Pedro Pessanha is the founding partner of his new firm, which focuses on M&A transactions, foreign investments and international contracts. Likewise, Costa Leite has been practicing law for almost 30 years and is active in areas like administrative and corporate law as well as employment law in addition to judicial and administrative litigation, having been involved in a number of cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

In addition to focusing his practice on corporate and employment law, Diogo Pessanha specializes in M&A and financial restructuring, particularly in the private client, agro-food, pharmaceutical and health care sectors.

In addition to being a real estate developer and investor, Benedita Pessanha will also assist private clients and family businesses, along with a range of other real estate-related projects.

"The decision to integrate with Abreu was a natural step resulting in a wide range of new services that we can offer, integrated in a firm that shares our vision to realize sustained growth and independence." Pedro Pessanha said.

Inês Sequeira Mendes, Abreu's managing partner, described the move as a "significant step" on the firm's path to becoming one of Portugal's leading independent law firms.

A highly recognized lawyer, Pedro Pessanha shares with us a vision that is highly relevant to the legal profession. In Oporto, we have a team that is client-focused and fully aware of the needs of our clients and with this integration, we believe that we'll maintain its position and grow," he said.

The deal follows Abreu's expansion into Lusophone Africa last July when it formed a partnership with Armindo Serqueira, a law firm based in Guinnea-Bissau. As a result, Armindo Serqueira has become a member of Abreu's Guinea-Bissau desk, which is headed by Portuguese partners Manuel Santos Vitor and Maria Inês Assis.

As for Abreu, which has more than 200 lawyers, the firm reported last April that the firm's revenue in the 2020 financial year rose 12 percent to €33.6m, a record year for the firm.

UK-listed law firm DWF has also set its sights on expanding its presence in Portugal, recently forming an exclusive partnership with Lisbon law firm Nobre Guedes & Associates as well as with Spanish loss adjusting company RTS Group, in a move the firm said would improve its entry into Latin America and Africa.

An ARCLEX spokesperson declined to comment on the future of the three attorneys still on the company's payroll. A spokesperson for Abreu said that ARCLEX has ceased to exist following the merger.