Garrigues, authorized to open branches in Portugal
(19/07/04) The General Council of the “Ordem dos Advogados de Portugal” (Portuguese Bar Association) has authorized the General Partnership J&A Garrigues to establish a branch in Portugal to provide legal services. Within the new few days, this resolution will be formally notified and Garrigues will comply with the mandatory formalities. The authorization, granted last Friday, coincided with the Garrigues Partners’ Meeting, held in Lisbon on July 15 and 16.
For J&A Garrigues, considering its relationship with the Portuguese law firm Leónidas Matos y Associados, this authorization is of maximum importance in its international expansion commenced last February, when the Latin American Alliance of law firms was organized including law firms of Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.
Leonidas, Matos & Associados (LMA) will be integrated into the branch to be established by Garrigues to commence the necessary expansion process. LMA, established in 2001, currently has 36 lawyers (2 partners, 3 associates, 10 senior lawyers and 19 junior lawyers). Another 10 professionals will be engaged in September.
Garrigues was already introduced in Portugal in 1991 when it organized the Portuguese Legal Group with Simmons & Simmons, the Brazilian law firm Pinheiro Neto and the Portuguese law firm Castelo Branco, Nobre Guedes & Associados.