Bird & Bird has announced the launch of a new office in Lisbon, marking the international firm’s first base in Portugal and further strengthening its Iberian offering.
The new office, the firm’s twenty-first in continental Europe, will open with a two-partner, eight-lawyer team joining from local firm Sérvulo & Associados. The group, led by partners Ana Rita Paínho and Sofia Carreiro, will work across practice areas including IP, TMT, life sciences, corporate, M&A, employment and litigation.
Commenting on the opening, the firm’s head of the Iberian region Coral Yáñez said: ‘Portugal is a key player in the European economy, known for its significant trade activities. By capitalising on cross-border business synergies, key industry sectors, and the success of our Madrid office, opening in Lisbon is a natural step in cementing our reputation in the Iberian market.’
Paínho, who has been at Sérvulo & Associados since 2019, is a Legal 500 leading partner for intellectual property in Portugal. A specialist in life sciences and technology, media, and telecoms, she has experience advising on issues relating to trademark and patents, including in software, e-commerce, and data protection. Carreiro has been at Sérvulo since 2008, and focuses on corporate transactions and M&A.
Bird & Bird CEO Christian Bartsch told Legal Business: ‘This founding partner group is just the start. We want to be a major player. We’re celebrating twenty successful years in Madrid, and we’re very much following that model – growing thoughtfully and purposefully – and led by our clients.’
The Lisbon launch follows a string of recent international office openings by the firm, including Tokyo in September last year and Riyadh in May this year. The Portuguese team is expected to work closely with colleagues in Madrid to provide a unified Iberian platform.
Paínho commented: ‘We are looking forward to opening a new Bird & Bird office in Lisbon. Having worked with Bird & Bird for many years, there is a strong synergy between our client work and the firm’s vision to be the leading international law firm guiding organisations through a world being shaped by technology, innovation and regulation.’
The office’s exact opening date is still to be confirmed, but is expected to be within the next month.
