Bird & Bird launches in Portugal with Lisbon office and eight-lawyer team

Bird & Bird is opening an office in Lisbon, marking its entry into Portugal and strengthening its Iberian presence.

The new base will be led by partner Ana Rita Paínho, alongside corporate lawyer Sofia Carreiro. Both join from Portuguese firm Sérvulo where they were partners. Paínho is considered one of the market's top IP lawyers. They're joined by three counsel, three associates and support staff.

The firm says the team will cover IP, TMT, life sciences, corporate, M&A, employment and litigation, and work closely with the firm’s Madrid office to provide a "unified" Iberian offering to clients.

Bigger picture

The move follows one of the biggest European market entries of the year: rival Fieldfisher’s 68-lawyer Portugal launch in Lisbon in July, after absorbing the entire team from local firm André Miranda Associados.

Both firms will be backing Portugal’s buoyant tech and innovation sector while complementing their Madrid offices to provide Iberian-wide coverage, with many companies treating the region as one market.

Bird & Bird has been expanding its international presence this year. The tech and IP specialist opened in Saudi Arabia in May and earlier this month added a nine-lawyer regulatory team in Brussels. The firm now has 22 offices across Europe.

What they said

CEO Christian Bartsch said the Lisbon launch reflected "great momentum" behind the firm’s five-year strategy (to reach €1 billion in revenue by 2029). He added: "With clients increasingly requesting us to provide a unified Iberian capability, it’s exciting to be able to deliver on this."

Iberian head Coral Yáñez called Portugal "a key player in the European economy" with growing appeal as a technology and innovation hub.

Paínho added: "Portugal is a key hub for both technology and financial services companies and through working closely with the Madrid office, we will be able to offer clients a seamless Iberian offering that mirrors their own cross-border structures."