Marques Mendes & Associados

Portugal

Marques Mendes & Associados continues to be recognised as one of Portugal’s leading competition practices. Led by renowned competition veteran and Who’s Who Legal entrant Mário Marques Mendes, the firm has had a heavy transactional workload.

The firm is advising ETE on merger control issues regarding the public bid for provision of services at the Port of Lisbon, a case that has involved a bidding competitor filing claims with the competition authority and courts. Marques Mendes is also representing transport company Barraqueiro in its acquisition of Metro Sul do Tejo, which operates transport services near Lisbon.

International clients are also drawn to the firm’s reputation. Marques Mendes continues to represent Canadian pulp and paper producer Fortress on potential acquisitions in Portugal, as well as other competition advice. The firm is also acting for French machinery manufacturer Altrad over the purchase of a controlling stake in a Portuguese rival.

On the behavioural side, Marques Mendes has been retained as counsel to the European Commission in two high-profile litigation cases before the European courts, which Mendes describes as “extremely interesting work”. The firm is defending the commission in three appeals from Portuguese companies in the pre-stressing steel cartel, and two companies in the animal feed cartel.

Marques Mendes is also handling some of the state aid work that is continuing in Portugal, representing public tele-vision broadcaster RTP regarding its financial restructuring.