Abreu Advogados creates Digital Transformation Department
Abreu Advogados has established a new Digital Transformation Department, a cross-functional structure spanning the entire firm, its practice areas and management teams, dedicated to accelerating the digitalisation process and the integration of technology into legal practice. The new department’s mission is to modernise processes, bring scale and structure to an investment already underway, enhance operational excellence, and align technological transformation with clients’ growing expectations. The new leadership took up its duties this month.
The Digital Transformation Department is led by Vasco Silveira, who assumes the role of head of digital transformation, reporting to the chief operating officer, Bruno Oliveira. The new structure brings together the knowledge management and project management teams, in order to ensure a coordinated approach across knowledge, processes, data and technology.
According to Inês Sequeira Mendes, managing partner, this decision represents a structural step in the firm’s evolution: “The impact of technology, automation and artificial intelligence is now so wide-ranging that this area required someone fully dedicated to it. The creation of the Digital Transformation Department reflects a clear conviction: innovation must be cross-functional, structured and sustained. The technological transformation reshaping the legal profession requires method, governance and exclusive dedication. The goal is to accelerate efficiency and consistency while maintaining the rigour, security and responsibility that clients expect.”
Vasco Silveira highlights: “The focus is on innovation with method, and on value creation. The first step is to review existing systems and processes and work on their optimisation. Digital transformation is not limited to technology. It encompasses processes, data, knowledge management and team capability building. It is a change that must be built on strong internal engagement. The objective is to ensure quality, compliance and security in the adoption of digital solutions, making processes more robust and freeing up time for higher-value legal work.”
From continuous investment to strategic consolidation
According to Abreu, the creation of this department does not represent a starting point, but rather the consolidation of a consistent track record of investment in innovation. Abreu was the first Portuguese law firm to implement Microsoft Copilot, has more than 150 daily users of advanced technological tools, has integrated solutions such as ChatGPT, Legora and Harvey across the organisation, and has developed proprietary projects such as Abreu 360—an internal platform that integrates CRM, ERP, Power BI, and legal and management workflows.
Abreu 360 was developed using proprietary technology and enables monitoring of the entire client lifecycle, from initial contact to team management and financial information, ensuring an integrated and real-time view of the business. The firm has also established Abreu Tech, an internal group dedicated to testing technological solutions, implemented legal artificial intelligence tools following several pilot projects, and developed the A: Knowledge platform, which promotes the structured use of internal knowledge.
About Vasco Silveira
Vasco Silveira has over 20 years of experience in digital transformation, project management and process optimisation. He developed a significant part of his professional career at NetJets Europe, where since 2012 he has led projects focused on process automation, operational efficiency and technological innovation across areas such as human resources, operations, sales and marketing.
He previously worked in the project management office at Cofidis and as a senior consultant in performance improvement at EY. He holds a degree in management and information systems from Instituto Superior de Gestão, completed an intensive course in business administration and management at Nova SBE, and holds certifications including PMP, PMI-ACP and Lean IT.
Pictured, from left to right: Bruno Oliveira, chief operating officer; Joana Gaivão, head of communications and brand; Ricardo Henriques, partner and head of the TMT sector; Luís Barreto Xavier, president of the Abreu Advogados Knowledge Institute; Inês Sequeira Mendes, managing partner; Patrícia Campino, head of finance; Vasco Silveira, head of digital transformation; Guilherme Zuzarte, head of business development; Nádia Fonseca, head of human resources; and Paulo Nunes, head of information technology.
