Bird & Bird Portugal marks first year in Lisbon
Bird & Bird Portugal has celebrated the first anniversary of its Lisbon office with an event for more than 120 clients, partners, firm professionals and representatives of the firm’s other international offices. The office, led by Ana Rita Paínho, head of country for Bird & Bird Portugal, says “it has exceeded the targets in its first-year business plan. It will now move to new premises and enlarge its team in Lisbon”.
The event reviewed a year of stronger-than-expected growth, the consolidation of key practice areas and the strengthening of Bird & Bird’s Iberian and international platform, says Paínho. Over the period, the Portuguese office reinforced Tech & Comms, Intellectual Property, Corporate and M&A, Employment, Regulatory, Cybersecurity and Data Protection.
“We have grown faster than anticipated, strengthened highly valuable relationships, and confirmed that our investment in Portugal was the right decision”, said the lawyer . The firm also announced that the Lisbon office will relocate to new premises designed to support its next phase of growth. The move will come with a larger team and the launch of new areas of specialisation.
Iberian and international integration
Paínho highlighted the integration of the Portuguese office into the firm’s international network. “From day one, we have worked as one firm. Collaboration with Madrid has been instrumental in building a truly Iberian platform capable of supporting clients who view Spain and Portugal as a single strategic market. At the same time, we have worked closely with teams across our international network, and we see significant opportunities to continue supporting our clients in markets such as Latin America, particularly Brazil”, she said.
Christian Bartsch, CEO of Bird & Bird, pointed to the Lisbon office’s role in the firm’s growth strategy. “The office has attracted talent and developed capabilities that are fully aligned with the sectors and practice areas driving our global strategy. Its progress demonstrates how a strong local presence can make a significant contribution to Bird & Bird’s growth and value proposition at an international level,” he said.
For Coral Yáñez, head of Iberia and head of Country for Bird & Bird Spain, the Portuguese office has helped strengthen the firm’s regional positioning. “One of our main objectives was to build a comprehensive Iberian offering that would meet the needs of clients operating on both sides of the border. Today, we have a strong, fully coordinated platform with capabilities to support businesses on complex cross-border projects”, she said.
Bird & Bird Portugal says the anniversary reaffirms its commitment to the Portuguese market and to advising companies and investors in an increasingly international, technology-driven environment. “This first anniversary is not the finish line; it is just the beginning”, concluded Paínho.
