Pares, 15 years on its own terms
Founding partner João de Freitas e Costa discusses the trajectory of growth and the firm’s strategy to remain independent
by glória paiva
Portuguese law firm Pares marks its 15th anniversary this year after a sustained growth trajectory, while remaining committed to one principle: keeping its own pace and independency. This was the reflection shared by founding partner and managing partner João de Freitas e Costa in a conversation with Iberian Lawyer, in which he discussed the firm’s development. “Our objective is to maintain our brand, our culture and our DNA”, he said.
From the 15 lawyers who made up the firm in 2011, Pares has grown to a 65-person team, including 15 partners, across Lisbon and the Algarve. The firm advises on areas including M&A, employment, tax and real estate, public law and litigation, including criminal and economic litigation. In 2025, its revenue was estimated at €6 million, representing 16% growth year-on-year, according to Iberian Lawyer’s ranking of the 30 largest law firms in Portugal by revenue (click to read).
The firm has pursued its growth through a series of moves, including the most recent integration of Unit Legal in Lisbon (click to read). Previously operating as Espanha e Associados, Unit Legal brought in three partners — Elsa Rodrigues, Rita Beirôco and Luís Almeida Carneiro — and 10 additional professionals into Pares, strengthening its corporate, tax and employment practices in September. Last May, Pares also announced a partnership with the Vilamoura office of Susana de Queirós, a boutique practice with more than 25 years of experience in the Algarve market (click to read).
In Algarve, the partnership was designed to create a new platform for legal services covering corporate, M&A, tax, real estate, tourism and urban planning. The Vilamoura firm has experience advising foreign investment projects in the region across these areas. “It is a partnership that has worked very well; we work as if we were a single office”, Freitas e Costa said.
…
