Portuguese firms should forge stronger links with Brazilian lawyers – FCB&A

Portuguese law firms should aim to enhance their links with Brazilian firms, according to Gonçalo da Cunha, partner at FCB&A in Lisbon.

“We should not lose our connection with Brazil,” Da Cunha says. “We should build our connection with Brazilian firms – we might have lawyers seconded to Brazilian firms.” Da Cunha believes that there are lots of opportunities in Brazil for Portugal and the Lusophone Africa countries. He adds: “Also, a lot of Brazilian companies could be persuaded to invest in both Portugal and Angola.”
Law firms’ strategies for forging links with Brazil may be dissimilar to those used for African countries. “It may perhaps be a different approach [in Brazil] to that adopted for Africa,” Da Cunha says. “I´m not envisaging setting up a firm or a branch there [in Brazil].” He adds that Brazilians generally have a good relationship with Angola. “Brazilians are welcome in Angola, both as firms and individuals.”
Da Cunha adds that Lusophone Africa still offers significant opportunities for Portuguese firms. “Angola, despite the oil crisis, is good,” he says. “There are also a lot of opportunities in Mozambique – these are definitely two countries in which to invest.”