Francisco Proença de Carvalho opens new law firm

The lawyer Francisco Proença de Carvalho is set to launch a new law firm in Lisbon, aiming to bring a fresh approach to the legal market.

In addition to Francisco Proença de Carvalho, who specializes in Litigation, the firm will include 13 lawyers, notably André Matias de Almeida (Commercial, Corporate, and M&A), who joins from Albuquerque & Almeida Advogados with a team of seven lawyers. The team also includes Eduarda Proença de Carvalho (Family and Succession Law), formerly of Uría Menéndez, now focusing on Private Clients, and Francisco Sousa Coutinho, who led PwC Legal’s Real Estate division and will oversee Real Estate and Urban Planning. Other key members are Filipa Loureiro (Litigation and Labor Law), Frederico Pestana (Commercial, Real Estate, and Life Sciences), and Bárbara Schürmann, who left Gama Glória in late 2024 to lead the Tax practice.

Proença de Carvalho announced his departure from Uría Menéndez in February, officially leaving in August after 14 years of collaboration. This partnership originated from the 2010 merger between Proença de Carvalho & Associados, founded by his father, Daniel Proença de Carvalho, and the Iberian firm. Francisco joined Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho in April 2010 as a partner following the merger. His departure marked the end of the association between the Proença de Carvalho name and the Uría Menéndez brand, as noted by Leaders League in September. After his exit, the firm reverted to operating as Uría Menéndez, discontinuing the joint name that had been used since 2010.

Francisco Proença de Carvalho shared that “After more than 20 years in the profession and 14 fulfilling years at Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, I decided to take a new direction in my legal career. I wanted a model more compatible with my desire to balance law with other professional and personal interests.”

Throughout his distinguished career, Proença de Carvalho has represented high-profile clients such as Ricardo Salgado and coordinated the Rock ‘n’ Law initiative for a decade. He has played pivotal roles in notable cases, including BCP, BPP, CTT, the Secret Service case, and defending Canadian economist Peter Boone in a public debt manipulation case. His expertise spans civil litigation, arbitration, and economic and financial crime cases, representing both corporations and individuals.