We are a boutique law firm specializing in competition, regulatory and EU law in Lisbon. We work with other national and international law firms, offering specialized services in areas such as restrictive competition practices, merger control and state aid. We also advise Portuguese and EU public bodies, including representing regulators in litigation before national courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
News
Article Published about Portugal jurisdiction in the “Class and Group Actions Laws and Regulations 2025” by ICLG
In the 17th edition of the publication “Class and Group Actions Laws and Regulations 2025”, was published an article with a Q&A about Portugal jurisdiction, authored by our partner Miguel Sousa Ferro and our trainee lawyer Manuel Brandão.The article answers various questions about Portuguese jurisdiction, including hot topics such as representation bodies, court procedures, time limits, costs, and funding.The full article can be read here.
Published article ‘Portugal ∙ Vodafone / Nowo Merger Decision - An (Un)Expected Positive Outcome for Consumer Welfare? ’ in CoRe Magazine
In the third edition of 2024 of the European Competition and Regulatory Law Review (CoRe), an article was published on the adoption by the Competition Authority of a decision to prohibit Vodafone's acquisition of sole control of Cabonitel (Nowo's sole shareholder) by our Associate Ricardo Jorge Silva.The article entitled ‘Portugal ∙ Vodafone / Nowo Merger Decision - An (Un)Expected Positive Outcome for Consumer Welfare?’ addresses the influence that this decision by the Competition Authority will have on the telecommunications market in Portugal.The article can be read in full here
EU Collective Redress Circle
Our partner Ana Rita Barroca was part of the Advisory Board of the ‘EU Collective Redress Circle’ event held on 12 and 13 September in Ascot, United Kingdom.This exclusive event brought together 40 European professionals who took part in interactive sessions and discussions on the most relevant current issues in the world of collective actions in the European Union.As a member of the Advisory Board, our partner was a speaker on the panels ‘What is the state of class actions in the respective jurisdictions?’ and ‘Conflict of Interest - The role of financiers and economic experts in class actions.’Click here for more information.
The European Class Actions Forum 2024 | ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes | TL4D
No passado dia 12 de Junho, o nosso sócio Miguel Sousa Ferro participou como orador na conferência “The European Class Actions Forum 2024”, organizado pela ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes | TL4D, em Amsterdão.O nosso sócio foi orador no painel “Addressing Claimant Firm Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies in Different Jurisdictions”.Conheça aqui o programa.
Events
20 November 2024
Sousa Ferro at "The EU Competition Law Private Enforcement Forum 2024" conference in Amsterdam
Our partner Ana Rita Borroca was part of the Advisory Board for the "The EU Competition Law Private Enforcement Forum 2024" conference, organized by ThoughtLeaders4 Competition, which took place on November 20 in Amsterdam.Our partner was part of the panel "Exploring Jurisdiction Preferences and Cross-Border Litigation" and also participated in the roundtable on the topic "Discussing Practical Challenges to Case Management."You can find the agenda here.
16 February 2024
Sousa Ferro at the webinar Changing Law: "Class Actions under Decree-Law 114-A/2023"
Our associate Francisca Pinto Dias will be taking part in the webinar "Class Actions - Critical Appraisal of Decree-Law 114-A/2023", organized by the Legal Institute of the University of Coimbra.
The webinar will take place on February 16 at 17:00.
You can register here
8 February 2024
Sousa Ferro at the "Private Enforcement of Competition Law" conference in Brussels
Our Managing Partner, Miguel Sousa Ferro, will be a speaker on the panel entitled "Collective Actions, Claims Bundling & Claims Aggregation: Approaches across Europe", which will take place on February 8, 2024, in Brussels, and will be organized by informa.
You can read more about the event here.
Practice Areas
Administrative Law
Constitutional Law
Regulatory Law
European Union Law
Commercial and Corporate Law
Competition Law
Pharmaceutical Law
Unfair commercial practices
Recent Cases
Abuse of EDP's dominant position - Popular action
National Association of Surveyors - Class action
Apple iPhones (water resistance) - Class action
Mastercard (CIM) - Class action
Super Bock (RPM Horeca) - Class action
News
Article Published about Portugal jurisdiction in the “Class and Group Actions Laws and Regulations 2025” by ICLG
In the 17th edition of the publication “Class and Group Actions Laws and Regulations 2025”, was published an article with a Q&A about Portugal jurisdiction, authored by our partner Miguel Sousa Ferro and our trainee lawyer Manuel Brandão.The article answers various questions about Portuguese jurisdiction, including hot topics such as representation bodies, court procedures, time limits, costs, and funding.The full article can be read here.
Published article ‘Portugal ∙ Vodafone / Nowo Merger Decision - An (Un)Expected Positive Outcome for Consumer Welfare? ’ in CoRe Magazine
In the third edition of 2024 of the European Competition and Regulatory Law Review (CoRe), an article was published on the adoption by the Competition Authority of a decision to prohibit Vodafone's acquisition of sole control of Cabonitel (Nowo's sole shareholder) by our Associate Ricardo Jorge Silva.The article entitled ‘Portugal ∙ Vodafone / Nowo Merger Decision - An (Un)Expected Positive Outcome for Consumer Welfare?’ addresses the influence that this decision by the Competition Authority will have on the telecommunications market in Portugal.The article can be read in full here
EU Collective Redress Circle
Our partner Ana Rita Barroca was part of the Advisory Board of the ‘EU Collective Redress Circle’ event held on 12 and 13 September in Ascot, United Kingdom.This exclusive event brought together 40 European professionals who took part in interactive sessions and discussions on the most relevant current issues in the world of collective actions in the European Union.As a member of the Advisory Board, our partner was a speaker on the panels ‘What is the state of class actions in the respective jurisdictions?’ and ‘Conflict of Interest - The role of financiers and economic experts in class actions.’Click here for more information.
The European Class Actions Forum 2024 | ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes | TL4D
No passado dia 12 de Junho, o nosso sócio Miguel Sousa Ferro participou como orador na conferência “The European Class Actions Forum 2024”, organizado pela ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes | TL4D, em Amsterdão.O nosso sócio foi orador no painel “Addressing Claimant Firm Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies in Different Jurisdictions”.Conheça aqui o programa.
Article "The long-awaited transposition of the Directive on representative shares in Portugal" published in CoRe Magazine
The inaugural 2024 edition of the European Competition and Regulatory Law Review (CoRe) published a report on Portugal by our Associate Catarina Bártolo de Melo.The article entitled "The Long-Awaited Transposition of the Directive on Representative Actions in Portugal" addresses the context and scope of Decree-Law no. 114-A/2023, of December 5, which transposes Directive 2020/1828/EU into Portuguese law, highlighting the innovations in relation to previous legislation.Our Associate also highlights the most recent developments in popular actions in Portugal.You can read the full article
here
Our Team
Ana Rita Barroca
Partner
António Escalda
Senior Associate
Elsa Seara
Senior Associate
Margarida Gomes Branco
Senior Associate
Nuno Pires Salpico
Associate
Ricardo J. Silva
Associate
Catarina Bártolo de Melo
Associate
Francisca Pinto Dias
Associate
Emília Campelo
Associate
Madalena Simões Vaz
Trainee Lawyer
Manuel Vaz Brandão
Trainee Lawyer
Afonso Boavida
Trainee Lawyer
Ana Luís
Office Manager
Bárbara Campos
Forensic Secretary
Sónia Silva
Financial Controller
Afonso started at Sousa Ferro & Associados in 2024 as a researcher, and in November of the same year he began his career as a trainee lawyer.He currently works in the areas of Competition Law, Administrative Law, Consumer Law and Unfair Commercial Practices.
Practice Areas
Competition Law,
Administrative Law,
Consumer Law and Unfair Commercial Practices.
Education
Law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, 2024
Bar Admissions
Trainee Lawyer from the Portuguese Bar Association, 2024
Lawyer since 2023, Emília Campelo completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra. Her academic training includes periods of scientific research at the Universities of Cologne and Heidelberg in Germany.She has been a member of the Sousa Ferro team since 2024, following traineeships and practising law in companies in the Coimbra area.
Practice Areas
Civil Procedure Law
Competition Law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
Master's Degree in Civil Legal Sciences (specialisation in Civil Procedural Law) from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2023)
Law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2021)
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2023
Francisca Pinto Dias is an academic and lawyer, admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association in 2023.As an academic, she has been a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, in the Legal-Philosophical Sciences and Legal-Civil Sciences departments, since February 2022.In recent years, in addition to studying a wide range of topics in the area of consumer law, she has focused her legal research on collective consumer protection. In 2020, she defended her master's thesis, entitled "Collective redress - some procedural problems". He is currently working on his PhD thesis on jurisdiction in cross-border class actions.He has also taught several courses in postgraduate and specialization courses in consumer law and in the Bar Association's training cycles on the subject of collective consumer protection.
Practice Areas
Unfair commercial practices
Competition law
European Union law
Education
Law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2014-2018)
Postgraduate course in Contract Law at the Consumer Law Center of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2018-2019)
Postgraduate course in Contract and Consumer Law taught by the Center for Consumer Law of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2019-2020)
Postgraduate course in Banking, Stock Exchange and Insurance Law taught by the Institute of Banking, Stock Exchange and Insurance Law of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2019-2020)
Master's Degree in Civil Legal Sciences with a specialization in Civil Procedural Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (2018-2020)
PhD (in progress), specialization in Legal-Procedural Sciences (2021-present) at the University of Coimbra Faculty of Law
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2023
Professional Activities
Secretary of ALUMNI - Association of Former Students of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra
Guest lecturer at the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra
Publications
“Responsabilidade civil pelo tratamento de dados pessoais: a responsabilidade do controller por factos próprios e por factos de outrem”, in Revista de Direito da Responsabilidade, Ano 1, 2019;
“A dimensão processual da proteção de dados pessoais”, in Revista de Direito da Responsabilidade, Ano 4, 2022;
“A responsabilidade civil dos centros de arbitragem de conflitos de consumo: algumas pistas de reflexão”, in Revista de Direito da Responsabilidade, Ano 4, 2022;
“Ações coletivas e competência judiciária”, in Estudos de Direito do Consumidor, 2022;
“As providências cautelares arbitrais: algumas notas à luz do Direito Português”, in Revista
Científica da Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil Secção Piauí, volume 10, n.º 2, 2022;
“A empreitada de consumo de bens móveis”, in Revista de Direito da Responsabilidade, Ano 5, 2023;
“O contrato de empreitada de bens imóveis nas relações de consumo”, in Revista Ex Libris, n.º 3, 2023;
“Desafios do mercado digital para o Direito do Consumo: Big Data, profiling e personalização de preços com base em decisões automatizadas”, in Os Direitos Humanos e a ética na era da inteligência artificial, (org.) João Alexandre Silva Guimarães, Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves, São Paulo: Editora Foco, 2023;
“A resolução de litígios de consumo em linha: o Regulamento (UE) n.º 524/2013 e a plataforma de RLL”, in Presente e Futuro do Processo Civil: A Caminho de uma (R)evolução?, (coord.) Lurdes Varregoso Mesquita, Coimbra: GestLegal, 2023.
Lawyer since 2022, providing legal advice on the resolution of judicial and extrajudicial conflicts in various matters, representing national and foreign clients, with a special focus on civil law, contracts, criminal law and family and succession law.He joined the Sousa Ferro & Associados team in 2023.
Practice Areas
Competition Law
Civil Procedure Law
Criminal Procedure Law
Family and Succession Law
Education
Degree from the Faculty of Law of the Portuguese Catholic University of Lisbon
Master's Degree in Forensic Law from the Faculty of Law of the Portuguese Catholic University of Lisbon
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2022
Miguel Sousa Ferro is an academic and lawyer with over 15 years' experience in European Union law, competition law and regulatory law. He is a leader in Portugal in class actions and competition law, with a special focus on private enforcement and consumer protection.Miguel's career has spanned several law firms in Brussels - Cleary Gottlieb, Uría - and Lisbon - Vieira de Almeida, Sérvulo, Paz Ferreira - and the General Court of the European Union.Miguel represents the plaintiff in the first class action brought in Portugal to defend consumers for a breach of competition law, in 2015, and is lead counsel in the first two such actions brought before the Competition, Regulation and Supervision Court under the new Private Enforcement of Competition Law, in 2020.As an academic, Miguel is a Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, where he has taught since 2008. He has also taught at the Universities of Toulouse, Byalystok and Timor-Leste, the College of Europe and the European University (Portugal). He is co-Director of the Journal of Competition and Regulation, and has published 6 books and more than 100 articles in national and international journals. His most recent books were "The EU Antitrust Damages Directive: Transposition in the Member States" (Oxford University Press) and "Market Definition in EU Competition Law" (Edward Elgar).He was a member of the expert working groups that assisted the Competition Authority in preparing drafts for the transposition of Directives 2014/104/EU (Private Enforcement of Competition) and 2019/01/EU (ECN+), and worked on several other legislative processes in Portugal.Miguel has authored several legal opinions on competition and EU law for courts and arbitrations in Portugal and the Netherlands.Miguel is also a Judge at the European Court of Nuclear Energy (2020/2024).
Practice Areas
Competition Law
Regulatory Law
European Union law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
PhD, University of Lisbon Law School, 2014
LLM, College of Europe, 2006
Undergraduate degree, University of Lisbon Law School, 2005
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association
Professional Activities
Judge at the European Nuclear Energy Tribunal
Co-Director of the Journal of Competition and Regulation
Member of the Board of the Competition Observatory
Member of the working groups that assisted the PCA in drafting the transposition of Directives 2014/104/EU (Private Enforcement of Competition) and 2019/01/EU (ECN+)
Ana Rita Barroca is a lawyer with 17 years' experience in civil and corporate litigation.Her initial training led her to specialize in complex litigation related to contractual and non-contractual liability, as well as corporate governance and company law.From 2007 until July 2018, Ana Rita taught as a guest lecturer at the Castelo Branco Polytechnic Institute, where she was responsible for the subject of Health Law.Later, she continued her studies in the area of administrative law, completing her research master's degree ("summa cum laude") with a dissertation on public procurement "in house" entitled "The Principle of Competition in Public Procurement without Competition".
Practice Areas
Competition Law
Administrative Law
Commercial and Corporate Law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
UCP, Research Master's Degree in Administrative Law, 2020
UCP, Postgraduate in Legal Science, 2010
FDUC, Postgraduate course in Civil Procedural Law, 2004-2006
FDUC, Postgraduate course in Corporate Tax Law, 2003-2006
FDUC, Postgraduate Studies in Corporate Law, 2003-2006
FDUC, Postgraduate Studies in Urban Planning and Environmental Law, 2001-2003
FDUC, Law Degree, 2000
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2003
António Escalda has been with Sousa Ferro & Associados since 2022. He is a lawyer with over twenty years' experience in litigation.In this area, he has handled a variety of disputes, mainly civil, commercial, corporate and banking, both in the courts and in arbitration tribunals.He published "Código Civil Português - Anotado e Actualizado", 16th edition, Almedina, co-authored with Jacinto Rodrigues Bastos.
Practice Areas
Competition law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
Postgraduate, UCP, 2004-2005
Degree, UCP, 2002
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2004
Elsa Seara has a law degree from the Faculty of Law in Lisbon and has been practicing law for over 20 years. Elsa began her career as an in-house corporate lawyer for a large construction company operating in the Portuguese public market. From 2005, she worked at the law firm J.A.P.R (now Pinto Ribeiro Advogados), where she coordinated the litigation department and worked closely with the corporate, M&A and Venture Capital departments. She specializes in litigation and arbitration, with extensive experience in corporate and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on insolvency and banking disputes, involving domestic and international interests.He joined Sousa Ferro & Associados in September 2022.
Practice Areas
Commercial and Corporate
Formação
Admissões à Ordem
Portuguese Bar Association, 2001
Margarida Gomes Branco has a law degree from the Faculty of Law of the Portuguese Catholic University and has been practicing law for over 15 years, having started her career at the law firm "Sérvulo & Associados".She has practiced in the areas of civil, criminal and misdemeanor litigation, banking, executive, insolvency and family and minors.She joined Sousa Ferro & Associados in August 2023.
Practice Areas
Civil, criminal and misdemeanor litigation
Competition law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
2008 - 2009 Postgraduate course in Banking Law at the University of Lisbon Law School
2002 - 2007 Law degree from the Portuguese Catholic University
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2010
Nuno Pires Salpico is a lawyer and university lecturer, practising in the areas of Civil Law, Civil Liability, Evidence Law, Private Enforcement of Consumer Law, Competition and Regulation Law, and Data Protection Law.Nuno started as Counsel in Sousa Ferro & Associados in 2020, and in the same year, became a trainee lawyer. In 2023 he was admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association.As an Academic, Nuno has been a Guest Lecturer at the University of Lisbon Law School since 2019, on the department of Legal Economics. In 2023 he obtained a Master's degree in Civil Law from the same Faculty.He also teaches postgraduate courses and has participated as a speaker at international legal congresses and events.He has published research articles and, more recently, two monographs in the areas of Civil Liability, Evidence Law and Competition and Regulation Law.Two of his scientific articles and one of his books have already been cited in several judgements of four Courts of Appeal.
Practice Areas
Tort Law
Competition Law
Data Protection Law
Unfair commercial practices
European Union law
Education
FDUL, Master in Law and Legal Science - Civil Law, 2023
CIDP-FDUL, Postgraduate in Banking Law, 2020
FDUL, Degree in Law, 2018
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2023
Professional Activities
Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon; Researcher at CIDEFF
Reviewer for national and European periodicals; Montijo Municipal Deputy
Publications
Books
Cálculo de danos e equidade, Aplicação, alcance e limites do artigo 566.º n.º 3 do Código Civil, Coimbra, Almedina, 2023
Indemnização “própria” e “imprópria” em processo penal, Coimbra, Almedina, 2024
Scientific Papers
“As restrições à concorrência nas plataformas de cartões de pagamento através das Interchange Fees”, C&R, ano XI, n.º 41, 2020, pp. 37-73
“A compensatio lucri cum damno: em especial, por violação de direitos de personalidade”, RDC, ano 5, n.º 2, 2020, pp. 305-353
“Pay for delay e patentes farmacêuticas: notas de private enforcement do direito da concorrência”, Revista Jurídica (AAFDL), n.º 32-33, 2021, pp. 25-42
"A inversão do ónus da prova devido a impossibilidade de prova culposamente causada (art.344º/2 CC)”, Ius Dictum, n.º 1, 2020, pp. 45-75
“A operacionalidade do Private Enforcement do Direito da Concorrência – dissuasão, ações coletivas e third-party ligation funding”, C&R, ano XIII, n.º 45, 2021, pp. 103-141
“Indemnização dos consumidores como prioridade dos reguladores” [co-aut. Miguel Sousa Ferro], RFDUL, ano LXII, N.º 2, 2021, pp. 407-445
Other publications
"Portugal: EC Law private enforcement’s holy grail?” in European Competition and Regulatory Law Review, vol. 6, issue 3, 2022, pp. 266-270
“Portugal” [Em co-autoria com Miguel Sousa Ferro]in Mass Claims, vol. 3 (julho, 2023), pp. 57-59
Unlocking the Path to Evidence in EC Law Private Enforcement” [Em co-autoria com Ana Rita Calmeiro Barroca] in European Competition and Regulatory Law Review, vol. 7, issue 2, 2023, pp. 122-124
Manuel Brandão has been a researcher since 2022, collaborating in the areas of Administrative Law, Competition Law, Consumer Law and Unfair Commercial Practices.He is currently studying for a Master's degree in Administrative Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.
Practice Areas
Administrative Law
Competition Law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
Master's student, FDUL, Present
Degree, FDUL, 2022
She started at Sousa Ferro & Associados in 2021 as a researcher, and in 2022 she began her career as a trainee lawyer.At the same time, she is finishing her Master's degree in International and European Law, currently in the non-teaching phase, with the writing of her dissertation in European Law and Environmental Law.Since 2019, she has been training in areas such as Competition Law (Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon 2019); Medical and Health Law (University of Innsbruck, Faculty of Law, 2019); Public International Law (Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon, 2021) and Sustainability and Law (Abreu, 2022).
Practice Areas
Competition law
Unfair commercial practices
European Union law
Education
Master's Degree, Nova School of Law, International and European Law (currently writing dissertation)
Degree, University of Lisbon Law School, 2021
Bar Admissions
Trainee lawyer at the Portuguese Bar Association, 2022
Ricardo J. Silva is a lawyer, practicing in the areas of Civil Law, Consumer Law and Competition and Regulation Law.As an association leader, he took on the role of Coordinator at the Coimbra Academic Association's Law Students' Group, and was responsible for organizing multiple activities, including a congress. He was also a member of the interim board of the Debating Society of the University of Coimbra.
Practice Areas
Competition law
Unfair commercial practices
Education
FDUC, Master's student in Legal-Business Sciences (part of course completed), 2021
FDUC, Postgraduate in Banking Law, 2021
FDUC, Degree in Law, 2020
Bar Admissions
Portuguese Bar Association, 2023
Practice Areas
Commercial and Corporate
Sousa Ferro & Associados ensures the integrated treatment of all stages of corporate activity, providing advice from a compliance perspective on specific areas of activity or on legal regimes of transversal application. The monitoring of corporate coalition processes, in terms of the application of private law and European competition law, is an approach that is becoming increasingly important and which Sousa Ferro & Associados is committed to providing with all the knowledge and experience of its team.
Pharmaceutical Law
The development of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in recent times has been a strong driver for the industrial and business sectors. In this area, we are at our clients' side, providing legal advice in the areas of safety and access to medicines.
Administrative Law
Our team's experience and accumulated knowledge ensure that we can combine the analysis of substantive areas of administrative law with the defense of our clients' interests in administrative litigation, guaranteeing a comprehensive approach to legal-administrative issues.
Unfair commercial practices
The core of Sousa Ferro & Associados is the defense of consumers against commercial practices that harm their interests and rights. It channels the experience of its lawyers into sponsoring popular actions with the aim of guaranteeing compensation for all consumers who feel they have been harmed by a particular illegal market practice and for the future elimination of these practices.
Constitutional Law
Our activity as defenders of consumer rights is based on structuring constitutional principles and fundamental rights, weighing up and reconciling fundamental law with the principles and primacy of European law, so that no one is denied access to justice, the right to effective compensation for damages and the defense of their constitutional rights.
Regulatory Law
Finding the difficult balance between the necessary reaction to market failures and the imperfection of state intervention in the economy.We are particularly dedicated to• advising and drafting opinions on the interpretation and application of regulatory law, in particular the regulation of energy and telecommunications;• advising European and national regulatory authorities and representing them before the CJEU and Portuguese courts.
European Union Law
European law is Portuguese law. There is no area of law that is not affected by European law.We are particularly dedicated to• advising and drafting opinions, particularly for judicial or arbitration proceedings, on the interpretation and application of EU law;• drafting procedural documents and intervening before the Court of Justice of the European Union, in the context of preliminary rulings or direct appeals before the CJEU.
Competition Law
Competition increases efficiency and consumer welfare. Ensuring respect for competition law contributes to the common good.We are particularly dedicated to• defending the interests of injured parties in the private enforcement of the law on practices that restrict competition;• advice, notification and intervention in merger control;• advising on State aid rules and intervening in State aid proceedings;• drafting opinions, particularly for judicial or arbitration proceedings, on the interpretation and application of competition law.
Recent Cases
Apple iPhones (water resistance) - Class action lawsuit
We represent the consumer association Ius Omnibus, on behalf of all Portuguese consumers who bought iPhones 7 to 12, seeking compensation for the overpricing they paid for these products due to misleading advertising about the iPhones' resistance and liquid characteristics, and asking for an order that Apple refrain from such misleading advertising in the future. Total damages estimated at 137 million euros. More information here.
National Association of Surveyors - Popular action
We represented consumer association Ius Omnibus to obtain compensation for all Portuguese consumers harmed by the anti-competitive price-fixing decision of the National Association of Surveyors, in force from 2003 to 2020. We achieved the first settlement in a popular competition action in Portugal, guaranteeing compensation (5% overpricing) for all consumers who purchased surveying services during the relevant period. More information here.
Aldeia do Cachão - Extrajudicial action
We represented the population of the village of Cachão, in the north of Portugal, to prevent the installation of a garbage truck washing and parking facility in the middle of the village. We achieved out-of-court success through cooperation with Mirandela Town Council and the company concerned. More information here.
Super Bock (RPM Horeca) - Popular action
We represent the consumer association Ius Omnibus, together with Cardigos & Associados, seeking compensation for all Portuguese consumers who have bought drinks from the Super Bock group in the Horeca channel over more than 20 years. Partly based on the decision of the Competition Authority which declared a practice of resale price fixing by Super Bock. Total damages estimated at EUR 401 million. More information here.
Mastercard (CIM) - Class action
We represent the consumer association Ius Omnibus, together with Pais de Vasconcelos & Associados, seeking compensation for all Portuguese consumers harmed by the practices of the Mastercard group identified in the European Commission's decision in the Mastercard II case. Total damages estimated at EUR 400 million. More information here.
Contact Us
Address
Sousa Ferro & Associados
Avenida Visconde Valmor, Nº31
1050-237 Lisbon
Send us a message
Privacy Policy
IntroductionThis privacy policy describes the treatment applicable to the personal data of users of the website https://www.sousaferro.pt (hereinafter "Site"), which belongs to Sousa Ferro & Associados, SP, RL.Sousa Ferro & Associados, bearing the VAT number 515647608, located at Rua São Filipe Nery, 11, 1250-225, Lisbon, is responsible for this website and for processing the personal information collected through it.The processing described in this policy respects the sharing, management, storage and protection of the data provided within the scope of our services, and any user may contact Sousa Ferro & Associados to clarify any issue related to the same, or even to exercise their rights, such as the removal of all their data and information collected by the site, by emailing [email protected].Any form presented on the site that involves the collection of personal data will contain the identification of this collection and respective processing, the express request for consent and reference to the mandatory knowledge of this Policy.
Purposes of Data CollectionPersonal data may be collected and managed for the following purposes:• To provide, by subscribing to newsletters and according to the notification preferences configured by each user, periodic information on the content of the website (e.g. updates to its policies);• To communicate, by subscribing to invitations and events, the activities of Sousa Ferro & Associados;• Manage applications for internships or jobs at Sousa Ferro & Associados, by submitting your curriculum vitae via the website;• To allow temporary and anonymous statistical studies on how users access and use the site.
Legal bases for processingThe main legal basis for the processing of personal data by this website is the specific consent of users. This consent can be granted or withdrawn at any time. Users may inform Sousa Ferro & Associados of their wish to remove their personal information from the register via the e-mail address indicated above, effective for the future and without prejudice to the previous processing of their data.With regard to the purpose of managing applications and recruitment, personal data is processed for the purposes of pre-contractual measures and contacts.
Recipients of personal dataSousa Ferro & Associados may not sell or transfer any personal data collected on this site. It may only communicate them to:• Entities contracted to provide services for one or more of the aforementioned purposes, or to maintain the site, under the direction of Sousa Ferro & Associados and in accordance with the contractual terms;• Third parties, in compliance with legal or judicial obligations to which Sousa Ferro & Associados is subject.
Preservation of personal dataThe personal data processed will not be kept for longer than is necessary, in accordance with the purposes set out above, without prejudice to users choosing to withdraw their consent earlier:• The communication of periodic information on the content of the website or the activities of Sousa Ferro & Associados, within two years of the data being collected;• Data collected in the context of an application, for a period of one to five years after the application and recruitment processes initiated by Sousa Ferro & Associados have been sent;• Data collected for statistical purposes, for a period which may not exceed the minimum necessary, not exceeding one year, for such purposes.
Users' rights as holders of personal data• Users have the right to access information regarding their personal data and, upon request, to obtain a copy of their data being processed;• Users have the right to request rectification of their data when it is out of date, incomplete or incorrect;• Users may request the deletion of their personal data from the register kept by Sousa Ferro & Associados, except when, for example, the processing of the data is necessary to comply with legal obligations or to invoke, exercise or defend a right in legal proceedings;• Users may restrict the processing of their personal data in the following cases:• Users contest the accuracy of their personal information, for a period of time in which it is possible for Sousa Ferro & Associados to observe or correct such inaccuracy;• Sousa Ferro & Associados has ceased processing the data, but users request it as part of legal proceedings;• Users may oppose the processing of their data until the legitimate interests of Sousa Ferro & Associados or third parties prevail over those of the users.• Users have the right to portability of their personal data, which may be provided by means of a contract or a structured, commonly used and automatically readable format of their consent;• Data subjects may object to the processing of their personal information, without prejudice to Sousa Ferro & Associados having legitimate and compelling interests that prevail over the rights of users;• Users have the right to personalize the definition of their profiles and not be subject to any automated individual decision.• Users also have the right to lodge a complaint with the National Data Protection Commission if they believe that there has been a violation of their rights regarding their personal data.In the event of a request to Sousa Ferro & Associados regarding any of the aforementioned rights, users may be required to provide proof of their identity, in order to guarantee that it is the actual owner of the data who has access to it. The exercise of rights is free of charge, with the exception of excessive or unfounded requests, for which a reasonable fee may be charged.
SecurityIt is the duty of Sousa Ferro & Associados to protect the privacy of users' personal data. However, due to the constant development of the Internet and other factors outside our domain, it is not possible to guarantee that communications between users and the website will be free from unauthorized access by third parties. To this extent, we do not assume responsibility for the possible disclosure of personal data caused by errors in transmission or illicit acts committed by third parties.
Updates and changesSousa Ferro & Associados may update or change this Privacy Policy at any time, so it is advisable to consult it regularly.
Law and jurisdictionThis Policy is governed by Portuguese law and all disputes that may relate to it must be addressed to the courts of the district of Lisbon.
Date: September 2023
Legal Notice
IntroductionThe following terms and conditions determine the rules of use of the website https://www.sousaferro.pt.pt (hereinafter ''Site''), created and managed by Sousa Ferro & Associados, SP, RL, bearer of NIF 515647608, located at Rua São Filipe Nery, 11, 1250-225, in Lisbon.
Object and Legal StatementsThis website and all its contents are for informational and non-commercial purposes only. No information contained herein is confidential or may be construed as legal advice, as legal grounds for doing or refraining from doing a particular act, or as an offer to legally represent a user.
Acceptance of Terms and ConditionsMere use of the site constitutes specific acceptance of these terms and conditions. Users who do not agree to these terms and conditions should refrain from using the site.
Limited Authorization to Use Protected InformationSousa Ferro & Associados may restrict users' authorization to use the information contained on the site in the following cases:• Users transfer and reproduce the content of the site for commercial purposes;• The appropriate legal warnings or reservation of intellectual property rights are not observed in the information transferred or reproduced by users;• Notwithstanding private use, users are not authorized to alter, transmit, reproduce, publish, transfer or sell any information collected through the site.Sousa Ferro & Associados owns the property rights contained on the website, such as trademarks, patents, copyright, trade secrets or logos. Sousa Ferro & Associados owns the intellectual property of all the content evident on the site, as a collective and/or composite work. Users are therefore not granted any license to use or any rights over the information contained on this site. Failure to comply with the provisions regarding the use of information and intellectual property objects made available by Sousa Ferro & Associados constitutes a serious breach of these terms and conditions and results in the loss of the limited authorization described above.Likewise, references are made to third party intellectual property objects on this website, and nothing in these terms and conditions grants a license to use any part of that information.Any images of people or places contained on the site are also the property of Sousa Ferro & Associados, or used with due authorization. Their use by users or third parties is expressly prohibited, unless specifically authorized by these terms and conditions or elsewhere on the site, under penalty of violating legislation on intellectual property, trademarks, personality rights, advertising and/or other laws and regulations.
Limitation of Liability and Exclusion of GuaranteesSousa Ferro & Associados is responsible for ensuring that all the information displayed on the website is up to date, without prejudice to the fact that it does not constitute legal advice or an opinion. This responsibility does not extend to the use and reading of the site's content, which is the sole responsibility of users. Sousa Ferro & Associados disclaims all warranties, express or implied, as to the use of this website and the materials it displays, as to accuracy or quality, suitability for any specific purpose, or non-infringement of third party rights, and assumes no liability for any errors and/or omissions in the content of the website.Sousa Ferro & Associados disclaims any liability for any damages or viruses that may infect users' mobile or immobile devices, or other property, when accessing or using the site or downloading material from the site.Sousa Ferro & Associados accepts no liability for any indirect, contingent or extraordinary damages, whether contractual or non-contractual, which may result from its action or omission within the scope of these terms and conditions, even if it is aware of the possibility of such damages occurring.
Links to Third Party SitesSousa Ferro & Associados may provide links to other Internet sites that are not under its control, and serve only to make user navigation more convenient. Therefore, no guarantees or representations are made in relation to them, including the products, software, materials, services, contents, accuracy or suitability of the contents of the sites to which the links refer, and whose policies may differ materially from ours, especially with regard to the use and processing of personal data.No user is authorized to provide any link to this site or to display any content contained on this site without prior written authorization.
Miscellaneous ProvisionsThese terms and conditions may be amended and supplemented at any time and without prior notice, so it is advisable to consult them regularly. Each time you use the site, you accept these terms and conditions in accordance with the above.For further information, please contact Sousa Ferro & Associados at [email protected].