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Very experienced lawyer in Energy, Public & Business Law with domestic and international experience with Portuguese speaking countries and international companies (Algeria, Angola, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain).

With over 15 years’ experience João is highly praised by clients and peers for having a client-oriented approach and being capable of answering questions from various areas of law applicable to the company’s activity.

João combines a strong legal background with several studies in management (Master in Management, International MBA in Barcelona & HNI in Harvard Law School) and frequently attends Conferences at leading schools such as NYU, Penn Law School or Chicago Law School.

He is an invited Lecture – Industry Fellow – at the Catholic Porto Business School (Universidade Católica Portuguesa) and Director of a Graduation in Management for Lawyers and Judges.

Since he began his career at Sérvulo and later when he opened his own law firm, João always had the notion that Clients and their needs are the focus. Thus the decision of opening a specialised law firm in the North - Cavaleiro & Associados - and having additional offices in other northern cities, but also of opening offices abroad. Lawyers need to be where clients are. The firm currently has offices in 4 Portuguese cities and in Paris (in association).

Location
  • Rua Pedro Homem de Mello,
    Edifício Aviz 4 n.º 55 6.º andar
    Porto 4150-599
    Portugal
Languages
  • English
  • French
Education
  • Harvard University, Executive Education
  • Law School of the Coimbra University, Postgraduate Studies in Public Justice
  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Porto Law School, Law
Bar Admissions
  • Portugal, 2006
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • International Bar Association - Member

Cavaleiro & Associados

Porto, Portugal

1 The Best Lawyers in Portugal award

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Litigation
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation, Porto, Portugal (2021)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Portugal 2025 for work in:
  • Corporate Law
  • Energy Law
  • Litigation
Awards:
  • Iberian Lawyer Energy Awards 2023 - João was a finalist in 15 categories; the firm won “Law Firm of the Year in Litigation” and “Law Firm of the Year innovation” (the firm was a finalist in 15 categories)

  • Lawyer of the Year in Litigation, awarded by Best Lawyers in 2020

  • Iberian Lawyer Energy Awards 2022 (1st edition) - João was a finalist in 4 awards: Lawyer of the year Administrative & Environmental; Lawyer of the year Criminal Law; Lawyer of the year Infrastructure; Lawyer of the year Renewables.

Career
  • Member of the founding team of CAMIGAP - Centre for Arbitration and Mediation of the Institute of Management and Public Administration, a specialised arbitration centre exclusively dedicated to administrative arbitration, settling disputes in which one of the parties is a public entity or a private entity exercising materially public functions.
  • Director of Postgraduate Studies in Management for Lawyers and Judges – Catholic Porto Business School (2019)
  • Industry Fellow - Catholic Porto Business School
  • Co-founder of Cavaleiro & Associados (2011)
  • Arbitrator
  • Researcher at CES ifo Institute
  • Member of the Board of ACEGE
  • Member of the Board of IT4LEGAL- Association for IT solutions for Lawyers
  • Lawyer at Sérvulo & Associados (2008-2011)
  • Lawyer at João Cavaleiro, Carlos Pinto Lopes & Associados (2008-2009)
Practice Areas
Public Law. Energy Law. Business Law. Litigation and Arbitration.
Publications

Author of:

  • O Controlo da Despesa Pública nas Autarquias Locais, 2017;
  • Natural Gas: a new energy in mobility. Comment to Law no. 13/2013, 2014;
  • Climate Chance! A legal-economic reflection of the carbon market in the fight against climate change, 2012.

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