Bird & Bird Portugal celebrated the first anniversary of its Lisbon office last Thursday with a gathering that brought together more than 120 clients, partners, professionals from the firm and representatives from different international offices of the firm.
The commemoration served to take stock of a first year marked by growth exceeding expectations, the consolidation of strategic areas of specialization and the strengthening of Bird & Bird’s Iberian and international platform.
During the event held in Lisbon, Ana Rita Paínho, Head of Country for Bird & Bird Portugal, highlighted the office’s growth since its opening and acknowledged the contribution of clients and professionals to the project’s development. “Just a year ago, we embarked on this venture with the conviction that Portugal was a market brimming with opportunities and that Bird & Bird could offer a distinctive proposition. Today, we can proudly say that this vision has become a reality and, in many ways, has even exceeded our expectations. We have grown faster than anticipated, strengthened invaluable relationships, and confirmed that investing in Portugal was the right decision,” she affirmed.
Paínho also emphasized the importance of integrating the Portuguese office into the firm’s international network. “From day one, we have worked as a single firm. The collaboration with Madrid has been fundamental in building a true Iberian platform capable of supporting clients who see Spain and Portugal as a single strategic market. At the same time, we have developed close cooperation with teams throughout our international network and see great opportunities to continue supporting our clients in markets such as Latin America, especially Brazil.”
During this first year, Bird & Bird Portugal has strengthened key areas such as Tech & Comms, Intellectual Property, Corporate and M&A, Labor, Regulatory, Cybersecurity and Data Protection, in line with the firm’s global sector strategy and with the needs of a market increasingly focused on innovation and technology.
For his part, Christian Bartsch, CEO of Bird & Bird, highlighted the role the Lisbon office is playing in the firm’s growth strategy. “The Lisbon team’s work during this first year has been extraordinary. The office has brought in top-tier talent and developed capabilities fully aligned with the sectors and areas driving our global strategy. Its progress demonstrates how a strong local presence can significantly contribute to Bird & Bird’s growth and value proposition internationally,” he noted.
For Coral Yáñez, Head of Iberia and Head of Country at Bird & Bird Spain, the Portuguese office has been key to strengthening the firm’s regional positioning. “One of our main objectives was to build a comprehensive Iberian offering that would meet the needs of clients with operations on both sides of the border. Today, we have a solid, fully coordinated platform with a unique capacity to support companies in complex, cross-border projects,” she emphasized.
The firm has also announced the upcoming relocation of its Lisbon office to a new headquarters designed to support the firm’s next phase of growth. This move will be accompanied by an expansion of the team and the launch of new areas of specialization.
With this first anniversary, Bird & Bird Portugal reaffirms its commitment to the Portuguese market and to advising companies and investors in an increasingly international, technological, and connected environment. “This first year is not a goal; it is simply the beginning,” concluded Ana Rita Paínho.
