The Lisbon office of Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho has announced that the firm has successfully hired IFLR1000 Leading lawyer Jorge de Brito Pereira from rival PLMJ.

Pereira, who is one of the most prominent corporate lawyers in Portugal, was with PLMJ for 25 years and headed up the corporate practice group. He specialises in corporate governance and investment funds, and has a wide knowledge of the Brazilian market, which fits with Uría's ambitions to expand its South American practice.

His recent work includes assisting Fidequity with its purchase of a majority stake in EFACEC Power Solutions, a leading power and engineering solutions company in Portugal.

When asked recently by IFLR1000 about the significance of the move, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho managing partner Duarte Garin said that adding a lawyer of Pereira’s stature is an important step towards improving the firm’s M&A and capital markets offering. “This is the most important move we have made since Daniel Proença de Carvalho joined the firm in 2010,” he said.