Morais Leitão Galvão Teles Soares da Silva & Associados (MLGTS) has announced the arrival of an Angola and Mozambique cross border specialist in Lisbon.
Claudia Santos Cruz joins the firm as a consultant from AVM Advogados, a firm known for its work in lusophone jurisdictions, with, as well as Lisbon, offices in Luanda and Maputo. In addition to advising foreign investors into Angola and Mozambique, Santos Cruz is active in banking and finance, oil and gas, mining, capital markets and corporate and commercial law.
Santos Cruz was born in Mozambique, grew up in South Africa and passed the bar in England after studying at Southampton. After spells at DLA Piper and Watson Farley & Williams in London, Santos Cruz registered in Lisbon and joined Portuguese firm Barrocas Sarmento Neves. She left to join AVM in 2010.
When recently asked by IFLR1000 about the reason for the switch to MLGTS, Santos Cruz said that uncertainty in the Angolan and Mozambican markets was the driver. The markets, she said, are: "Becoming increasingly specialised and demanding from a legal services point of view, and that MLGTS, with its consolidated reputation as a market leader in Portugal, offers the right balance in international technical experience and solid local teams."
The firm's MLGTS Legal Circle, including members Angola Legal Circle and Mozambique Legal Circle, is a significant contributor to its international presence.
