Mário João Fernandes analyses the growth of defence investment in Portugal

Mário João Fernandes, of counsel at Abreu Advogados, comments to ECO on the impact of increased European investment in defence and security, in a context in which Portugal may take on an increasingly relevant role in the defence industry.

In the article, which focuses on the growing demand for specialised legal advice in this sector, Mário João Fernandes notes that Abreu Advogados established Defence and Security as a standalone practice area in 2015 and anticipates that this sector will come to represent a more significant share of the firm’s turnover, benefiting from a cycle of sustained growth over the coming years.

Mário João Fernandes also highlights that Abreu Advogados’ client portfolio in this area includes multinational and Portuguese companies already registered as defence companies, as well as companies seeking to begin operating in the production and sale of defence services. In this context, he argues that specialised legal advice, including from a preventive perspective, is essential, given that this is a heavily regulated sector at both national and European level.

Read the article here.