Sometimes it is impossible to resolve disputes by negotiation, and when this happens, matters must be taken to court.

Unfortunately, the Portuguese judicial system is known for being slow and bureaucratic, but reforms are in place to change this standing. Following Portugal´s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the EU, the IMF, and the ECB, in November of 2011, a series of measures are being implemented to increase the speed and efficiency of our judicial system. With the prospect of a faster, more efficient system, legal issues will soon be resolved more quickly, and recourse to the judicial system will become a practical and useful tool which individuals and businesses can use to resolve legal issues.

Our role as lawyers is to represent the client´s interest. This means carefully studying the case, then giving our opinion of the best solution, always ensuring that the client is well-informed of any risks, and never promising results that are uncertain. Although the outcome of a court case may be predicted, it can never be guaranteed, and the final decision is not made by the lawyer or the client, but by the judge.

Here in the Algarve, due to the large number of foreign residents and foreign-based or owned companies, lawyers frequently present cases in which the governing laws are not the laws of Portugal. For instance, when a divorce between two English nationals is tried before a Portuguese court, the English national law is applied by the court. According to Portuguese law, divorce is a family law matter, and as such, must be governed by the national laws of the individuals. Our law firm has tried to provide solutions for such requirements by:

• Ensuring that our team is as knowledgeable as possible of international law, and international legal and businesses practices. Among other qualifications, Dr. Nelson Ramos holds a Master in International Law from the USA.
• Establishing associations with foreign legal professionals, namely English solicitors.

In litigation, we believe that no case is too small or too big; our representation includes individual clients with cases involving traffic violations, as well as dozens of clients suing one of the largest banks in Portugal, suing City Councils, and even the Portuguese Tax Department.

We provide a full range of legal services, regardless of the subject matter, the amounts involved, or the size and influence of the other party. Our clients do not need to find other law offices; we provide all their legal service requirements under one roof.