ASA LAWYERS PT

What ASA LAWYERS PT does

ASA Lawyers PT (legal name: Sociedade de Advogados ASA – Apolónia, Sócios e Associados) is a Portuguese law firm founded in 2018 by Teresa do Brito Apolónia and Sara Martins Cruz, headquartered in Lisbon with a second office in Lagos (Algarve) opened in February 2022. The firm employs approximately 12 professionals — including two founding partners, one equity partner, of-counsel lawyers, associates, a legal consultant, an immigration consultant, and trainees/interns — and operates across 12 practice areas: real estate and construction, corporate and commercial law, public/administrative/fiscal law, an International Desk, EU and competition law, labor and HR, criminal and regulatory defense, civil litigation, private client matters, IP/IT/consumer protection, environmental and energy law, and social responsibility.

Its core differentiator is the International Desk, which delivers cross-border services to foreign individuals and companies entering or operating in Portugal, with particular emphasis on Portugal–China and Portugal–Hong Kong trade corridors. Service offerings include Golden Visa, Startup Visa, and Tech Visa residence permits, real estate acquisition support, immigration and relocation consulting, investment vehicle structuring, and corporate formation for international clients. The firm operates a sales-led, event-driven go-to-market model combining direct advisory delivery with participation in trade-promotion events alongside institutional partners such as AICEP, the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce (CCILC), and the Portugal-Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce (PHKCCI). It also maintains academic ties (NOVA IPSI) and a Lusophone Brazil partnership (L.O. Baptista). Revenue is generated exclusively through professional service fees (hourly or fixed-fee legal advisory), with no proprietary technology, no productized software, and no public financial disclosure.

Name

ASA LAWYERS PT

Legal name

Sociedade de Advogados ASA – Apolónia, Sócios e Associados

Website

https://asalawyers.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ASA Lawyers PT is a Lisbon-based Portuguese law firm founded in 2018 with a second office in Lagos (Algarve), serving corporate and private clients across 12 practice areas. Its core niche is an International Desk focused on Portugal–China, Portugal–Hong Kong, and Lusophone cross-border mandates, including Golden Visa and corporate formation for foreign investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAAAE

Real Estate & Construction Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

SECONDARYBPAHAAAD

Employment & Labor Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

SECONDARYBPAHAAAK

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

SECONDARYBPAHALAG

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• Legal advisory services
• Corporate law
• Immigration law
• Real estate law
• International business law

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Professional legal services billed to clients including companies and individuals. Services span multiple practice areas including corporate law, real estate, immigration, labor law, and international trade. Revenue generated through professional service fees for legal consultation, representation, and advisory work.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ASA Lawyers is a Portuguese law firm providing professional legal advisory and representation services across 12 practice areas, including corporate/commercial law, real estate, immigration and International Desk services, labor and employment, intellectual property, civil and criminal litigation, public/administrative law, EU and competition law, energy/environmental law, and private client matters. The firm supports both corporate clients and private individuals with personalized, team-based legal solutions, with a particular focus on cross-border investment, internationalization, and Portugal-China/Hong Kong trade relations.

Product overview

ASA LAWYERS PT is a Portuguese law firm (Sociedade de Advogados) offering comprehensive legal services across 12 distinct practice areas. The firm operates a unified service model with specialized departments covering corporate and commercial law, real estate and construction, labor and employment, intellectual property, civil and criminal litigation, public and administrative law, EU and competition law, immigration and international desk services, private client matters, and environmental/energy law. Founded in 2018 by Teresa do Brito Apolónia and Sara Martins Cruz, the firm has offices in Lisbon and Lagos (Algarve) and focuses on personalized legal advisory with an emphasis on international business support and cross-border transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direito Imobiliário, Urbanismo e Construção (Real Estate, Urban Planning and Construction Law) Legal advisory services covering real estate acquisitions, urban planning, construction licensing, land subdivision, project planning, expropriations, and notarial services. Targeted at property buyers, investors, developers, and construction companies operating in Portugal.
• Direito Comercial Societário e Direito Empresarial (Corporate and Commercial Law) Corporate law services including company formation, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, investment vehicles, franchising, startup finance, corporate governance, and restructuring. Targeted at SMEs, startups, investors, and corporate clients operating or investing in Portugal.
• Direito Público, Administrativo e Fiscal (Public, Administrative and Tax Law) Public and administrative law practice covering government contracts, public-private partnerships, public procurement, European tenders, administrative and tax litigation, fiscal efficiency, and tax arbitration. Targeted at companies dealing with Portuguese public administration and tax authorities.
• International Desk Cross-border services including fiscal and real estate advisory, tourism regulation, residence permits for employment, ARI visas (Golden Visa, StartUP Visa, TechVisa), corporate downsizing with relocation, and Portuguese nationality acquisition. Targeted at foreign investors, entrepreneurs, and relocating individuals entering or operating in Portugal.
• Direito da União Europeia e da Concorrência (EU and Competition Law) EU and competition law practice addressing free movement, international treaties, foreign judgment recognition, international trade, family and succession matters with cross-border elements, and competition regulation. Targeted at companies and individuals engaged in cross-border activity within the EU.
• Direito Laboral e dos Recursos Humanos (Labor and Human Resources Law) Labor and employment law services including HR structuring, business advisory, employment contracts, disciplinary proceedings, workplace accidents, labor litigation, audits, collective bargaining, and termination processes. Targeted at employers, HR departments, and employees in Portugal.
• Direito Penal e Contraordenacional (Criminal and Regulatory Law) Criminal and regulatory defense services covering white-collar crime, contravention defense, compliance due diligence, criminal tax and social security law, and criminal liability of directors. Targeted at companies, directors, and individuals facing criminal or regulatory exposure in Portugal.
• Contencioso Civil e Execuções (Civil Litigation and Enforcement) Civil litigation and enforcement services including obligations and contracts, insolvency and revival plans, credit recovery, banking and financial litigation, and insurance disputes. Targeted at companies and individuals in civil disputes, creditors, and insolvency matters.
• Clientes Privados (Private Client Services) Private client services covering divorces, parental responsibility regulation, estate divisions, inventories, civil contracts, leasing, personal legal restructuring, and succession planning. Targeted at private individuals facing family, civil, and succession matters in Portugal.
• Propriedade Industrial e Intelectual, Proteção do Consumidor e I.T. (Intellectual Property, Consumer Protection and IT Law) Intellectual and industrial property services including trademarks, patents, copyright, electronic contracting, data protection, e-commerce, telecommunications, and advertising law. Targeted at brands, tech companies, e-commerce businesses, and creators requiring IP and IT legal protection.
• Direitos Humanos, do Ambiente e Energia (Human Rights, Environmental and Energy Law) Human rights, environmental and energy law covering sustainable development goals compliance, carbon credit contracts, environmental certification, renewable energy, environmental liability, and licensing. Targeted at companies in energy, renewables, and sustainability sectors, as well as organizations addressing human rights matters.
• Responsabilidade Social (Social Responsibility) Social responsibility practice committed to sustainability and providing legal support to citizens and communities with limited resources. Targeted at underserved individuals and community organizations requiring pro bono or subsidized legal assistance.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NOVA IPSI (NOVA School of Law)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2023ASA Lawyers member Ruben Ferreira participated as speaker at Nova IPSI Annual Lecture 2023 on Intellectual Property and Sustainability. NOVA IPSI is an intellectual property and sustainable innovation knowledge center.
• Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCILC)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2022ASA Lawyers served as local partner for the Alibaba.com business presentation event in Albufeira. CCILC organizes trade promotion events connecting Portuguese businesses with Chinese market opportunities.
• Portugal-Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHKCCI)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2022Partner in organizing the Alibaba.com presentation event. PHKCCI facilitates business relations between Portugal and Hong Kong SAR.
• Câmara Municipal de AlbufeiraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2022Hosted the Alibaba.com presentation event at the Paços do Concelho (City Hall). Provided venue support for the business networking event.
• AICEP Portugal GlobalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAICEP co-presented the Alibaba.com platform opportunity event. AICEP is the Portuguese agency for trade and investment promotion.
• L.O. Baptista Sociedade de Advogados (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian law firm that co-presented at Executive Breakfast Brasil event in June 2021. ASA Lawyers contributed presentation on double taxation topics. Joint event held at Câmara de Comércio premises.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PLMJ: Portugal's largest full-service law firm with an established International Desk serving foreign investors, M&A and residency-by-investment clients. Significantly larger than ASA but competes for the same inbound-investor mandates.
• Uría Menéndez: Leading Iberian firm with a Lisbon office serving cross-border Iberian and EU mandates. Overlaps with ASA on corporate, real estate, EU/competition and regulatory matters for international clients.
• Baker McKenzie: Global law firm with a long-standing Lisbon office serving multinationals and high-net-worth foreign investors entering Portugal. Overlaps with ASA's international-desk value proposition at the upper end of the market.
• Vieira de Almeida (VdA): Top-tier Portuguese law firm with deep corporate, M&A and international practices. Competes with ASA for high-value foreign-investor and cross-border mandates across Iberia and Lusophone Africa.
• Cuatrecasas: Iberian full-service law firm with a strong Portuguese office covering corporate, M&A, real estate and EU/competition. Competes with ASA for foreign-investor and cross-border mandates originating in Spain and Portugal.
• Morais Leitão: Major Portuguese full-service firm with extensive international and Lusophone-Africa practices. Competes with ASA for corporate, real estate and cross-border investment mandates.
• CMS Portugal: Global firm's Portuguese office offering corporate, real estate, immigration and cross-border advisory. Competes with ASA for foreign-investor mandates that require multi-jurisdictional coordination.

Direct peers

• Raposo Subtil & Associados: Lisbon-based Portuguese multi-practice boutique with comparable size and international focus. Serves corporate and private clients across corporate, real estate, tax and immigration — directly comparable to ASA's positioning.
• Caiado Guerreiro: Lisbon-based Portuguese multi-practice boutique with a comparable international-desk focus serving foreign investors entering Portugal. Overlaps directly with ASA in corporate, real estate, immigration and cross-border advisory for international clients.
• SRS Advogados: Portuguese mid-sized full-service firm with a dedicated international desk and strong corporate, real estate and tax practices serving foreign clients. Closely comparable in positioning and target client mix to ASA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asa-lawyers-pt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASA LAWYERS PT