Clifford Chance LLP primarily handles inbound transactions for a diverse client base, including commercial and development banks, private equity funds, and public institutions, as well as industrial conglomerates, energy and oil and gas companies, and construction firms. Leading the Mozambique practice are Gibbs Johnson, a Dubai-based consultant, and Russell Wells, located in London. Johnson is an expert in energy and infrastructure project finance, particularly in Mozambique’s electricity sector, while Wells spearheads the firm’s global energy and resources sector group, bringing extensive experience in commercial, corporate, and finance matters within the oil and gas and power industries. Delphine Siino Courtin, stationed in Paris, is an expert in renewable energy and infrastructure, and is adept at representing lenders in Mozambican solar projects.

Miranda & Associados, along with the Miranda Alliance, is renowned for advising global investors on their investment projects and transactions in Mozambique, actively participating in sectors such as oil and gas, energy, mining, and banking. Co-headed by Diogo Xavier Da Cunha and Paulo Pimenta, who also serves as the managing partner of Maputo-based Pimenta e Associados, the group specialises in corporate, energy, and natural resources matters. Nuno Cabeçadas offers expertise in projects, banking, and finance, while Sofia Martins, who is recognised as ‘an incredible talent and a superb advocate’, focuses on litigation and arbitration, significantly enhancing the team’s capabilities in addressing complex legal challenges.

Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados, which is adept at managing both inbound and outbound investments into Lusophone Africa, caters to a broad client base that includes public and private corporations, governments, and financial institutions. Renowned for its expertise in project development and finance, capital markets, and a wide range of corporate activities, the team is led by André de Sousa Vieira and Claudia Santos Cruz. De Sousa Vieira, now stationed in the firm’s new Singapore office, brings extensive experience in international project finance, especially in the energy, resources, and infrastructure spaces, representing lenders, sponsors, and governments. Meanwhile, Santos Cruz focuses on aiding clients with international and cross-border investments in Mozambique and other Lusophone African regions.

PLMJ effectively supports domestic and international clients in their Mozambique-based ventures and represents Mozambican clients in investments across other Lusophone jurisdictions. Active in the oil and gas, energy, natural resources and construction sectors, the firm offers a wide range of expertise spanning cross-border M&A, tax, and foreign investment, as well as currency exchange legislation, projects, and arbitration. Leading the Africa team are Gonçalo dos Reis Martins and Inês Pinto da Costa. Martins, who has significant banking and finance sector expertise, advises international and local banks, financial institutions, and asset managers. Pinto da Costa specialises in corporate M&A and has substantial experience in Mozambican infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects. Marta Pedro contributes wide-ranging knowledge of real estate, tourism, and corporate transactions within the country.

With an ‘exceptional combination of legal expertise and cultural fluency’, VdA’s Mozambique practice specialises in the areas of oil and gas, energy, infrastructure, and banking. Collaborating closely with its local partner firm GDA Advogados, the group provides wide-ranging legal expertise, spanning regulatory, corporate, tax, licensing, and employment issues. Teresa Empis Falcão concentrates on infrastructure and mobility matters, with a robust background in national and international project finance and capital markets transactions. She leads the team with José Miguel Oliveira, who is highly experienced in the transport, oil and gas, and energy spaces.

Abreu Advogados excels in sectors such as energy, aviation, infrastructure, natural resources, and financial markets. The firm’s diverse experience includes advising on oil and gas logistics platform concessions and retail real estate projects, as well as providing litigation and debt collection support to major domestic banking clients. Ana Sofia Batista and José Maria Corrêa De Sampaio lead the team from Lisbon, alongside Zara Jamal, who manages local partner firm JLA ADVOGADOS in Maputo. Batista is adept at M&A negotiations, including private equity transactions, while Jamal specialises in project and energy financing, real estate, and banking. Manuel Santos Vítor handles M&A deals across the energy, natural resources, and leisure spaces, and Isabel Pinheiro Torres contributes banking and finance expertise.

A&O Shearman provides services to both borrowing and lending parties, with the Lusophone desk co-led by Tim Scales in London, Scott Neilson in Tokyo, Ian Ingram-Johnson in Dubai, and Alessandra Pardini in Johannesburg. Ingram-Johnson offers assistance to a wide array of clients, such as project sponsors, financial institutions, governmental entities, and project companies, in industries including power, oil and gas, and infrastructure, as well as transportation, mining, and metal. Meanwhile, Neilson contributes extensive expertise in the LNG, oil and gas, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Mayer Brown, which draws on a team of lawyers situated in Brazil, London, and Houston, is renowned for its expertise in oil and gas, mining, construction, and heavy industries. The group’s wide-ranging expertise includes the regulatory aspects of Mozambican energy projects, infrastructure agreements, joint ventures between foreign investors and domestic entities, and compliance with local immigration legislation. Overseeing the Lusophone Africa desk from Rio de Janeiro and London, Paulo Rage‘s experience spans all phases of cross-border projects and M&A transactions, from project planning and structuring to implementation and divestment.

Raposo Bernardo represents prominent banking clients on project, corporate, and asset financing matters, particularly in the oil and gas and infrastructure sectors. The team is jointly led by Joana Andrade Correia and Manuel Albuquerque. Andrade Correia is experienced in corporate restructurings and M&A deals, spanning domestic and international ventures in diverse sectors such as aviation, projects, banking, and energy. Albuquerque’s expertise extends to infrastructure, construction, oil and gas, and real estate projects, as well as privatisation processes.

White & Case LLP advises global corporations, financial organisations, and governmental bodies on various contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm’s Africa division is managed by Mukund Dhar in London, who assists clients in the energy, natural resources, infrastructure, and telecoms sectors, with projects, joint ventures, acquisitions, and commercial agreements. London-based Jason Kerr brings expertise in international finance to the team, advising a range of clients including commercial banks, export credit agencies, project sponsors, and multilateral lending institutions.

CMS is actively involved in a variety of industries, including maritime, transport, and construction, as well as energy, agriculture, and telecoms. The firm integrated Maputo-based firm Couto, Graça e Associados, lda – member of CMS in November 2022, expanding its operations in the region. The Lusophone Africa practice is jointly headed by Alberto Galhardo Simões, Nuno Alves Mansilha, and Tiago Machado Graça. Galhardo Simões is well versed in infrastructure, project finance, and corporate matters, while Mansilha’s expertise lies in M&A, international transactions, corporate restructuring, and FDI. Machado Graça, who became a partner in January 2023, is adept at advising on both national and international tax and investment issues.

Cuatrecasas offers clients diverse expertise in matters ranging from corporate M&A, banking and finance, and taxation to arbitration and labour law, acting for investment funds, private equity entities, financial organisations, and global corporations. Practice head Samantha Cyrne specialises in cross-border project finance transactions and concessions in sectors such as gas, mining, and infrastructure, as well as agriculture, industry, and tourism. Luís Soares De Sousa excels in supporting clients involved in the Mozambican market or those seeking investment opportunities in other regions.

Eversheds Sutherland works in close partnership with Eversheds Sutherland AG Advogados in Mozambique, offering expertise in multiple sectors, with a strong focus on energy, including oil and gas. The team is guided by João Couceiro, an expert in corporate, commercial, banking, and capital market issues, with areas of proficiency including project finance, M&A, and infrastructure. Felipe Ros is adept at handling international financing, M&A, and restructurings in Mozambique, in addition to dealing with litigation and employment, real estate, competition, taxation, and energy matters.

Based in London, boutique firm Trinity International LLP is proficient in project and corporate finance, focusing primarily on the energy, infrastructure, resources, and industrial sectors in emerging economies. The firm boasts expertise in African energy and infrastructure deals, providing advice to independent power producers and infrastructure initiatives. Simon Norris, who co-founded the firm, offers guidance to project developers, investors, and financial institutions on deals in the power, energy, transportation, and other infrastructure sectors. He leads the team with Paul Biggs and Kaushik Ray. Lucy Johnson and Elizabeth Handley, both adept at energy sector transactions, play key roles in supporting the team.