Press Release

The Legal Innovation Awards recognise and reward the law firms that are shaping the future of the legal profession in the work they do in the area of management.

PLMJ is on the shortlist of the first edition of The Legal Innovation Awards, organised by the most prestigious UK legal sector magazine - Legal Week – having been shortlisted in three categories: International Innovation, Marketing and Business Development Innovation and Pro Bono Innovation. PLMJ has been shortlisted alongside leading British and American firms such as Baker & McKenzie, Clifford Chance, Dentons, Magnusson and Eversheds, which makes this recognition even more significant.

According to PLMJ managing Segundo Manuel Santos Vitor, “we are particularly proud of being shortlisted for these awards and it brings great motivation to our management teams as it places us among the global giants of the legal profession. It is also recognition of the consistency and pioneering spirit of PLMJ, not only in our internationalisation project but also in our management and professional support departments and, above all, in our pro bono work for the community”.

Manuel Santos Vitor also highlights “the capacity of two independent Portuguese firms to implement innovation programmes in line with the main international trends dictated by leading law firms. It is noteworthy that PLMJ and PLMJ e a Vieira de Almeida are the only firms from continental Europe on the shortlist, placing them ahead of major European and Iberian firms in terms of their capacity to come up with and implement pioneering and innovative ideas for the benefit of their clients and for greater efficiency.”

SHORTLISTED PROJECTS

In the category of International Innovation, the jury highlighted PLMJ's internationalisation project, PLMJ International Legal Network, which celebrates its fifth anniversary in September, for originality in developing a platform to provide international services that brings together firms in Portuguese-speaking countries and firms with a strategic presence in countries that are sources of investment such as China, Switzerland and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The jury also put a spotlight on the initiative and organisation of the “1st International Week” of the PLMJ network, which brought together lawyers and staff from the various countries to improve ways of working together and interacting on a daily basis.

PLMJ is also on the shortlist for the Pro Bono Innovation award for the work done under its pro bono programme coordinated by partner Maria Conceição Cabaços and senior associate Filipa Cotta, which involves more than 50 PLMJ lawyers working with more than 35 institutions every year. The jury highlighted the organisation of the firm’s first Social Responsibility and Pro Bono Conference. This conference brought together the institutions we work with on a pro bono basis (in other words, without charging any legal fees) and its aim was to talk about and stimulate new ways of working together, in particular, in the context of access to justice and the law. The jury also highlighted the launch of the firm's first Corporate Social Responsibility Report. In marketing and business development innovation, inspired by the upturn in the real estate sector in Portugal and the programmes launched by the Portuguese government to attract for investment, PLMJ developed a strategy to re-launch its real estate practice. This included the creation of new specialist services for the development of real estate projects and the setting up of luxury item retail stores in Lisbon, for the Golden Visa scheme and for the non-habitual residents’ scheme. The strategy to boost the brand and positioning of PLMJ's real estate team, on various platforms and through various channels, was a highlight in this area.

Innovation is in PLMJ's DNA and the firm has appeared for four consecutive years on the Financial Times ranking of the 50 most innovative law firms in Europe.

The Legal Innovation Awards ceremony takes place on 22 May in London.