Cross-border legal advisory · Lisbon, Portugal

Two traditions.
All jurisdictions.

Two traditions. All jurisdictions.

Ferraz & Whitmore advises international entrepreneurs, investors and corporations on every legal matter across 46 jurisdictions — Europe, Americas, Asia and CIS. In English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German.

Book a consultation Browse all guides →
46
Jurisdictions
15
Practice areas
2,700+
Guides planned
5
Languages
Latest from our knowledge base
Tax & Residency · Featured
Portugal IFICI 2026: The Complete Guide for International Founders and Investors
Portugal's new tax incentive regime replaces NHR. Here is exactly who qualifies, how to apply and what changes if you missed the January deadline.
April 2026 · By Daniel Ferreira · 14 min read
Corporate · Germany
Setting Up a GmbH as a Non-Resident: Full Legal Checklist
March 2026 · 8 min read
Sanctions · CIS
Sanctions Compliance for Cross-Border Transactions: 2026 Update
March 2026 · By Mikhail Volkov · 11 min read
Real Estate · Spain
Buying Property in Spain as a Non-Resident: Taxes, NIE, Process
February 2026 · By Isabel Carvalho · 9 min read
Browse all guides
2700

For international entrepreneurs, investors and businesses navigating European and cross-border law, Ferraz & Whitmore delivers clear, precise legal counsel — built on two founding traditions, covering every jurisdiction our clients need.

Lisbon · Brussels · London — through our partner network
Who we are

Portuguese roots.
English precision.
International reach.

Ferraz — from the Portuguese ferro, iron. The strength of deep roots, local expertise and structural permanence. The name of a founding tradition.

Whitmore — English legal heritage. Precision, restraint and the standard of excellence that international clients expect from their counsel.

Together, we are a cross-border legal boutique: full-service, analytically driven, and built for clients who operate across borders and need one trusted partner to navigate them all.

About the firm Meet the team
01
Cross-border by design
From day one, we built for international clients. Every practice area, every guide and every piece of advice is designed for someone operating outside their home jurisdiction.
02
Knowledge as a product
Over 690 jurisdiction-specific legal guides — corporate law, tax, immigration, disputes — across 46 countries. Our knowledge base is the evidence of our expertise before you call.
03
One partner, all borders
We are not a local boutique. We handle the full legal lifecycle — from incorporation to disputes to tax — across the jurisdictions our clients need, without referrals.
Jurisdictions covered
Europe (23) Americas (6) Asia & Middle East (9) CIS (8) 46 countries total 690 service pages
Practice areas

15 practices. Every jurisdiction.

Full service matrix →
01
Corporate Law & Governance
Company formation, corporate governance, shareholders' agreements, director liability, compliance.
→ 46 jurisdictions
02
Mergers & Acquisitions
Cross-border M&A, due diligence, joint ventures, share & asset deals, post-merger integration.
→ 46 jurisdictions
03
Litigation & Arbitration
Commercial litigation, international arbitration (ICC/LCIA), enforcement of foreign judgments, ADR.
→ 46 jurisdictions
04
Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Corporate insolvency, debt restructuring, creditor rights, cross-border insolvency proceedings.
→ 46 jurisdictions
05
Tax Law & Tax Disputes
Corporate tax planning, transfer pricing, tax disputes, VAT/GST, double tax treaties.
→ 46 jurisdictions
06
Real Estate & Construction
Property acquisition, development, commercial leases, construction disputes, planning permits.
→ 46 jurisdictions
07
Immigration & Residency
Business immigration, investor visas, Golden Visa, residency and citizenship by investment.
→ 46 jurisdictions
08
Employment Law
Employment contracts, termination, disputes, executive compensation, cross-border employment.
→ 46 jurisdictions
09
Banking & Finance
Lending, financial regulation, project finance, fintech, AML compliance.
→ 46 jurisdictions
10
Data Protection & Privacy
GDPR compliance, data breach response, cross-border data transfers, DPO support.
→ 46 jurisdictions
11
International Trade & Sanctions
Export controls, sanctions compliance, customs, anti-corruption (FCPA/UK Bribery Act).
→ 46 jurisdictions
12
Intellectual Property
Trademark, patent, copyright, IP licensing, tech IP, trade secrets, domain disputes.
→ 46 jurisdictions
13
Investments & Capital Markets
Securities regulation, capital markets transactions, investment funds, structured finance.
→ 46 jurisdictions
14
Corporate Disputes
Shareholder disputes, director liability, minority protection, derivative claims, deadlock resolution.
→ 46 jurisdictions
15
AI & Technology Law
EU AI Act compliance, AI liability, algorithmic regulation, IP in AI-generated works, data governance, tech contracts.
→ 46 jurisdictions
Jurisdictions covered — 46 countries across 4 regions
Europe · 23 countries
Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom
Americas · 6 countries
Argentina Brazil Canada Colombia Mexico USA
Asia & Middle East · 9 countries
China India Israel Japan Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Turkey UAE
CIS · 8 countries
Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Kazakhstan Russia Ukraine Uzbekistan
The team

Partners & senior counsel

Full team →
RF
Managing Partner
Rodrigo Ferraz
Managing Partner
International corporate transactions, cross-border M&A, dispute resolution. Leads the firm's practice in Portugal, Spain and Latin America.
PT · EN · ES · FR
CW
Partner
Catherine Whitmore
Partner · Corporate & M&A
Cross-border M&A, private equity, capital markets. Leads the UK, Germany and Northern European practice.
EN · FR · DE
AM
Partner
André Monteiro
Partner · Litigation & Arbitration
Commercial disputes, international arbitration (ICC, LCIA, CAM), enforcement of cross-border judgments and asset recovery.
PT · EN · ES
ER
Partner
Elena Rossi
Partner · Tax & Finance
International tax structuring, cross-border investment, banking and finance. Leads the Italian, Swiss and EU regulatory practice.
IT · EN · FR · PT
Meet our 5 legal analysts and authors — the researchers behind our 2,700+ planned legal guides.
Knowledge base

Legal intelligence, jurisdiction by jurisdiction.

All 2,700+ guides →
Tax · Portugal · Evergreen
IFICI 2026: The Complete Legal Guide for Foreign Professionals and Founders Relocating to Portugal
Portugal's replacement for the NHR regime entered force in January 2024. The IFICI offers a 20% flat IRS rate for qualifying activities for up to 10 years. We explain every eligibility route, how to apply, common mistakes and the interplay with Golden Visa.
April 2026 · 18 min read · Daniel Ferreira
Tax & Residency Practice
Read →
Corporate · Germany
GmbH vs UG: Choosing the Right Entity for Foreign Founders in Germany
A side-by-side comparison of Germany's two most common limited liability entities, with minimum capital, setup timelines and tax implications.
March 2026 · 9 min · Daniel Ferreira
Sanctions · CIS
Navigating Sanctions in Cross-Border CIS Transactions: Practical Compliance Checklist
2026 sanctions landscape for Russia, Belarus and related jurisdictions. What triggers compliance obligations, how to structure payments and when to seek legal clearance.
March 2026 · 11 min · Mikhail Volkov
First step

Ready to navigate
your jurisdiction?

Book a 30-minute introductory call. We will review your legal situation, identify the right structure across jurisdictions, and send a written summary — before any commitment.

Or contact us directly: info@ferrazwhitmore.com · +351 21 000 0000