Raposo Bernardo & Associados is a Portuguese firm with offices in two further European countries and five African nations. The firm has a full-service offering in Angola. Its team of 14 lawyers based in Luanda are led by Ana Cláudia Rangel.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm specialises in deals with a particular emphasis on work related to financial and project development matters. Much of the firm’s project work sees it advising international investors and corporations, especially from Portugal and Brazil.
Key Clients
Key clients are confidential.
Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
During the research period the firm was active in financial and project development deals.
In financial and project development deals, the firm worked on master loans, banking and security agreements, financing agreements to projects related with logistics infrastructure deals for clients connected with areas primarily related to work in the energy and infrastructure spaces.
Client Feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Banking and finance
"The team of lawyers of Raposo Bernardo became a unique partner for our group and a priceless support for the success of our presence in Angola. They are true experts in the legal finance environment, which is a fundamental condition to have them dealing with our delicate and complex projects. This firm has a group of outstanding lawyers with a bold mission to support their clients to overcome countless difficulties in view of the good business opportunities that Angola offers. I am their number-one fan, I am sure."
Financial restructuring
"Raposo Bernardo’s lawyers have the knowledge and depth of experience necessary to advise on the Angolan jurisdiction as a leading law firm. Its focus encompasses all areas that touch on dispute resolution, insurance, finance and corporate law. Along with Raposo Bernardo's intimate grasp of the legal issues inherent in insurance regulatory and insurance litigation mandates, they really do try to understand their clients’ objectives and the business issues underlying these objectives. They truly listen to us to learn and understand our short and long-term goals, and then work collaboratively across the firm with their client to find creative and practical solutions. "
M&A
"My experiences with Raposo Bernardo were stupendous through and through. These lawyers know their craft and walk the extra mile for you. Every time I consulted with Raposo Bernardo for major transactions, it was handled with utmost care and professionalism. I also appreciated working with people that care for you on a personal level instead of just handling you as a 'case'. One of the main characteristics that I appreciate in Raposo Bernardo lawyers is that they work side by side with us always delivering excellent practical, innovative and commercial advice across the challenges that are presented in our activity. Their team of high-quality experts has excellent technical know-how and an eye for the practical details knowing the local market of Angola very well. They are very familiar with all cross-border issues that are crucial for any deal. Highly recommend for complex, major, multiparty and cross-border operations."
Project development: Energy
"Raposo Bernardo work tirelessly to exceed our expectations in everything we ask of them. As true legal specialists in the Angolan market the team combines traditional working principles with a present-day outlook for all our projects. They are professional, savvy and proficient, executing our legal matters expeditiously. The team are fully committed to bringing us an exceptional end result and ultimately client satisfaction is of paramount importance to them. Though we faced challenges, they did not falter. We are always kept informed of progress and have been very involved with all aspects of the legal advice. "
"The team of lawyers of Raposo Bernardo became a unique partnership of our group and a priceless support for the success of our presence in Angola. They are true experts in the legal finance environment, which is a fundamental condition to have them dealing with our delicate and complex projects. This firm has a group of outstanding lawyers with a bold mission to support their clients to overcome the countless difficulties in view of the good business opportunities that Angola offers. I am their fan number one, I am sure."
"My experiences with the firm were stupendous through and through. These lawyers know their craft and walk the extra mile for you. Every time I consulted with them for major transactional operations, it was handled with utmost care and professionalism. I also appreciated working with people that care for you on a personal level instead of just handling you as a 'case'. One of the main characteristics that I appreciate in the firm's lawyers is that they work side by side with us always delivering excellent practical, innovative and commercial advice across the challenges that are presented in our activity. The team of high-quality experts has excellent technical know-how and an eye for the practical details knowing the local market of Angola very well. They are very familiar with all cross-border issues that are crucial for any operation. Highly recommend for complex, major, multiparty and cross-border operations."
"The firm works tirelessly to exceed our expectations in everything we ask them. As true legal specialists in the Angolan market the team combines traditional working principles with a present-day outlook to all our projects. They are professional, savvy and proficient, executing our legal matters expeditiously. The team are fully committed to bringing us an exceptional end result and ultimately client satisfaction is of paramount importance to them, a goal we value most. Though we faced challenges, they did not falter. We were always kept informed of progress and have been very involved with all aspects of the legal advising. "
"The law firm that stands out for the high performance in the responses to each request from our teams. They are a full-service firm which is an advantage for us. They have a multidisciplinary and multinational team, allowing them to solve and advise with a global perspective instead of merely local. When working with international partners, this is a fundamental factor to ensure ease of negotiation and leveraging of our company with such partners. They are very good at analysing the pros and cons at a legal level in relation to new partnerships that our company is asked to make in order to penetrate new markets and new business areas. The team is always very up to date. We really enjoy working with the firm's team of lawyers. They are very helpful, quick, available and pragmatic in their advice. They themselves work very well as a team, decentralising and handling our matters in true team spirit."
"Raposo Bernardo & Associados is a law firm that I deeply respect. And this happens for many reasons and for many positive attributes. This firm has an excellent team of lawyers, highly professional and bright; all very experienced and technically skilled. The firm has also an extraordinary culture, very modern and social concerned with the environmental and ethical issues which I find exquisite. It is a top balanced firm in terms of what you pay and what you receive. In fact, I truly believe we receive more than we actually pay, because they are very good. An add value for our company. And these attributes are even clearer when you’re abroad, our of your comfort zone. "
"The firm's team of lawyers became a unique partnership for our group and a priceless support for the success of our activity. They are true experts in the Angolan markets and legal finance environment, which is a fundamental condition to have them dealing with our delicate and complex operations. This firm has a group of outstanding lawyers with a bold mission to support their clients to overcome the countless difficulties in view of the good business opportunities that Angola offers. I am their fan number one, I am sure."
"They are the most competent lawyers we’ve ever worked with in Angola as they offer the right advice in the right timing, whatever the area or the country it concerns. Meeting deadlines in an environment that is very hostile to all formalities and contractual obligations, together with a great acumen for anticipating problems. What also convinces us that we have the best legal team is the strong armouring of our contracts and agreements, which are the only way we have prevailed with the operation in Angola to date. They are a must-have for our business success."
Ana Cláudia Rangel
"Ana Cláudia Rangel has a strong track record in dispute resolution, insurance, regulatory, compliance and restructuring. She is extremely clever, dedicated to her clients, always accessible, very practical and extremely impressive. She has the capacity to offer added value in her maturity and an approach to transactions and negotiations that it is difficult to overcome. We are so happy and pleased that we have found somebody like Ana Rangel. "
"Ana Cláudia Rangel knows how to get the best out of any negotiation situation, regardless of the parties and the characteristic pressure of the Angolan market. She is very talented and experienced in this challenging market. Ana Cláudia is very practical and clever in her way of working. She can always provide us the best advice, which gives us comfort and trust in each operation."
"Ana Cláudia Rangel knows how to get the best out of any negotiation situation, regardless of the parties and the characteristic pressure in the Angolan market. She is very talented and experienced in this challenging market. Ana Cláudia is very practical and cleaver in her way of working. She can provide us always the best advice that gives us comfort and trust in each operation. And this result is invaluable.
"She knows how to get the best out of any negotiation situation, regardless of the parties and the characteristic pressure in the Angolan market. She is very talented and experienced in this challenging market. She is very practical and clever in her way of working. She can always provide us with the best advice that gives us comfort and trust in each operation. And this result is invaluable."
Nelson Raposo Bernardo
"Nelson Bernardo is a worldwide top leader. I simply think he is the best. Nelson is very sophisticated, innovative and intelligent on his advice, very remarkable, no flaws, no mistakes, very easy going to deal with and an excellent knowledgeable of the market. I always feel l got the best advice I could get and that is priceless. He is very straight to business and very attentive and careful with his clients. "
"He manages his team like a machine and achieves incredible results. He is the leading lawyer of corporate and business areas, conducts the strategy and the negotiations with great ease and effectiveness, implements all the necessary procedures, coordinates the teams and put everything on track. He has a profound knowledge of the law and of the market and the people responsible in the public administration, and of the projects underway. He always gives us solid advice and the best solutions for the most complex problems. He has been our confidante and our legal partner."
"Nelson Raposo Bernardo is a top lawyer, we are captivated by his great negotiating skills and the delivery of innovative and pragmatic solutions that effectively unblock the unexpected problems and situations we face every day in Angola. He combines international experience with a pragmatic approach and commercial understanding when advising in our most complex transactions. Nelson gives us strong confidence concerning knowledge of Angolan law."
"Nelson is an important reference in advocacy for companies in Angola. He is incredibly bright and knowledgeable. He is fearless in everything he stands and defends, leaving everybody absolutely convinced by his remarks and brilliant ideas. It is pleasure to know him and to be able to work with him. He is a true top lawyer, who is always sought for the most complex cases. He knows better than the local lawyers how to do business in Angola. He has a natural ability to solve problems and to help our company advance our goals. Apart from being a lawyer, he has reached the status of adviser of the board in many companies."
"He is the top lawyer, we are captivated by his great negotiating skills and the delivery of innovative and pragmatic solutions that effectively unblock the unexpected problems and situations we face every day in Angola. He combines international experience with a pragmatic approach and commercial understanding when advising on our most complex transactions. He gives us the needed and strong confidence concerning the knowledge of the Angolan law."
"He is an important reference in the advocacy for companies in Angola. He is incredibly bright and knowledgeable. He is fearless in everything he stands and defends on, leaving everybody absolutely convinced of his remarks and brilliant ideas. It is a pleasure to know him and to be able to work with him. His legal background comes from a long distance and he is a true top lawyer, who is always sought for the most complex operations. In addition to being one of the lawyers who best knows and manages Angolan law, he knows better than the local lawyers how to do business in Angola. He has a natural ability to solve problems and to help our company advance our goal. Apart from as a lawyer, he has reached the status of adviser of the board in many companies. For me he is a truly top lawyer."
"I recognise his qualities as a great lawyer for major projects in Angola, who establishes a position of dominance in the most important negotiations that our company has to undertake with stakeholders, providers, contractors and official entities. He is very competent in his work for two reasons: because he prepares very well for any matter, and because he can easily extrapolate from his experience and technical knowledge the best solution in each moment. He is a highly respected business lawyer and therefore has many contacts at the highest level, which is often a decisive factor."
