Vitor Sereno, Gonçalo Mendes da Maia and António Lobo Xavier
Local law firm MdME and Portuguese legal practice MLGTS have joined forces to launch a guide for Portuguese nationals living in or willing to move to Macau, Angola or Mozambique, offering them a glimpse into these regions’ legal, financial and taxation systems.
Portuguese politician and partner at MLGTS (Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva e Associados) António Lobo Xavier said that the idea comes from both firms’ desire to further their social responsibility programs.
“We thought about what we could do in favor of the community. So we thought of putting our [legal] knowledge to good use and giving something useful to people. We know that many Portuguese nationals have emigrated in recent years, and sometimes they leave Portugal for other countries misinformed,” which can lead to the emergence of complex situations, Mr Lobo Xavier recalled.
The guide will provide information on legal and taxation systems, as well as on residency permit policies, of each Portuguese-speaking country or region, which for now will include Macau, Angola and Mozambique, where MLGTS holds partnerships with other law firms.
In Macau, MLGTS established a partnership with MdME. The local law firm celebrated its 8th anniversary on Wednesday at the Portuguese Consul Residence.
MdME partner Gonçalo Mendes da Maia stressed that the law firm is willing to further enhance its social responsibility program, reinforcing their pro-bono practice. “We will try to request more pro-bono hours from our lawyers, as we wish to give something back to our community,” he added.
MdME has evolved significantly throughout the past eight years, Mr Mendes da Maia recalled. “We began as a small firm with three lawyers (…) and now we have a team of about 12 lawyers and offices located across two floors of a prestigious building in Macau. We have also established a strong partnership with MLGTS, for which I am also a partner. This has strengthened our international profile, and we now have a comprehensive client portfolio from various sectors in Macau,” he stressed.
As a full service law firm, MdME has particularly expanded its client portfolio in the sectors of banking and finance, as well as construction, while also further developing corporate and gaming areas.
Mr Lobo Xavier explained that the idea of launching an information guidebook for Portuguese citizens living abroad emerged at MdME, with the Portuguese Consulate General in Macau now also giving its support.
The Consul General of Portugal to Macau and Hong Kong, Vitor Sereno, welcomed the idea, particularly because he believes it might help prevent Portuguese nationals being misinformed about a particular country they are looking to emigrate to.
Mr Sereno urged Portuguese nationals not to leave their home country without collecting all necessary information on their host country. The Consul General acknowledged that there have been two or three cases in which Portuguese citizens have resorted to the Consulate after having spent three months trying to find a suitable job position in Macau and failed.
“People cannot come here thinking they will [automatically] get a job. They need to be well informed about Macau’s reality and legislation,” he stressed.
The “Guide of the Portuguese Citizen in the Portuguese-speaking Countries” is expected to officially launch in May next year, according to Mr Lobo Xavier.
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