Aviation and Aeronautics

Aviation is a highly dynamic economic sector and in constant technological, legislative and regulatory evolution. The innovations in this market require a permanent update of all entities operating in this sector and pose challenges from a legal, technical and financial point of view that demand sophisticated and multidisciplinary solutions, adapted to a very diverse set of transactions and business models.

Over the past 20 years, SÉRVULO has been advising on the structuring and implementation of various transactions in the military and civil aviation sectors, assisting public entities and private operators, namely airlines, airport operators, financial institutions and insurance companies. Its legal advice in the conclusion of some of the most relevant aircraft acquisition, leasing and maintenance contracts, with the intervention of national and international market players and of the relevant regulatory authorities, allowed SÉRVULO to acquire extensive know-how in the aviation and aeronautics sector in general, with regard to its various aspects, accumulating outstanding knowledge not only from a legal point of view, but also from a technical point of view.

SÉRVULO also supports the various operators in this sector on their daily activity, covering issues as diverse as handling, hand luggage, circulation and complaints from passengers, crews and unions, routes and licenses.

In this same context, SÉRVULO has also been providing legal assistance in several arbitral and judicial disputes concerning the execution of aircraft acquisition, leasing and logistics support contracts, which entail the need for specific knowledge of the sector.

In addition, SÉRVULO has been combining its relevant experience in the area of mergers and acquisitions of companies with the specific experience and knowledge of this sector.

SÉRVULO thus offers an integrated service in the aviation sector that provides sophisticated legal solutions to the various market operators and counts on the expertise of the firm’s specialists in the areas of Public Law and Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration, Corporate Law (including mergers, acquisitions and commercial contracts), Tax Law, Finance and Employment Law, among others.

Expertise

• Structuring, negotiation and execution of aircraft acquisition, leasing, maintenance and financing contracts
• Preparation, launching and follow-up of public procurement procedures
• Administrative procedures before regulatory authorities
• Privatization of airlines and airport management companies
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Assistance in arbitral and judicial proceedings
• Assistance in pre-litigation matters, notably through the management of clients’ complaints and the recourse to non-judicial means of dispute settlement, such as negotiation and mediation
• Insolvency proceedings
• Advisory in the tax structuring of national and international transactions, advisory in the restructuring of international groups in the aviation and aeronautics sector, analysis of the tax impact associated with specific issues in this sector (such as the application of airport taxes), advisory and representation in tax litigation proceedings in Portugal and advice on proceedings in other jurisdictions
• Labour advice, including assistance and representation in labour-related disputes (judicial and administrative offences proceedings)
• Legal advice on issues related to compliance with EU legislation and regulations
• Legal advice on competition issues, including state aid