Biography: Competition

Dr Cruz Vilaça joined PLMJ as partner and head of the EU and competition practice in 1996 after 10 years as advocate general at the European Court of Justice and subsequently as president of the Court of First Instance.

He holds a law degree and an MA in political economy from Coimbra University (where he was a lecturer) and a doctorate in international economics (Paris I). He also trained in Oxford and at Fordham (NY). He is currently professor at the New University of Lisbon and at the Catholic University of Lisbon.

As a member of the Portuguese government he was responsible for the accession negotiations with the EC.

Dr Cruz Vilaça has headed some of the most prominent antitrust and merger cases concerning the Portuguese market and led or consulted in several important public procurement, state aid, regulatory and article 106 cases, either before the national authorities, the Commission or the EU courts.

He advised the Portuguese government on the setting up of the Competition Authority, chaired the disciplinary committee of the European Commission and was a member of the permanent delegation of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe. He has published numerous books and articles and speaks regularly at international conferences.

Dr Cruz Vilaça has recently been nominated for a post of judge at the EU Court of Justice.

He speaks Portuguese (mother tongue), and English, French and Spanish fluently.

PLMJ currently counts 44 partners and 56 senior associates among a total of 220-plus lawyers, and has for many years been the largest Portuguese law firm. As a result of its wide experience, PLMJ has developed its own network of correspondents, in both domestic and foreign law firms, able to provide assistance in virtually all fields of law. PLMJ has offices in Lisbon, Porto and Faro (Algarve). It is also present in Brazil, Angola, Macao, China and Mozambique through joint ventures with local firms.