Isabel Vellozo Ferreira remembers when her father, Damião Vellozo Ferreira founded the Vellozo Ferreira Law Firm, an IPBN Executive Partner, over 40 years ago in 1984. It was one of the first firms in Porto, in fact, because up to that point, lawyers had worked mostly individually.

The firm is perhaps best known for its experience and recognition in the areas of Corporate and Commercial Law, which led the firm to establish itself among the top legal practices in the north of the country from the date of inception until today.

Isabel went on to follow in her father’s footsteps by studying law, at the Universidade Católica in Porto. “I had to choose between international relations and law. Books have always been my passion, so when I completed my degree, I went on to teach at Moderna University, which was an important experience for me. I was able to learn the techniques important for public speaking, and I was able to continue studying so I could build up my knowledge base to fuel my curiosity. Unfortunately, there came a time to decide between going on to practice law or staying a teacher. So, I finally made the choice to stay full-time at the family law firm, which is where I have been ever since.”

Years passed and Isabel’s brother, also a lawyer, teamed up with his sister to continue the firm under the same values of its foundation. Together, the siblings grew the firm and over the last years, specifically, have incorporated new skills within their team, hired new associates, and expanded into the international market, an area that Isabel likes especially. Finally, her interest in international relations found its way into her practice.

According to the company website, “Today, it is with the confidence that the past gives us that we look at the new challenges that arise every day, maintaining focus on the client, rigor in analysis, agility in response, and respect for the ethical principles and values of the profession.”

Isabel told the IPBN, that when it comes to their local client base in Portugal, they are happy to be of assistance. “Portugal has a strategic location for business but it can be difficult to find professional advice for foreign companies so that they can align with specific business goals and requirements.” In that vein, the firm has gladly helped companies from a variety of sectors make the transition: from engineering to IT, tech, services, and even healthcare services. “The right legal advice can inform decision-making for corporations and enterprises alike. Portugal has a lot of constantly changing regulations that are quite complicated at times, so it is important to get ahead,” Isabel said.  

She continued, “We now have an office in Paris, France and an office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These offices bring the firm a lot of new opportunities and aspirations for the future. Why not Ireland in the future? It’s still early, but we are very much focusing on networking and becoming more active in making connections.”

Specifically, Isabel believes the culture in Ireland and other like-minded countries can enrich visiting individuals as well as businesses hoping to expand. The firm has its sights set on intensifying and structuring the density of this new goal and is currently looking for partners and clients to make this goal a reality. 

Isabel concluded that the Executive Partnership that Vellozo Ferreira Law Firm is currently enjoying at the IPBN has so far been an excellent opportunity to help the firm grow beyond its current scale and they invite other members to participate and share in their future achievements of which there will undoubtedly be many. 

We were very pleased to have Isabel as one of our keynote speakers at our recent Ocean conference in Matosinhos (Porto) at the Porto Business School. She participated in one of our panel discussions about the place of Matosinhos in the maritiime transport industry. You can listen to the conversation on the IPBN Podcast series by clicking here.